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BOUGHT  WITH  THE  INCOME 
OF  THE  SAGE  ENDOWMENT 
FUND     GIVEN    IN     189I     BY 

HENRY    WILLIAMS    SAGE 


Cornell  University  Library 
F  627P7   P84 


Annals  of  Polk  county,  Iowa,  and  city  of 


olln 


3  1924  028  914  351 


The  original  of  tiiis  book  is  in 
tine  Cornell  University  Library. 

There  are  no  known  copyright  restrictions  in 
the  United  States  on  the  use  of  the  text. 


http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028914351 


WILL  PORTER. 


ANNALS 


OF 


POLK  COUNTY,  IOWA, 


AND 


CITY  OF  DES  MOINES 


BY  WILI.  PORTER. 


"And  this  volume,  dedicated  to  its  people,  sets  forth  in  attractive  style  all  the  facts  and 
incidents  that  go  to  make  up  the  history  of  which  all  citizens  are  justly  proud." 

— Major  Hoyt  Sherman. 


Geo.  a.  Miller  Printing  Company, 

PRINTER.S  AND  Publishers, 

Des  Moines,  Iowa, 

1898. 


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Copyright  1896 

BY 

WILI^  PORTER. 
All  Rights  Reserved, 


MAJOR   HOYT   SHERMAN. 


INTRODUCTORY  PREFACE. 

BY  HOYT  SHERMAN. 

In  su/bmiittdng  to  the  public  such  a  work  as  this,  treating  of  so  many 
subjects  of  interest  and  informatiion  to  the  people  of  both  dty  and 
county,  a  word  of  explanation  is  due  for  the  benefit  of  the  editor  as  well 
as  the  publishers  of  this  volume.  It  treats  of  local  history,  and  very 
properly  all  the  mechanical  and  artistic  work  is  the  product  of  local 
laibor  and  skill— the  engraving,  the  composition,  the  stereotyping,  the 
press  work,  the  bindiing  and  all  the  varied  industries  needed  to  build 
up  amd  complete  a  modern  book,  are  the  product  of  Des  Moines  skill 
and  meohanioal  labor.  For  all  this  the  publisheris  are  entitled  tO'  full 
credit,  amd  will  doubtless  receive  a  Saiiv  return  in  the  sale  of  the  work. 

And  whale  granting  to  the  publishers  their  full  share  of  credit,  the 
serious,' long-continued  labors  of  the  editor  must  noit  be  lost  sight  of. 
With  no  army  of  skilled  craftsmen  at  his  command  to  aid  in  his  share  of 
the  work  of  oompilatioin,  alone  he  began  and  contiinued  tO'  the  end  the 
tedious  task  of  gathering  together  facts  and  incidents  which  go  to 
make  up  history.  For  while  it  is  nominally  a  history  of  Polk  county 
and  the  city  of  Des  Moines  alone,  it  is  aJ'SO  to  a  very  large  degree  the 
hiisitory  of  Centrail  amd  Western  Iowa.  It  covers  a  period  of  a  half  cen- 
tury of  'time-^really  inore  than  that — for  then  it  was  in  process  of  set- 
tlement by  the  whites;  before  then  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  were  in  fuU 
possession  of  the  lands  embraced  im  this  county,  and  an  account  of  their 
occupation  and  habits  before  removal  westward,  is  also  included  in  its 
pages. 

The  real  task  of  the  editor  of  this  volume  was  a  formidable  one. 
Twice  before  this  attempts  were  made  to  gather  together  hisitorieal  facts 
and  incidents  of  Polk  county,  and  referring  to  these  with  a  proper  char- 
ity, they  were  simply  failures.  Fifty-three  years  ago  the  whole  territory 
now  included  within  the  limits  of  Polk  county  was  in  a  state  of  nature 
as  lefit  by  the  Indian,  and  the  elk,  and  other  denizens  of  the  great  un- 
explored, unsettled  west.  The  exceptions  to  this  condition  of  things 
were  a  few  whites  who,  In  one  way  or  another,  were'  by  grant  from 
the  General  Government,  permitted  to  become  temporary  residents  con-! 


6  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

nected  eitlier  wit'h  the  Indian  agency,  trading-poists,  or  military  attaches. 
These  formed  thie  nucleus  of  the  first  white  settlement  at  the  Raccoon 
Forks.  With  their  acts  as  individuals,  and  in  a  neighborhood  capacity, 
began  the  Msitory  of  Central  towa,  of  which  the  City  of  Des  Moines 
and  County  of  Polli  have  already  formed  sp  large  a  portion.  With  this 
period  in  the  history  as  a  stalrting  point,  the  historian  of  this  booli  be- 
gins his  interesting  and  remarijable  story  of  growth  iu  every  possible 
line  of  oivilization.  The  little  bands  of  settlers  then  grouped  around  the 
already  historic  point  of  "Baccoon  Forlcs"  began  the  work  of  improve- 
ment in  building  and  farming,  and  invited  new-comers  from  all  points 
to  aid  them  in  the  development  of  the  rich  country  around  them,and  the 
half  century  just  past  shows  how  well  they  performed  their  task. 

The  author  of  this  book  has  gathered  together  the  miaterial  for  his 
history  very  largely  from  official  sources,  partly  from  books  of  account 
of  business  transactions,  and  so'me,  a  small  sihare,  from  the  individual 
recollections  of  early  settlers.  Wherever  possible  the  narrations  and 
other  inform'ation  relative  to  growth  have  been  verified  from  highest 
known  authorities,  and  may  be  relied  upon  as  accurate  and  truthful.. 
Every  possible  effort  has  been  made  to  gain  information  on  all  points 
needed  to  m.alie  the  work  of  the  editor  complete,  and  to  afford  to  the 
reader  a  history  not  only  full  and  reliable  as  to  growth  in  'all  materiaJ 
points,  buit  to  include  all  incidenrts  of  a  pleasant  character  occurring 
in  the  early  settlement  of  a  new  country,  including  biographieal  sketches 
of  the  settlers  who  took  part  in  them.  ' 

As  started  above,  beginning  at  the  commencement  of  its  settlement 
by  the  whites,  the  growth  and  progress  of  agricultural  interests,  of  mer- 
cantile and  manufacturing,  of  population  both  in  city  and  county,  in 
schools  and  churches,  in  other  educational  insititutions,  in  the  splendid 
record  made  by  its  sons  and  daughters  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
the  civil  war,  in  its  roads  and  railroads,  in  its  intelligent  and  wide-awake 
people,  in  every  branch  of  business  and  society  that  tends  tO'  the  highest 
civilization,  this  Polk  county,  with  its  capital  the  City  of  Des  Moines, 
has  made  more  substantial  progress  in  all  respects  than  any  other  county 
in  the  state.  And  this  volume,  dedicated  to'  its  people,  sets  fortli  in  at- 
tractive style  all  the  facts  and  incidents  that  go  to  make  up  the  history, 
of  which  all  citizens  are  justly  proud. 


PUBLISHERS'  STATEMENT. 

The, publication  of  this  booli  was  undertaken  by  a  publisher  who 
unclerestimated  the  scope  of  the  work  or  labor  and  expense  involved. 
The  mechanical  work  was  done  by  the  present  publishers  as  contractors 
under  instructions  by  the  publisher  who  finally  alsandoned  the  work. 
.  By  force  of  circumstances  we  became  the  publishers.  As  the  work  was 
too  far  advanced  to  allow  of  any  material  changes  from  the  original 
plan,  we  were  compelled  to  follow  it  to  the  end.  There  have  been  delays 
unavoidable,  but  we  have  worked  steadily  to  make  the  book  as  complete 
as  possible  and  a  credit,  not  only  to  ourselves,  but  to  the  city  and  county. 
The  labor  and  cost  has  'been  nearly  double  the  original  estimate,  but  we 
have  confidence  in  the  book  itself  and  in  the  intelligence,  public  spirit 
and  liberality  of  the  people  of  the  city  and  county.  The  Annals  are 
now  before  the  people,  and  we  hope  their  appreciation  will  be  shown 
thi-ough  its  wide  sale  and  circulation. 

GEO.  A.  MILLER  FEINTING  GO. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  1. 

The  First  of  Iowa — Its  Discovery  an.l  First  Seitlement — Tlie  Missis- 
sippi— Tlie  Des  Jloiimeis.  Kiver— Louisiania  Pureliase — Louis- 
iana Territory — Micliigan  Territory — Wisconsin  Territory — 
Iowa  Territory  and  State  of  Iowa Pages  33-39 

CHAPTER  2. 

Des  Jloines—Its  Xame  and  Origin — Conflicting  Tlieories — Mar- 
quette and  Jollet— Bancroft— Negroes— Fatlier  Keuiplier— Ful- 
tou— Frencli  Probably  First  Wliite  Men  at  the  Raccoon  Forks 
—About  Middle  of  Last  Century Pages  40-47 

CHAPTER  3. 

The  Ceding  of  the  Lands — How  the  Government  Acquired  Title  to 
Lands  in  Iowa— A  Full  Account  of  All  the  Indian  Treaties  for 
Iowa  Lands— Official  from  the  Records  of  the  United  States 
General  Land  Office— Lands  in  Polk  County  Ceded  by  the 
Treaty  of  1842  With  the  Sac  and  Fox  Tribes— "S^'hat  That 
Treaty  AVas— Fort  Des  Moines  Created  Under  That  Treaty. 
Pages  48-60 

CHAPTER  4. 

Noted  Indian  Chiefs— Black  Hawk— His  War— Keokuk— Sketch  of 
These  Two  Chiefs— The  Musquakies— The  Last  of  the  Indians 
in  Iowa— Johnny  Green— etc.,  etc Pages  Ql-7o 

CHAPTER  5. 

The  First  Fort  Des  Moines— Established  in  1834— On  the  Missis- 
sippi, Xear  the  Mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  River— Official 
History  of  the  Post— Recounoisance  by  Col.  Kearney— He 
Inspects  the  Raccoon  Forks— Unfavorable  Report— The  First 
Fort  Des  Moines  Abandoned— Colonels  Kearney,  Mason  and 
Roberts Pages  76-92 


10  ANNAL8  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

CHAPTER  6. 

The  Second  Fort  Des  Moines— Post  Establislied  at  tlie  Raccoon 
Forks -Treaty  of  1842— Captain  Allen  in  Command— Building 
of  the  Caljins- Official  Plat— Company  of  Dragoons— Captain 
Allen  Names  the  Post  "Fort  Raccoon"— Gen.  Scott  Rejects 
This'— Makes  the  Name  Fort  Des  Moines— Life  ait  the  Fort— 
The  Scotts— Roster  of  Officers  and  Men Pages  93-114 

CHAPTER  7. 

Soldiers  and  First  Settlers— Where  the  Settlers  Came  From— First 
Irishman— The  Jndians— Keokuk  and  Agency  Prairies— The 
Trading  Posts — Swing,  Phelps,  Bryant,  and  Others — Names 
of  Some  of  the  First  Settlers— The  Scotts,  Lambs,  Mitchell, 
Brooks,  Thrift,  Ayers,  Newcomer,  Parmlee,  etc.— Keeping 
Intruders  Out— After  Troops  Left,  etc Pages  115-134 

CHAPTER  8. 

Town  and  County  in  the  '40s— The  Troops  to  Leave— Settlers  Come 
Crowding  In— Indian  Title  Expires,  October  11,  1845— Taking 
TJp  of  Claims— County  Organized,  April,  1846— Fort  Reserva- 
tion Given  to  the  County— Names  of  All  Residents  of  the  Town 
in  August,  1846— Sale  of  Town  Lots— Growth  up  to  1850— 
Miscellaneous  Items  —  Newspapers  . —  Land  Surveys  —  First 
Land  Entries— Claim  Clubs,  etc Pages  135-166 

CHAPTER  9. 

Town  and  County  from  1850  to  1855—185  Votes  Polled  in  Township 
of  Des  Moines  in  1850— The  Town  of  Fort  Des  Moines  Organ- 
ized in  1851-^3  Votes  Then  Cast— The  First  Mayor,  Rev. 
Thompson  Bird— Floods  of  1851— United  States  Land  Office 
Located  Here— The  First  Brick  House— "The  Point"— Dixon's 
View — Gold  Excitement — Going  to  California— Stages — The 
Last  Coach— Etc Pages  167-185 

CHAPTER  10. 

From  1855  to  1860— New  Settlers  Rushing  In— New  Additions  to 
the  Town— Demand  for  Land  and  Lots— Flush  Times— Hun- 
dreds of  Buildings  Erected— The  Bast  Side— Brick  Buildings — 
Incorporated  as  the  City  of  Des  Moines— City  Population  in 
1857,  3,563— Location  of  the  State  Capital— Temporary  Build- 
ing—List of  Business  Men— Panic  of  1857— New. Court  House 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  11 

Commenced— First  Session  of  General  Assembly— Indian 
Scare— Banii  Failures— State  Bank  Establislied^NeTjraslia 
Money  and  City  Script,  etc Pages  186-204 

CHAPTER  11. 

1860  to  1865— This  Was  the  War  Period— Many  Companies 
Recruited  in. Polk  County— Two  Regiments  Organized  Here- 
Many  Improvements  During  This  Periodicity  and  County 
Grew  Rapidly  in  Population  and  Wealth— The  Anderson 
Scare— The  Draft— For  Relief  of  Soldiers'  Families— Con- 
certs, etc Pages  205-212 

CHAPTER  12. 

y 
I'olk  County  in  the  War— Nearly  Fifty  Per  Cent  of  Voters  Went  as 

Soldiers — Company  D,  Secon-d  Regiment,  First  to  Go — Quickly 
Followed  by  Others— The  First  Dead— Their  Bodies  Brought 
Home — History  of  Company  D— Its  Roster— Company  E, 
Fourth  Iowa— Its  History— Griflath's  Battery— Company  D, 
Second  Cavalry — Companies  in  Tenth  Infantry — Fifteenth 
Infantry  —  Sixteenth  —  Seventeenth  —  Eighteenth  —  Twenty- 
Third  Infantry— Organized  in  Des  Moines— Largely  a  Polk 
County  Regiment— Thirty-Ninth  Infantry— Organized  Here — 
Many  Polk  County  Soldiers  in  It— One  Hundred  Day  Men— 
Forty-Fourth  and  Forty-Seventh— Enlisted  Men  in  Other 
Regiments— First  Colored— Eighth  Cavalry— Sixth  Cavalry- 
Recapitulation  Pages  213-324 

CHAPTER  13. 

HJrand  Army  of  tie  Republic— Its  Objects  and  Aims— The  Posts  in 
Polk  County- A  C'oiaplete  Roster  of  the  Members,  as  Com-    . 
piled  by  the  Officers— The  Brave  Dead— A  Historical  Record. 
Pages  325-359 

CHAPTER  14. 

Notes  on  Various  Topics — Items  of  Gener'al  anid  Special  Interest- 
Wood  and  Coal- Two  Negro  Slaves  Held  Here— Nellie  San- 
ford's  Early  Sketches— Judge  Joe  Williams— Ase-po-lo— Dr. 
Say  lor— Taylor  Pierce,  etc.,  etc Pages  360-369 

CHAPTER  15. 

•Social  Remimiisoenoes- By  Mrs.  Binia  M.  Wyman— Dr.  Peet— Col. 
SpofiCord— George  O'Kell— Billy  Woodwell- The  Swans— Dra- 


12  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

matic— Fancy  Dress  Party— "Bleeding  Kansas"— Cards — The 
Allen  Reception— Many  Died  and  Others  Moved  Away. 
Pages  370-380-. 

CHAPTER  16. 

County  and  City.  1865  to  1875— The  Coming  of  the  Railroads— Rapid 
Growth  in  Population,  Business  and  Wealth — Public  Build- 
ing's—Adjutant General  Nat.  B.  Baker — Brief  Slietch  of  His 
Life— Bridges— The  "Grangers"— Woman  SufCrage— Financ:al 
Troubles  in  the  '70s — Reunton  lof  Army  of  the  Tenneisisee— 
President  Gr;mt's  Visit,  etc Pages  380-400- 

CHAPTER  17. 

The  Saloon — First  "Grocery" — License  Fee  Then  $25  Per  Annum — 
Now  $1,200— First  Prohibitory  La.w— "County  Grocery"— Wine 
and  Beer  Clause— Many  Saloons— Constitutional  Amendment 
—Second.  Prohibitory  Law— Attempts  to  Enforce  It— Searches 
and  Seizures— Heavy  Costs— Riots  and  Troubles— The  New 
Mulct  Law^Notes — Some  Old-Timers  Among  the  Saloon- 
keepers— Drug  Stores,  etc , Pages  401-421 

CHAPTER  18. 

Odds  and  Ends — Judges  McKay,  Oasady  and  McFarland — Frank 
M.  Mills — Lost  on  Prairies — B.  Galbraith — Steamer  Morgan — 
Squire  AV.  M.  Day — P.  H.  Buzzard — Adarn  Hafner — Bridges 
— Ed.  H.  Brown — Brax.  Thomas— Ohas.  Shafer— Valuation  of 
Real  Estate  in  City  and  County,  etc Pages  422-43& 

CHAPTER  19. 

Court,?- The  First  District  Court — Judge  Joe  Williams— First 
Grand  Jury— First  Attorneys— Judges  Oarleton  and  William 
McKay— Judge  Casady— Judge  McFarland— His  Noted  Pecul- 
iarities and  Actions— Judge  Stone— John  H.  Gray  Becomes 
Judge— .Judge  Nourse— Hugh  W.  Maxwell  Succeeds  Him— 
Judges  Leonard,  McHenry,  Mitchell,  Given,  and  Their  Suc- 
cessors  Pages  437-455- 

CHAPTER  20. 

City  and  County,  1875  to  1885— Current  Events— Suicides,  Drown- 
ings and  Other  Deaths— Army  of  the  Tennessee— Mrs.  TUpper 
—Centennial  Fourth— Exposition  Building— Webb  T.  Dart- 
Gen.  Baker's  Death— Sewering  and  Paving  Commenced— Free 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  13 

Bridges— Drake  University— Big  Disllllery- Burning  of  Clapp 
Block— Constiitutional  ProhilDition  Ivilled— Auditor  Brown 
Ousted— City  Improvements,  etc Pages  456-480 

CHAPTER  21. 

Current  Events,  from  1885  to  1896— The  Liquor  Raids— Extraor- 
dinary State  of  AfCairs— Many  New  and  Large  Buildings- 
Leader  Office  Burned— Death  of  H.  M.  Hoxie  and  Others- 
New  Savery- Constable  Logan  Killed— Independents  Win- 
Leader  Office  Again  Destroyed  by  Fire— Governor  Indicted 
—First  Seni-Om-Sed  Celebration— Brick  Plant— Pierce  Killed 
Wishapt— Other  Killings  and  Suicides— Many  Prominent  Cit- 
izens Die Pages  481-503 

CHAPTER  22. 

Crimes  of  Early  Days— The  Reeves  Mob— Killing  at  Lafayette— 
Fonts  Kills  His  Wife— The  Hamlins— 'Squire  Meaeham's  Ar- 
rests—Early Justice— Murder  and  Suicide— Curious  Fatality- 
Killing  of  Smith— A  "Trusty"  Murderer— 'Squire  Morris' 
Story— Marsh  Kills  King— Peaceable  Negro  Killed— Turbulent 
Negro  Killed— The  Disappearance  of  Jack  Hiner Pages  504-529 

CHAPTER  23. 

Crimes  Continued— Train  Robbery— The  Johnson  Murder  Excite- 
ment-Conviction of  Howard— Hung  to  a  Lamp  Post— Other 
Parties— Kirkman  Mob — The  Ella  Barrett  Murder— Intense 
Feeling— AiTest  of  Henry  Red,  Andy  Smith  and  Archy  Brown, 
All  Colored— Red  Convicted  and  Sentenced  to  Penitentiary  for 
Life— Smith  Also  Convicted- Brown  Acquitted— Mailand 
Killed  and  Robbed— The  Murderer  Never  Found Pages  530-552 

CHAPTER  24. 

Crimes  Continued— Jack  Jones  Shot  Down— Yard  Acquitted— Smith 
Also— John  Little— His  Crimes — Henry  Osborn  Kills  His  Wife 
-Sentenced  to  Be  Hung— New  Trial- Sent  Up  for  Life— Kill- 
ing of  Henry  Scribner— Munda  Murdered— George  Kills  Eijps 
—Horse  Stealing  —  Crane  Kills  Bleeckmaa  —  Dead  Body 
Pound— Smith  Shoots  Reynolds— Smith  Suicides— Killing  of 
Young  Kemi)— Michael  Smith  Poisoned— Trials  and  Convic- 
tions—Killing of  Conductor  Ridpath— Conviction  of  Weems 
and  Hamil. •  •  •  •  • Pages  553-569 


14  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

OHAPTBR  25. 

The  Capitol— Old  and  New— Remoyed  to  Des  Moines— How  Brought 
About— Location  of  the  Capitol  Grounds— The  Local  Excite- 
ment-East  Side   Wins— The   Temporary    Capitol— Constitu-  ' 
tional  Provision— The  Vote — Later  Agitation  for  New  Building 
—A  Long  Struggle Pages  570-581 

CHAPTER  27. 

New  Capitol  Fought  and  Won— Account  Written  by  Hon.  John  A. 
Kasson— He  Was  a  Leading  Member  of  the  House— Parlia- 
mentary Manouvers— Petitions  For  and  Against- Try  Again 
in  Twelfth  General  Assembly — A  Long  Oontest— Delay — The 
Final  Vote— The  Final  Victory— The;  Commissioners- Changes 
— The  Work  Pushed  Steadily  Forward  to  Completion. 
Pages  582-599 

CHAPTER  27. 

Newspapers— The  First  One — Barlow  Granger— The  Star— Second, 
The  Gazette— L.  P.  Sherman— Curtis  Bates— The  Statesman- 
Will  Tomlinson— The  Journal— Will  Porter— Previous  Whig 
Journal— Peter  Myers,  W.  W.  Williamson— The  Citizen- John 
Teesdale— Register— F.  W.  Palmer,  Frank  M.  Mills— J.  M. 
Dixon— The  Clarkson  Brothers  Get  the  Register  and  Hold  It 
— The  Statesman  and  Col.  Merritt— Many  Changes— W.  W. 
Witmer  Establishes  the  Daily  Leader— Commonwealth- 
Changes  in  Loader— Strauss  &  Dawson — Bulletin — Jooimal — 
Iowa  Homestead— Staatz  Anzeiger— Conrad  Beck— Col.  Jos. 
Eiboeck— Plain  Talk— Other  Publications— Daily  News— Wil- 
son, Painter  and  McCracken Pages  600-633 

CHAPTER  28. 

Court  Houses  and  Jails— The  First  Court  House--How  and  Where 
Built— The  Second  Court  House— The  Troubles  and  Delays 
.Incident  to  Its  Erection— Judge  Napier— Isaac  Cooper— Orig- 
inal Cost— Bonds— Additions— The  First  Jail— Built  of  Logs 
—The  Present  Nuiisaince^Need  of  a  New  Jail Pages  634-639 

CHAPTER  29. 

Early  Politics  and  Politicians— Whigs  and  Democrats— Know  Noth- 
ings —  Republicans  —  Congressional  Election  —  That  Mormon 
Vote— P.  M.  Oasaidy— L.  W.  Babbitt— Tiiois.  Bakein— A.  Y. 
Hull— J.  C.  Jordan— Dr.  W.  P.  DavJs— H.  M.  Hoxie— Mayors  of 
Town  and  City,  etc Pages  640-651 


AJ)[D  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  15 

CHAPTEK  30. 

Organizatian  of  Townships— The  First  Created— Many  Changes 
Made  from  Year  to  Year— Official  Records- Present  Town- 
ships: Allen,  Beaver,  Bioomfield,  Camp,  Clay,  Crocker,  Dela- 
ware, Douglas,  Elkhart,  Franklin,  Four  Mile,  JefEerson,  Lin- 
coln, Madison,  Saylor,  Walnut,  Washington,  Webster,  Des 
Moines  and  Lee Pages  652-657 

CHAPTER  31. 

Early  Settlers'  Association— When  and  How  Organized— Its  First 
Annual  Reunion— Later  Ones— Its  Officers— An  Imperfect  List 
of  Early  Settlers— Taken  from  Association  Books— Years  They 
Came Pages  65S-667 

CHAPTER  32. 

Ferries  and  Brldges^How  Licensed— Rates  of  Toll— The  First 
Bridge  Over  Des  Moines  River— A  Float  One— First  at  Court 
Avenue  and  Market  Street— ^O'ther  Bridges  Followed — Number 
of  Railroad  Bridges— All  Finally  Made  Free Pages  668-671 

CHAPTER  33. 

Sewers,  Paving,  etc.— Condition  of  Streets  in  Early  Days— Some- 
times Almost  Impassable— Urging  Sewering  and  Paving- 
Hard  to  Make  a  Start- Sewer  System  Adopted— Wood  Paving 
— Improved  by  Bricli  Paving— Large  Amount  Done  in  City- 
Miles  of  Sewers  and  Paving  Now — Over  a  Hundred  Miles  Now. 
Pages  672-677 

CHAPTER  34. 

Woman  Suffrage  Society — History  of  Movement  in  This  City  and 
County— By  Mrs.  M.  J.  Ooggeshall— The  Twenty-First  Anni- 
versary, etc Pages  678-681 

CHAPTER  35. 

Early  Settlers— Sketches  and  Stories  of  Them— A.  D.  Jones— W.  W. 
Clapp— Thos.  McMuUin,  Dr.  Grimmell,  James  Campbell,  R. 
W.  Sypher— Benjamin  F.  Allen— William  F.  Ayers— John  B. 
Saylor— Ben.  Saylor— Franklin  Nagle Pages  682-694 


16  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY. 

CHAPTER  36. 

Unltecl  States  Land  Office— Opened  in  1852— Did  a  Large  Business 
—Great  Help  to  the  Town— Tlie  Rusli  of  1855-56— List  of  Reg- 
isters and  Receivers— United  Staters  Pension  Office— Immense 
Amount  of  Money  Now  Paid  Out— List  of  Agents Pages  695-700 

CHAPTER  37. 

County  Organization— First  Election— First  Board— First  County 
.Judge— Notices  of  Various  County  Officers- Byron  Rice- 
Barlow  Granger— T.  H.  Napier— J  H.  McClelland— W.  G. 
Bentley— John  G.  Weeks— John  B.  Miller-:-Oounty  Auditors- 
Baker,  Bristow,  Jones,  Brandt,  McQuiston Pages  701-707 

CHAPTER  38. 

Federal,  State,  County  and  City  Officials— A  Complete  List  for  the 
Benefit  of  Readers — Senators — Ministers  and  Constils — Repre- 
sentatives —  Postmasters  —  State  Officers  —  State  Senators- 
Members  of  House — Mayors  of  Des  Moines — County  Treas- 
urers —  Sheriffs  —  Attorneys  —  Recorders  —  Superintendents 
—Surveyors— Coroners,  etc Pages  708-725 

CHAPTER  89. 

Sunday  Schools  of  City  and  County- The  First  One — First  Suuday 
School  Celebration— D.  C.  Martz  at  Polk  City— Nursery  of 
Churches— County  Conventions— N.  B.  Collins— Growth  of 
School-s^Bible  Teachers— Hoai,se  Visitatiionis— Great  Sunday 
School  Convention,  etc Pages  726-732 

CHAPTER  40. 

■Churches- First  Ones— Methodists— First  Organization— Growth- 
Presbyterian — Rev.  Thompson  Bird — First  Presbyterian— Cen- 
tral—The  Baptist— Rev.  John  A.  Nash— Catholic— Rev.  John 
F.  Brazill- Father  Flavin,  and  Nugent— German  Catholic— 
Episcopal— Rev.  Edward  W.  Peet— Congregational— Rev.  A. 
L.  Frisble— Luthei'an— Gea-mam— Rev.  Weiser— Chri^bian— The 
Central— Rev.  Dr.  Breeden— Hebrews— Rabbis— Unitarian 
Church— Sketch  by  Hon.  B.  F.  Gue-^Seventh  Day  Adventists 
—United  Presbyterian— Rev.  Young— Y.  M.  C.  A.— Other 
Churches  and  Organizations Pages  733-782 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  17 

CHAPTER  41. 

Public  Seliools— First  Beginning  in  Fort  Building— Miss  Davis— 
Eice  and  Stevens— Mrs.  Anna  Bird— Rev.  J.  A.  Nasli— First 
Graded  School— Growth  of  Same— Catholic  Schools— Lutheran 
—Female  Seminary— Rev.  Pomeroy— James  Callanan^Schools 
Now  in  City  and  County— Hundreds  of  Teachers  and  Many 
Thousands  of  Pupils Pages  783-790 

CHAPTER  42. 

Polk  County  Bar— Names  of  Pioneer  Attorneys— A  Host  of  Bright 
Men— Grovcth  of  the  Bar— Bates,  Finch,  Crocker,  Broven,  Polk, 
Nourse,  Ingersoll,  McHenry,  Kasson,  Cole,  Withrow,  Seward 
Smith,  Thos.  Wright,  and  a  Number  of  Others— List  of  Names 
"Now  on  Bar  Docket Pages  791-796 

CHAPTER  43. 

Physicians— The  First  Ones^Kirl£l>ride,  Brooks,  Fagan— The  Grim- 
mels— Courtney— Shaw,  Ward,  Whitman,  Say  lor,  Overman,' 
Davis,  Tisdale,  Russell,  Allen— Those  Who  Followed— Dickin- 
son, Rawson,  McGorrisk,  Steele,  Grimes,  Patchen,  Windle, 
Molesworth,  LJjlie— Dr.  Armstrong— Dr.  Mather— Dr.  Pence— 
And  Others Pages  797-803 

CHAPTER  44. 

Banking  in  Polk  County— By  Hoyt  Sherman— The  First  Banking- 
Dealers  in  Land  Warrants  and  Money— Entering  Lands— 
"Wild  Cat"  Money— Bank  of  Tennessee — A.  J.  Stevens- 
Nebraska  Banks  —  New  Constitution  —  Banking  Permitted 
'  —State  Bank— Des  Moines  Branch— Present  Banking— Banks 
Now  Doing  Business  in  Des  Moines— Statements  Showing 
Financial  Oondition.,  etc Pages  804-818 

CHAPTER  45. 

Towns  of  the  County — Valley  Junction- By  Emery  H.  English— 
Who  Founded  It — Railroad  Town— Centralizing  Railroad 
Shops— Mitchellville— Founded  by  Worthy  Pioneer,  Thomas 
Mitchell- Good  Town— Early  Troubles— Industrial  School- 
Newspapers,  etc Pages  819-824 


18  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

CHAPTER  46. 

Semi-Oentennial  Oelebration— 1896— Fifty  Years  State  of  Iowa— At 
Union  Park— A  Great  Parade— Land  and  Water— Musquakie 
Indians  Present— Addresses  from  Grand  Stand  toy  Men  of 
Iowa  Birtti- Tlie  Old  Stage  Goaqh— The  Cyclone  of  '96— 
Da-wson-Seott  Tragedy— Breweries  and  Distilleries— Odds  and 
Ends Pages  825-836 


CHAPTER  47. 

Insurance  Companies  of  Des  Moines— Grown  to  Immense  Propor- 
tions—The State— Hawkeye-DeiS'  M'dines— Caipital— Fidelity— 
Iowa— Mutual  Companies- First  Fire  Insurance  Agency- 
Life  Insurance  Companies- The  Old  Reliable  Iowa  Equitable 
— Royal  Union— BamkeiTS'   Life— Des   Moineis   Life— Farmers' 

Live  Stock— Nopthwestern—Masonie— Odd  Fellows,  etc.,  etc. 
Pages  837-844 

CHAPTER  48. 

Hotels— Martin  X.  Tucker— B.  F.  Hosie— W.  F.  Marvin  and  B.  F. 
Luce  —  Savery  —  Morris  —  Stutsman  —  Spofford  —  Warner— 
Barter- Savery  House— Kirkwood—Maeartney— John  Hays— 
The  McAtees— Given  House— The  Graefe— The  Aborn- Gold- 
etone  —  Morgan  —  Sabin  —  New  Savery— Ca^pital-Nelson,  etc. 
Pages  845-852 

CHAPTER  49. 

LigM  and  Water  Oompainies — Railroads- Firsit  Gas  Compamy— The 
Capiitall  Oirty  Gas  light  Company- First  Waiter  Company- 
Street  Railways— Dr.  M.  P.  Turner- Meetcdc^-JefC.  S.  Polk— 
Consiolldation— Great  Improvements— Ralilroads  in  City  and 
County- Valley  Roajd  First- Rock  Islaind— Ames— Northwest- 
ern—O.,  B.  &  Q.— Wabajsti— Des  Moines  Noi'tli.eriii  and  Western 
-Great  Western,  etc Pages  853-859 

CHAPTER  50. 

Ooileges— -Des  Moines— Drake  University- Highland  Park— Danisib 

College— Business  Colleges— Iowa— Oairital  City Pages  860-865 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  19 

CHAPTER  51. 

Hospiita/ls^Cottage— Tlie  Tracey  Home— Mercy  Hospttal— Care  of 

Injured  and  Sick Pages  866-868 

CHAPTER  52. 

Secre/t  Societies— Fnatemal— The  Masons^Large  Number  of  Odd 
Feillows— Good  Templats  land.  Sons  of  Temperance— Hiber- 
niaais— Red  Men— Knigjhts  of  Pythias— Woodmen— Blfcs— Other 
Societies-T-Trade  Organiizations. Pages  869-871 

CHAPTER  53. 

Additdonal  Account  of  Newspapers— Capiitai-Mail  and  Times- 
Wesitern  Economist— Spirit  of  the  West— Review— Globe- 
Wallaces'  Earmor  and  Dairyman— Farmers'  Tribune— By- 
stander—News  Changes,  etc Pages  872-878 

CHAPTER  54. 

Polk  County  Towns— Avon — ^Altoona— SheldaJil- Peoria  City — Polk 
City— Towns  in  Madison  and  Jefferson  Townships— Camp 
Townsiliip  Towns  —  Ankeny  —  Grimes  —  Elkhart  —  Sevastopol 
— Sayloryille-^ltondurant— etc '.  Pages  879-892 

CHAPTER  55. 

Items  Old  and  New— Tucker— First  Things— "Western  Dandies" — 
,  Jtidge  Byron  Rice— President  Grant's  Speech— Early  Butchers 
--Town  of  Lafayette,  etc. Pages  893-897 

':  CHAPTER  56. 

MiseeBaneous^One  Manufacturing  Comijany— The  Firsit  Israelite 
Merchant- Letter  from  Hdm— Coal  Mining  in  Polk  County— 
ReUgion  Among  the  Pioneers— Our  Colored  Citizens— Their 
Growth,  Improvement  and  Prosperity Pages  898-906 

CHAPTER  57. 

Current  Events— 1895— Mayor  HlUis— Sale  of  Leader- Consent  Peti- 
tion Knocked  Out— Cora  Smith  Pleads  Guilty— Deputy  Clerk 
Walker  Killed— State  Fair- Dead  of  Year— 1896— Robbing  of 


20        '  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Graves— Pioneer  Law  Makers— Pearson  Kill-ed— Harbaeli  Fire 
—Sam  Masti— First  White  Child  Boini— George  Frank  Killed— 
Other  rtems^Dead  of  Year- Poiili'cal  Excitement— Many 
Changes— 1897— Ex'tra  Session  to  Work  on  New  Code— Investi- 
galtionis — Fdre  in  Bice  Building — Cail  Laveke  Killed — Gov. 
Di-ake  Hurt— State  Fair- Seni-Om-Sed— Dead  of  Year— 1898— 
Killing  of  Frank  KaMer— Suicide  of  Larson- Pioneer  Law 
Makers— Betsy    Smith— Exciting    City    Election — Deaths    of 

Prominent  Citizens — Additions  to  Towns  of  the  County 

Pages  907-925 

CHAPTER  58. 

War  With  Spain— Governor  Calls  Out  State  Troops— Catnp  MeKin- 
ley  Established- Organization  of  Companies  and  Regiments- 
Departure  of  Troops — Two  Compandes  from.  Des  Moines — 
A  and  H  of  Fifty-first  Regiment— Complete  Roster  of  Officers 
ana  Men— Ofiicers  Appointed  from  County^,  etc.,  etc  Pages    926-929 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  21 


PORTRAITS  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

Page. 

Ankeny,  Gen.  K.  V 956 

Ashworth,  Charles  H 1040 

Berrylaill,  James  G 970 

Berryliill,  Virginia  J 971 

Boehler,  Charles  A .1055 

Bowmai^  M.  T.  V 959 

Brandt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac 1019 

Casady,  P.  M 933 

Cheshire,  Thos.  A 998 

Clark,  James  S 983 

Clark,  Geli.  Geo.  W 984 

Cole,  C.  C 989 

Conrad,  W.  F 1009 

Crocker,  Gen.  M.  M 1011 

Cummins,  A.  B -. 964 

Davis,  Prof.  Floyd 1037 

DicTiinson,  Dr.  W.  H 996 

Eastbridge,  Mrs.  Chloe  Black 1045 

Eiboeck,  Joseph 954 

Ewing,  David  R 1028 

Fuller,  Dr.  Geo.  W 952 

Gatch,  Gol.  C.  H 976 

Granger,  Barlow 937 

Green,  Samuel 992 

Hanawalt,  George  P 1033 

Harris,  Hardy  C 1026 

Hargis,  Henry  C. 1046 

Hepburn,  J.  Add 949 

Hepburn,  Anna  E 950 


22  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY  '■ 

Howell,  Adam   ; ^48 

Hughs,  Geo.  S 1008 

Hull,  J.  A.  T 966 

Hunter,  Ed.  H 979 

Hussey,  Tacitus 1061 

111,  Lorenz .1054 

Lowery,  Austin  P 1013 

MacVicar,  John  ' 1031 

Mason,  Ed.  K 994 

Mattes,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paul 1035 

Matthews,  William 1049 

Martin,  L.  M 962 

McGarraugh,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  D 1044 

McVey,  A.  H 968 

Miller,  Anthony  M 1048 

Miller,  George  A 1057 

Miller,  Mark  986 

Nelson,  David  0 1054 

Park,  W.  A 1000 

Phillips,  W.  W 1002 

Phillip's,  William  1004 

Polk,  Jefferson  S 102-1 

Porter,  Will 1063 

Priebe,  William 1054 

Redhead,  Wesley 948 

Reinking,  O.  D 939 

Riegelman,  Henry lOlu 

Rice,  Byron 981 

Roljertson,  S.  A 1006 

Sherman,  Hoyt 93.") 

Sims,  George  0 1017 

Stewart,  J.  B 941 

Van  Ginkel,  G 1050 

Williamson,  Gen.  J.  A 945 

Wright,  George  G 973 

youngerman,  Conrad  IO42 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  23 


NOTES. 

Gen.  Georg-e  W.  Clark,  after  a  brief  illness,  died  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  May  22,  1898.  He  was  buried  in  Arling-ton  Cemetery  May  2Sth, 
with  distinguished  honors,  and  sleeps  his  last  sleep  near  many  others 
who  fought  bravely  and  well  for  the  preservation  and  perpetuation  of 
the  Union  of  these  United  States. 


The  plat  of  the  Post  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  printed  on  pages  77  and 
78,  should  have  been  printed  at  the  commencement  of  Chapter  VI,  page 
93,  where  it  properly  belongs. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  25 


THE  WRITER'S  PREFACE. 

A  short  preface  to  this  book,  telling  something  of  its  own  history, 
may  not  be  out  of  place.  More  than  three  years  ago  this  work  was 
undertaken,  and  the  writing. of  the  Annals  commenced.  The  announce- 
ment was  then  made  that  the  book  would  run  to  500  or  600  pages, 
and  would  be  a  "straight  history  of  the  county  of  Polk  and  city  of  Des 
Moines."  This  object  has  been  kept  steadily  in  view,  although  the  num- 
ber of  pages  have  been  almost  doubled,  the  cost  largely  added  to,  while 
the  subscription  price  has  not  been  changed  from  the  original  figures 
given. 

While  the  original  subscribers  and  others  will  be  the  gainers  by  the 
delay  in  publication,  yet,  in  justice  to  the  writer  and  others,  the  cause 
of  this  delay  should  be  briefly  explained.  The  first  contract  with  the 
publishers  was  an  unfortunate  one.  They  had  not  suflicient  capital  to 
successfully  carry  out  their  original  contract.  This  and  other  causes 
resulted  in  vexatious  delays  and  disappointments,  finally  resulting  in 
legal  suits  which  dragged  their  slow  length  through  the  courts.  The 
writer  was  not  a  party  to  or  in  those  suits,  but  he  was  much  hampered 
and  not  a  little  discouraged  by  and  through  them.  At  last  the  Gbokgb 
A.  Miller  Printing  Company  became  the  publishers,  a  new  contract 
was  made,  the  work  pushed  to  completion,  and  now  to  the  public  is 
presented  the  finished  Annals  of  Polk  County  and  City  of  Des  . 
Moines.    The  work  speaks  for  itself. 

The  compilation  of  this  work  has  caused  the  writer  much  more 
research  and  labor  than  he  anticipated  when  commencing  it,  though  he 
then  realized  it  would  be  no  light  task  Which  he  had  undertaken.  He 
has  endeavored  to  do  his  work  as  thoroughly  and  conscientiously  as 
possible,  and  it  is  now  before  the  people  of  the  city  and  county  for  their 
approval  or  condemnation.  It  is  almost  entirely  his  own  work.  He  nor 
the  publishers  have  so  far  had  any  help,  pecuniary  or  otherwise,  offi- 
cially from  the  city  or  county,  although  many  good  citizens  think  a  few 
hundreds  of  dollars  of  public  moneys  would  be  well  expended  in  per- 
petuating and  making  the  people  familiar  with  the  true  history  of  the 
city  and  county  of  the  state.  This  work  has  cost  the  writer  and  the 
publishers  more  than  double  the  amount  first  estimated,  and  as  a  com- 


26  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

mereial  speculation  it  may  not  be  a  desirable  one;  yet  we  trust  the 
Intelligent  and  liberal  citizens  of  Des  Moines  and  Polk  county  will  see 
to  it  that  we  are  secured  from  less  and' in  the  end  receive  a  fair  com- 
pensation for  our  labors. 

No  claim  is  made  that  this  work  is  perfect,  or  that  it  could  not  be 
bettered  in  many  ways,  but  we  trust  its  errors-  will  be  overlooked  and  it 
will  be  pronounced  by  all  to  be  the  first  and  only  nearly  complete  history 
of  the  city  and  county  ever  published.  In  concluding,  allow  me  to 
return  my  personal  thanks  to  those  of  my  friends,  and  they  are  not  few, 
who  have  so  greatly  aided  and  encouraged  me  in  this  work.  They  will 
always  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance  by 

Yours  truly,  WILL,  PORTER. 


28 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


S^  2  ^S 


H  il  s>  ?! 


o 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES. 


29 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    FIRST   OF   IOWA. 

THE  State  of  Iowa  is  a  portion  of  what  is  known  as 
the  "Louisiana  Purchase."  This  vast  tract  of  terri- 
tory, extending  from  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi, 
in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  along  the  general  line  of  that 
river  to  Canada  and  the  British  Northwest  territory,  and 
west  to  the  old  line  of  Mexico,  was  originally  claimed  by 
France,  under  the  right  of  discovery,  a  little  more  than 
two  hundred  years  ago.  The  Spaniards  had,  for  nearly  a 
hundred  years  previous  to  this,  navigated  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico, and  had  made  large  conquests  of  countries  bordering 
upon  the  Gulf,  but,  strangely  as  it  now  seems,  overlooked 
the  mouth  of  the  great  Mississippi  Elver.  They  do  not 
seem  to  have  known  of  the  existence  of  this — the  largest 
river  upon  the  continent.  The  discovery  was  to  be  made 
from  the  north  and  not  from  the  south.  When  the  French 
occupied  the  Canadas  they  pushed  their  soldiers,  priests, 
traders  and  trappers  rapidly  to  the  west  and  southwest. 
These  Frenchmen  were  the  first  to  discover  and  navigate 
the  great  lakes.  They  pushed  down  upon  the  headwaters 
of  the  Ohio  and  established  Fort  Duquesne,  now  Pitts- 
burg. They  were  on  the  Wabash  Eiver  early  in  the  last 
century,  and  planted  the  town  of  Vincennes,  Indiana. 
The}'  kept  on  west  and  established  forts  and  villages  at 
Kaskaskia  and  other  points  in  Illinois,  and  also  made  set- 
tlements at  St.  Louis  and  other  points  in  the  state  of  Mis- 
souri. 

The  French  explorer,  La  Salle,  had  pushed  his  discov- 
eries from  Canada  along  the  great  lakes,  and  it  is  said 


3i  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

that  he,  towards  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, exphjred  the  Illinois  and  finally  found  his  wa,y  to  the 
banks  of  tlie  upper  Mississippi  Eiver.  And  it  is  claimed 
that  he  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  in  the  year 
1691.  Iberville  founded  his  first  colony  on  the  lower  Mis- 
sissippi, in  what  is  now  the  state  of  Louisiana,  in  1G99,  but 
no  firm  settlement  was  made  until  the  year  1717,  when  the 
city  of  Xew  Orleans  was  founded.  Prior  to  this,  in  1712, 
Louis  XIV,  of  France,  had  granted  to  M.  Crazant  a  charter 
to  this  whole  immense  territory,  which,  in  honor  of  the 
king,  was  named  Louisiana.  Four  years  later  one  of  the 
greatest  financial  and  real  estate  "booms''  known  in  his- 
tory was  started  by  the  notorious  John  Law  and  his  asso- 
ciates. A  company  was  formed  in  Paris,  chartered  as  the 
"Mississippi  Company,''  in  1716,  which  nominally  pur- 
chased the  territory  from  the  crown.  A  period  of  wild 
inflation  followed.  Princes,  nobles,  merchants  and  peas- 
ants fought  and  scrambled  for  the  privilege  of  purchasing 
the  stock  and  bonds  of  the  company.  The  women  became 
as  wild  as  the  men  in  this  mad  rush  for  supposed  wealth, 
and  a  wild  frenzy  of  speculation  spread  from  Paris  all 
over  France,  and  even  to  England  and  other  countries. 
For  a  time  John  Law  virtually  outranked,  in  public  esti- 
mation, all  emperors  and  kings.  But  the  end  soon  came. 
"The  Mississippi  Bubble,"  as  it  has  since  been  generall.y 
called,  suddenly  burst,  causing  financial  loss,  ruin  and 
even  death  to  many  thousands  of  people  of  all  classes. 
Thei'e  may  have  since  been  wild  speculations,  flush  times 
and  "booms"  of  all  sorts  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  but 
Law's  first  and  original  speculative  bubble  has  never  been 
equalled  for  splendid  recklessness,  credulity  and  financial 
wildness.  After  the  collapse  of  this  bubble  company, 
Louisiana  was  resumed  by  the  crown  and  the  commerce  of 
the  Mississippi  declared  free. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE>S  ilOINES.  35 

The  French  retained  possession  until  1TG2,  Avhen  the 
Avliole  country  was  ceded  to  Spain,  giving  to  the  latter  the 
territory  north  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Mississippi  River, 
and  west  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  Spaniards  held 
control  of  this  great  territoi-y  until  1800,  and,  as  seems 
natural  to  them,  did  but  little  towards  settling  up  or  de- 
veloping the  most  fertile  and  productive  region  of  the 
entire  continent,  if  not  of  the  world.  Xapoleon  Bonaparte 
was  then  coming  into  poAver  in  France,  and  his  genius  saw 
at  once  the  value  of  the  heretofore  neglected  territory, 
and  he  brought  such  a  pressure  to  bear  upon  Spain  that 
the  latter  ceded  it  back  to  France,  and  the  Spanish  rule 
was  forever  ended  in  1800.  Prior  to  the  cession  by  Spain 
to  France,  and  while  the  former  held  possession,  there 
had  been  much  trouble  between  United  States  citizens 
and  the  Spanish  authorities,  over  the  navigation  of  the 
Mississippi  River.  The  we.stern  and  southern  territories 
of  the  United  States  were  being  rapidly  settled  by  a 
hardy,  enterprising  race  of  people,  who  could  illy  brook 
the  Spanish  claim  of  the  exclusive  right  of  navigation  on 
the  lower  Mississippi.  These  enterprising  Americans 
claimed  the  river  as  the  natural  outlet  and  inlet  for  their 
produce  and  goods,  and  demanded  that  it  should  be  free 
for  them.  The  haughty  and  overbearing  Spaniards  re- 
plied by  erecting  forts  along  the  river,  demanding  duties 
on  imports  and  establishing  vexatious,  irritating  and  ex- 
pensive regulations  relative  to  river  commerce.  This 
brought  on  a  threatening  state  of  affairs  between  the  two 
countries,  forecasting  much  trouble,  if  not  open  war. 
Finalh^,  however,  a  treaty  was  signed  October  20,  1795,  by 
which  Spain  conceded  to  the  United  States  free  naviga- 
tion of  the  river  from  its  source  to  the  Gulf,  and  also  the 
free  use  of  the  Port  of  New  Orleans  for  three  years,  as  a 
port  of  deposit.    This  treaty  had  a  quieting  effect  for  a 


36  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

time  but  more  trouble  came,  and  in  1802,  during  tlie  ad- 
ministration of  President  Jefferson  ttiere  were  apprehen- 
sions of  war  over  the  river  and  southwestern  boundary 
difficulties. 

In  the  year  mentioned,  however,  a  sudden  change  came 
in  the  situation.  It  was  learned  that,  by  a  secret  treaty 
made  in  1800,  two  years  previous,  between  France  and 
Spain,  the  latter  had  ceded  Louisiana  again  to  France.  It 
was  at  first  supposed  this  cession  included  the  Floridas, 
then  in  the  possession  of  Spain.  In  Ms  message  to  con- 
gress, in  1802,  President  Jefferson  mentioned  this  cession 
to  France,  and  congress  promptly  passed  resolutions  de- 
claring the  right  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  to 
the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  a  free  port 
of  entry  and  deposit.  President  Jefferson  had  long  seen 
the  absolute  necessitj'  that  this  countrj^  should,  at  the 
earliest  possible  day,  secure  the  absolute  and  undisputed 
control  of  this  valuable  territory.  He  had  previously  in- 
structed the  American  minister  to  France,  Mr.  Living- 
ston, and  in  January,  1803,  he  appointed  James  Monroe, 
with  orders  to  proceed  to  Paris  and  act  in  this  matter  in 
conjunction  with  Mr.  Livingston.  The  instructions  only 
asked  for  the  cession  of  the  City  of  New  Orleans  and  the 
Floridas,  with  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi. 
Bonaparte  was  then  in  power  in  France  as  First  Consul, 
and  was  preparing  for  a  serious  war  with  England.  He 
knew  that  when  the  war  came  he  could  not  hold  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississip]3i  or  New  Orleans  against  the  Eng- 
lish. He  promptly  informed  the  American  ministers  that 
he  would  not  cede  New  Orleans  alone,  but  Avould  cede  all 
of  Louisiana  to  the  United  States,  upon  favorable  terms 
and  conditions.  This  offer  to  cede  so  vast  a  region  of 
country,  with  the  largest  river  in  North  America,  Avas 
more  than  the  American  ministers  were  authorized  to  ask 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  37 

for  or  accept.  They  had  asked  for  a  small  town  and  an 
insignificant  amount  of  territorj^,  and  were  met  bj'  the 
offer  of  a  mighty  territorial  empire. 

The  times  were  critical.  There  were  grave  dangers  in 
delay.  The  ministers  wisely  decided,  as  it  were,  to  over- 
step their  limited  powers.  Bonaparte  urged  the  negoti- 
ations forward,  and  a  treaty  was  concluded  on  the  thir- 
tieth of  April,  1803,  and  a  few  days  later  signed  by  the 
respective  ministers.  The  United  States  was  to  pay  for 
this  vast  territory  only  |15, 000,000.  In  the  congratula- 
tions over  the  treaty  Bonaparte  made  a  remark  which 
showed  his  keen  insight  into  the  future,  and  one  of  his 
guiding  reasons  for  making  the  sale.  He  said:  "This 
accession  of  territorj^  strengthens  forever  the  power  of 
the  United  States,  and  I  have  given  to  England  a  mara- 
time  rival  that  will  sooner  or  later  humble  her  pride." 
Spain  demurred  for  a  time  to  the  treaty,  but  finally 
waived  all  objections,  and  in  October,  1803,  the  United 
States  senate  ratified  the  treaty  by  twenty-four  votes  for 
to  seven  against. 

The  country  ceded  by  this  treaty  was  at  the  time  esti- 
mated to  exceed  in  extent  a  million  square,  miles,  all 
occupied  more  or  less  by  Indians,  except  a  few  sparse 
settlements,  aggregating  less  than  100,000  inhabitants, 
all  told,  and  of  these  about  40,000  were  negro  slaves.  The 
whites  were  mostly  French,  or  of  that  descent,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  Spaniards  and  a  few  thousand  natives  of  the 
United  States  who  had  penetrated  the  country  from  bor- 
dering states  and  territories.  The  "Louisiana  Purchase" 
embraced  not  only  the  present  state  of  Louisiana,  but  all 
the  vast  region  of  countrj'  between  the  Mississippi  Eiver 
and  the  Eocky  Mountains,  running  as  far  north  as  the 
British  Possessions.  The  states  of  Arkansas,  Missouri, 
Iowa,  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Colorado,  Wyoming,  Montana, 


38  AXYALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Idaho,  the  two  Dakotas,  and  the  greater  part  of  Minne- 
sota, were  carred  from  this  cheaply  acquired  territory. 

This  newly  acquired  territory  was,  by  act  of  Congress, 
October  1,  1804,  divided  as  follows:  All  south  of  the  33d 
parallel  of  north  latitude  was  called  the  Territory  of  Or- 
leans, and  all  north  of  this  line  the  District  of  Louisiana, 
the  latter  being  placed,  for  the  time  being,  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  officers  of  the  then  Indian  Territory. 
.July  4,  1805,  the  Territory  of  Louisiana  was  given  a  terri- 
torial government  of  its  own.  In  1812  the  Territory  of 
Louisiana  became  the  state  of  Louisiana,  and  the  terri- 
torial name  changed  to  that  of  Missouri.  July  4,  1814, 
Missouri  Territory  was  divided — that  part  now  compris- 
ing the  State  of  Arkansas  and  west  of  it  Avas  made  the 
Territory  of  Arkansas.  In  March,  1821,  a  part  of  Missouri 
Territory  was  organized  as  the  State  of  Missouri,  and 
admitted  into  the  Union.  June  28,  1834,  the  territory 
west  of  the  Mississippi  IJiver  and  north  of  Missouri,  em- 
bracing Iowa,  was  made  a  part  of  the  Territory  of  Michi- 
gan, and  so  continued  until  July  4,  183G,  when  Wisconsin 
Territory  was  organized.  This  embraced  within  its  limits 
the  present  states  of  Iowa,  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota.  An 
act  of  Congress,  approved  June  12,  1838,  created  the  Terri- 
tory of  Iowa,  embracing  not  only  the  area  of  our  present 
state,  but  covering  much  of  Minnesota,  and  extending 
north  to  the  British  Possessions.  In  December,  184G, 
Iowa,  with  her  present  limits,  was  admitted  into  the 
LTnion  as  a  sovereign  state. 

To  briefly  sum  up  Iowa:  1st.  Belonged  to  France  by 
right  of  discoverv.  2d.  Was  transferred  bv  France  to 
Spain.  3d.  Transferred  back  to  France  by  Spain.  4th. 
Sold  by  France  to  the  United  States  5th.  Made  part  of 
the  Province  of  Louisiana.  6th.  Temporarily  attached  to 
Indiana  Territory    7th.  Made  part  of  Louisiana  Territory. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES. 


39 


8th.  Became  a  portion  of  the  Territory  of  Missouri.  Otli. 
Attached  to  the  Territory  of  Michigan.  10th.  Annexed  to 
Wisconsin  Territory.  11th.  Made  the  Territory  of  Iowa. 
12th.  Became  the  State  of  Iowa.  It  has  been  under  the 
rule  of:  1st.  Indians.  2d.  French.  3d.  Spaniards.  4th. 
Frencli.  5th.  United  States.  And  all  these  changes  ex- 
cept the  first  two  have  been  made  in  the  lifetime  of  men 
now  living! 


CHAPTER  II. 

NAME  AND  ITS  ORIGIN. 

DES  MOINES  was  naturally  named  from  the  river  up- 
on whose  banks  it  was  located.  As  to  the  derivation 
of  the  name  of  the  river,  several  theories  have  been 
advanced.  The  most  generally  accepted  is  that  its  true 
meaning  is  the  River  of  the  Monks,  or,  in  French,  Riviere 
des  Moines.  This  is  supposed  to  have  originated  from  the 
presence  of  Catholic  Monks  at  a  very  early  day,  at,  or  near, 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  In  fact,  it  is  known  that  many 
years  ago  Trappist  Monks — Moines  de  la  Trappe — resided 
on  or  near  the  mounds  on  the  American  bottom  in  Illinois, 
not  very  far  south  of  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  River. 
These  monks  no  doubt  made  excursions  to  this  point,  and 
perhaps  traveled  some  distance  up  the  river  in  their  self- 
denying  and  successful  religious  work  among  the  Indians 
of  that  time.  According  to  Nicollet,  the  name  Des  Moines 
is  a  corruption  of  an  Indian  word,  signifying,  "at  the 
road,"  which  became  in  later  times  by  the  inhabitants 
associated  with  the  name  of  the  Trappist  Monlvs  before 
mentioned. 

But,  if  the  account  of  Marquette  and  Joliet  is  to  be 
trusted,  there  is  no  doubt  the  original  Indian  name  of  the 
river  was  Moning-guines,  and  on  the  ancient  French  map  it 
appears  as  Moingona.  This  is  a  French  corruption  of  the 
Algonquin  word,  Milconang,  signifying  "the  road."  Ful- 
ton, in  his  history  of  "The  Red  Men  of  Iowa,"  states  this, 
and  adds: 

"When  the  French  first  established  trading  posts 
on  the  Mississippi,  they  applied  the  name  Moin  to  the 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  43 

Indians  who  resided  on  the  river  called  Des  Moines,  and 
in  speaking  of  that  river  would  say,  'la  riviere  des  Moines," 
or  'the  River  of  the  Moin.'  Long  after  this,  in  some  way, 
the  name  became  associated  with  that  of  the  Trappist 
Monks  {Moines  de  la  Trappe),  a  people  who  were  living  with 
the  Indians  on  what  was  known  as  the  'American  Bottom' 
in  Illinois.  After  this  the  idea  prevailed  that  the  true 
reading  of  the  'riviere  des  Moin,'  was  'riviere  des  Moines,'  or 
'Eiver  of  the  Monks,'  And  so  the  name  Des  Moines  began 
to  appear  on  modern  maps.  The  first  part  of  the  name, 
des,  is  clearlj^  French,  while  the  latter  part  has  been  cor- 
rupted from  the  original  Moin  to  the  orthography  of  the 
French  word  Moines,  the  pronunciation  of  which  is  the 
same." 

Father  Kempker,  in  his  "History  of  the  Catholic 
Church  in  Iowa,"  says: 

"In  the  spring  of  the  year,  1720,  the  Capuchin  Pere  Le 
Grand  drafted  for  the  Capuchin  monastary  at  Dijon  a  ter- 
restrial globe,  which  is  now  preserved  in  the  public  library 
in  Dijon,  in  France,  on  which  the  Mississippi,  Missouri, 
Illinois,  Des  Moines  and  St.  Peter  rivers  are  plainly 
marked,  and  special  prominence  is  given  to  the  Des  Moines 
River,  which  there  has  the  name  of  'B.  des  Moingona' — 
River  of  the  Moingonas.  From  this  Indian  tribe  the  pres- 
ent name  of  the  river  has  its  derivation,  and  not,  as  some 
have  presumed,  from  'R.  des  Moines'  — River  of  the 
Monks.  The  Indian  tribe,  set  forth  on  this,  in  Iowa  and 
Minnesota  are  the  lowas,  Pawnees,  Otoes,  Pottawatta- 
mies,  Omahas,  Sioux,  Tintons,  Esamps,  Mandans,  with 
Iowa,  Kickapoo  and  Moingona  rivers,  and  Sioux  Lake. 

"Tradition  speaks  of  the  Indian  custom,  from  ages  im- 
memorial, of  using  a  path  from  the  Des  Moines  Rapids 
on  the  Mississippi,  westward,  and  the  very  name  of  the 
people  of  this  river  has  reference  to  the  Indian  highway, 
the  Moingona,  signifying  'The  People  by  the  Way.' 
When  the  early  settlers  took  possession  of  the  land  they 
could  yet  see  plain  evidences  of  this  Indian  trail  leading 
to  the  Des  Moines  and  beyond  it  to  the  west.  It  must 
have  been  at  some  former  period  a  great  thoroughfare, 
as  it  was  worn  in  many  places  on  level  grovxnd  for  miles 
six  inches  in  depth." 


U  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  Dakota  or  Sioux  name  of  the  Des  Moines  Elver  was 
hiyan-sha-sha-icatpa,  or  'Bedstone  River.'  This  name 
was  formed  from  the  Dakota  words  inyan,  stone;  slia-sha, 
red,  and  loatpa,  river. 

The  Sacs  and  Foxes,  tribes  which  belonged  to  the  Al- 
gonquin race,  and  spoke  a  language  quite  different  from 
that  of  the  Sioux,  called  the  river  Ke-sauh-sepo,  or 
Ke-sauk-kee-sepo,  after  the  national  name  of  the  Sauk-kee 
or  Sac  tribe.  This  name  is  interpreted  as  meaning  "The 
River  of  the  8auk-kee"  the  termination  sepo  meaning  a 
river  or  stream  in  the  Algonquin  language.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  century  the  Sacs  had  a  village  near 
the  mouth  of  the  river  and  hence  the  name  Kee-sauk-kee- 
sepo. 

The  late  Hon.  Charles  Negus,  of  Fairfield,  an  early  set- 
tler and  close  observer  and  student  of  all  pertaining  to 
Iowa  and  especially  her  early  history,  contended  that  the 
river  was  named  from  the  number  of  pre-historic  mounds 
found  along  or  near  to  the  valley  of  the  river.  That  its 
true  meaning  should  be:  "The  River  of  the  Mounds." 
Some  years  ago  he  wrote  sO'  eloquently  and  truly  of  the 
river,  that  we  will  quote  a  few  paragraphs : 

"Nearly  every  state  has  some  one  particular  river 
which  especially  attracts  the  attention  of  its  citizens,  on 
which  their  minds  delight  to  dwell,  about  which  they 
bestow  their  praise.  Iowa  has  the  beautiful  river  Des 
Moines  on  which  her  citizens  delight  to  bestoAV  their 
eulogies.  More  has  been  done,  said  and  thought  about 
this  river  than  all  the  other  rivers  in  the  state.  In  beauty 
of  native  scenery,  in  productiveness  of  soil,  in  mineral 
wealth,  and  in  the  many  things  which  attract  attention 
and  add  to  the  comfort  of  man,  the  valley  of  the  Des 
Moines  is  not  surpassed  by  any  locality  in  the  world. 

"The  banks  of  this  great  water  course  and  the  surround- 
ing country,  bear  the  marks  of  having  been  the  home  of 
a  numerous  people,  centuries  in  the  past,  and  that  this 
people  were  possessed  of  many  of  the  arts  of  civilized  life. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  45 

But  of  what  race  of  people  they  were,  and  of  the  acts  and 
scenes  which  have  taken  place  in  the  beautiful  valley,  we 
may  imagine,  but  probably  never  know.  Of  their  habits 
and  customs  they  have  left  some  marks;  but  still  there  is 
wrapped  around  these  evidences  of  their  doings — a  mys- 
tery that  is  hard  to  solve." 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to  quote  something 
from  the  great  historian,  Bancroft,  in  relation  to  the 
first  white  discoverers  of  the  river  and  its  name.  He  says : 
"Marquette  and  Joliet  Avere  the  first  white  men  to  set 
foot  on  the  soil  of  Iowa,  and  that  this  occurred  on  June 
25,  1673,  some  222  years  ago.  On  this  day  these  two  ex- 
plorers were  floating  down  the  Mississippi  Eiver,  having 
reached  it  from  Lake  Michigan,  by  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin 
rivers.  They  traveled  in  two  birch  bark  canoes."  The 
historian  continued  his  history  as  follows : 

"They  entered  happily  the  great  river,  with  a  joy  that 
could  not  be  expressed;  and  the  two  birch  bark  canoes, 
raising  their  happy  sails  under  new  skies  and  to  unknown 
breezes,  floated  down  the  calm  magnificence  of  the  ocean 
stream,  over  the  broad,  clear  sandbars,  the  resort  of  nu- 
merous waterfowl — gliding  past  islets  that  swelled  from 
the  bosom  of  the  stream,  with  their  tufts  of  massive  thick- 
ets, and  between  the  wide  plains  of  Illinois  and  Iowa, 
all  garlanded  with  majestic  forests,  or  checkered  by  is- 
land groves  and  the  open  vastness  of  the  prairie. 

"About  sixty  leagues  below  the  mouth  of  the  Wiscon- 
sin, the  western  bank  of  the  Mississippi  bore  on  its  sands 
the  trail  of  men;  a  little  footpath  was  discerned  leading 
into  a  beautiful  prairie;  and,  leaving  the  canoes,  Joliet 
and  Marquette  resolved  alone  to  brave  a  meeting  with  the 
savages.  After  walking  six  miles  they  beheld  a  village 
on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  two  others  on  the  slope,  at  a 
distance  of  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  first.  The  river 
was  the  Mou-in-gou-e-na,  or  Moingona,  from  which  we  have 
corrupted  the  name  Des  Moines.  Marquette  and  Joliet 
were  the  first  white  men  who  trod  the  soil  of  Iowa.  Cora- 
mending  themselves  to  God,  they  uttered  a  loud  cry.  The 
Indians  hear;  four  old  men  advance  slowly  to  meet  them, 
bearing    the    peacepipe,    brilliant    with    many    colored 


46  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

plumes.  'We  are  Illinois/  said  they — tliat  is,  when  trans- 
lated— 'We  are  men;'  and  they  offered  the  calumet  An 
aged  chief  received  them  at  his  cabin  with  upraised  hands, 
exclaiming,  'How  beautiful  is  the  sun,  Frenchmen,  Avhen 
thou  comest  to>  visit  us!  Our  whole  village  awaits  thee; 
thou  shalt  enter  in  peace  into  all  our  dwellings.'  And 
the  pilgrims  were  followed  by  the  devouring  gaze  of  an 
astonished  crowd. 

"At  the  great  council  Marquette  published  to  them  the 
one  true  God,  their  creator.  He  spoke  also  of  the  great 
captain  of  the  French,  the  governor  of  Canada,  who  had 
chastised  the  five  nations  and  commanded  peace;  and  he 
questioned  them  respecting  the  Mississippi  and  the  tribes 
that  possessed  its  banks.  For  the  messengers,  who  an- 
nounced the  subjection  of  the  Iroquois,  a  magnificent  fes- 
tival was  prepared  of  hominy  and  fish,  and  the  choicest 
viands  from  the  prairies.     \ 

"After  six  days'  delay,  and  invitations  to  new  visits,  the 
chieftain  of  the  tribe,  with  hundreds  of  warriors,  attended 
the  strangers  to  their  canoes;  and  selecting  a  peacepipe 
embellished  with  the  head  and  neck  of  brilliant  birds, 
and  all  feathered  over  with  plumage  of  various  hues,  they 
hung  around  Marquette,  the  mysterious  arbiter  of  peace 
and  war,  the  sacred  calumet,  a  safeguard  among  the  na- 
tions." 

A  somewhat  singular  fact  in  history  is  that  stated  hy 
our  deceased  fellow  townsman,  A.  E.  Fulton,  in  his  admir- 
able history,  "The  Eed  Men  of  Iowa,"  published  in  1882,  in 
Des  Moines.     Mr.  Fulton  says : 

"While  the  whites  on  the  borders  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Virginia  were  subject  to  all  the  horrors  of  a  merciless  In- 
dian war,  some  two  thousand  people  of  European  descent 
were  living  in  comparative  safety  among  the  tribes;  so 
far  to  the  west,  that  to  the  people  of  the  provinces  east 
of  the  Alleghenies,  it  was  a  strange  and  unknown  region. 
Even  before  Pennsylvania  was  settled  by  white  men,  the 
daring  Norman  Jesuit,  La  Salle,  had  built  a  fort  in  the 
country  of  the  Illinois,  and  long  before  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century  the  black  robe  of  the  Jesuit  mission- 
ary was  known  in  every  Indian  village  throughout  the 
vast  region,  from  the  Miami  to  the  Mississippi,  and  from 
the  lakes  to  the  Ohio.     The  principal  white  settlements 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES. 


47 


in  this  region  at  the  date  of  the  Pontiac  War — 1763-5 — 
were  at  Kaskaskia,  Cahokia  and  Fort  Chartres,  now  in 
Illinois,  and  Vincennes,  now  in  Indiana." 

Being  so  near  at  so  early  a  date,  and  remaining  for  so 
many  years,  it  is  not  improbable,  but  rather  most  proba- 
ble, these  early  French  settlers  and  explorers,  not  far  from 
the  middle  of  the  last  centurj^,  visited  the  Valley  of  the 
Des  Moines,  and  extended  their  explorations  along  the 
same  up  to  if  not  north  of  the  present  site  of  the  City  of 
Des  Moines.  There  is  little  doubt  some  of  these  French- 
men were  the  first  white  settlers  in  this  section,  though 
there  is  no  written  history  to  prove  what  can  be  safely 
regarded  as  a  fact. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   CEDING  OF   THE   LAND. 

THE  following  facts  in  regard  to,  the  various  Indian 
tribes,  at  one  time  occupying  the  territory  now  em- 
braced within  the  limits  of  the  state  of  Iowa,  have 
been  kindly  furnished  specially  for  this  history,  by  Hon. 
D.  M.  Browning,  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  under 
date  of  Washington,  July  15, 1895.  He,  at  the  same  time, 
furnished  the  diagram  of  the  state  of  Iowa,  showing  the 
lands  claimed  by  the  several  bands  of  Indians,  as  well  as 
the  cessions  made  by  them.  To  Commissioner  Browning 
our  readers  are  much  indebted  for  this  valuable  informa- 
tion, much  of  which  is  now  for  the  first  time  published  in 
such  a  complete  and  corrected  form : 

The  tract  of  country  comprised  within  the  present  lim- 
its of  the  state  of  Iowa,  was  once  claimed  and  inhabited 
hj  the  lowas,  the  Pottawattamies,  certain  bands  of  Sioux 
and  the  Sac  and  Fox  nation  of  Indians. 

By  the  first  article  of  the  treaty  of  August  4,  1824,  (7 
Stats.,  p.  229,)  with  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians,  the  small 
tract  of  country  lying  between  the  Des  Moines  and  the 
Mississippi,  was  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  half-breeds 
belonging  to  the  said  Sac  and  Fox  nations,  holding  it  by 
the  same  title  and  in  the  same  manner  that  other  Indian 
titles  were  held,  but  by  act  of  June  30,  1834,  the  United 
States  relinquished  the  reversionary  interest  of  the 
United  States  therein.    (4  Stats.,  p.  740.) 

By  an  act  approved  March  3,  1843,  (5  Stats.,  p.  622,) 
Congress  authorized  the  northern  line  of  the  above  tract 
set  apart  for  the  half-breeds  to  be  surveyed.    By  a  subse- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  49 

quent  act,  however,  approved  June  15,  1844,  (5  Stats.,  p. 
666,)  the  act  of  1843  was  repealed  and  the  line  as  run  by 
Jenifer  S.  Sprigg,  in  1832  and  in  1833,  under  contract  with 
William  Clark,  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  was  rat- 
ified, approved  and  established  as  the  correct  northern 
boundary  of  said  reservation.  A  copy  of  the  plat  and  field 
notes  of  survey  of  this  tract,  containing  119,088.27  acres 
of  land,  are  on  file  in  this  office,  and  a  full  history  of  said 
"half-breed  tract"  may  be  found  in  a  pamphlet  of  forty- 
four  pages  by  Orion  Clemens,  entitled,  "City  of  Keokuk 
in  1856,"  published  at  Keokuk  by  O.  Clemens,  book  and 
job  printer,  52  Main  street,  1856. 

By  the  treaty  of  August  19, 1825,  (7  Stats.,  p.  272),  with 
the  Sioux,  Sacs  and  Foxes,  lowas,  Pottawattamies  and 
other  tribes,  certain  boundary  lines  were  established  be- 
tween the  several  tribes,  parties  to  said  treaty.  The  line 
dividing  the  Sioux  from  the  Sac  and  Fox  Nations  is  as 
follows,  viz: 

"Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  the  upper  Iowa  Eiver,  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  and  ascending  the  said 
Iowa  Eiver,  to  its  left  fork;  thence  up  that  fork  to  its 
source;  thence  crossing  the  fork  of  Eed  Cedar  Eiver,  in  a 
direct  line  to  the  second  or  upper  fork  of  the  Des  Moines 
Eiver;  and  thence  in  a  direct  line  to  the  lower  fork  of  the 
Calumet  (Big  Sioux)  Eiver;  and  down  that  river  to  its 
juncture  with  the  Missouri  Eiver." 

By  the  first  article  of  the  treaty  of  July  15,  1830,  (7 
Stats.,  p.  328,)  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  the  Medawakan- 
ton, .  Wahpacoota,  Wahpeton  and  Sisseton  bands  of 
Sioux,  lowas  and  other  tribes,  a  cession  to  the  United 
States  of  all  their  right  in  and  to  the  lands  lying  within 
the  following  boundaries  was  made,  viz : 

"Beginning  at  the  upper  fork  of  the  Demoine  Eiver,  and 
passing  the  sources  of  the  Little  Sioux  and  Floyd  rivers, 
to  the  fork  of  the  first  creek  which  falls  into  the  Big  Sioux 


50  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

or  Calumet  on  the  east  side;  thence,  down  said  creek,  and 
Calumet  Eiver  to  the  Missouri  River;  thence  down  said 
Missouri  River  to  the  Missouri  state  line,  above  the  Kan- 
sas ;  thence  along  said  line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
said  state,  thence  to  the  high  lands  between  the  waters 
falling  into  the  Missouri  and  Des  Moines,  passing  to  said 
high  lands  along  the  dividing  ridge  between  the  forks  of 
the  Grand  River;  thence  along  said  high  lands  or  ridge 
separating  the  waters  of  the  Missouri  from  those  of  the 
Demoine  to  a  point  opposite  the  source  of  Boyer  River, 
and  thence  in  a  direct  line  to  the  upper  fork  of  the  De- 
moine, the  place  of  beginning." 

By  the  second  article  of  the  same  treaty,  the  Sac  and 
Fox  Indians  cede  to  the  United  States  a  tract  of  country 
twenty  miles  in  width,  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Des 
Moines,  situated  south,  and  adjoining  the  line  between 
the  said  confederated  tribes  of  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  the 
Sioux  above  defined. 

In  April,  1832,  certain  lawless  and  desperate  leaders 
of  a  formidable  band,  constituting  a  large  portion  of  the 
Sac  and  Fox  Nation,  left  their  country,  in  violation  of 
treaty,  and  commenced  an  unprovoked  war  upon  the 
white  citizens.  When  subdued,  these  Indians  made  an- 
other treaty,  September  21, 1832,  (7  Stats.,  p.  374)  wherebv 
they  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  the  lands  to  Avhich  said 
tribes  had  title  or  claim  included  within  the  following 
boundaries,  viz: 

"Beginning  on  the  Mississippi  River,  at  the  point  where 
the  Sac  and  Fox  northern  boundary  line,  as  established 
by  the  Second  Article  of  the  treaty  of  Prairie  dil  Chien  of 
the  fifteenth  of  July,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty, 
strikes  said  river;  thence  up  said  boundary  line  to  a 
point  fifty  miles  from  the  Mississippi,  measured  on 
said  line;  thence  in  a  right  line  to  the  nearest  point  on  the 
Red  Cedar  of  the  loway,  forty  miles  from  the  Mississippi 
River;  thence  in  a  right  line  to  a  point  in  the  northern 


AIID  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  51 

boundary  line  of  the  state  of  Missouri,  fifty  miles,  measur- 
ed on  safd  boundary,  from  the  Mississippi  Eiver,  thence  by 
the  last  mentioned  boundary  to  the  Mississippi  Eiver,  and 
by  the  western  shore  of  said  river  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning." 

The  Indians  agreed  to  remove  from  this  tract  of  coun- 
try on  or  before  the  first  of  June,  1833,  and  the  United 
States  agreed  out  of  this  cession  to  establish  a  reservation 
for  these  Indians,  containing  four  hundred  square  miles, 
to  be  laid  off  under  the  direction  of  the  President,  in  such 
manner  "that  nearly  an  equal  portion  of  the  reservation 
may  be  on  both  sides  of  said  (Iowa)  River,  and  extending 
downwards  so  as  to  include  Keokuk's  principal  village  on 
its  right  bank,  which  village  is  about  twelve  miles  from 
the  Mississippi  River."  By  a  subsequent  treaty  made  with 
the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians,  September  28,  1836,  (7  Stats.,  p. 
517,)  they  ceded  to  the  United  States  the  aforesaid  reser- 
vation of  four  hundred  sections  or  square  miles,  which 
had  been  surveyed  and  laid  off  by  the  order  of  the  Presi- 
dent, from  which  they  agreed  to  emigrate  by  the  first  of 
November,  1836. 

By  the  treaty  of  October  21,  1837,  (7  Stats.,  p.  540,)  the 
Sac  and  Fox  Indians  made  to  the  United  States  the  fol- 
lowing cession: 

"First.  Of  a  tract  of  country  containing  1,250,000  (one 
million  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand)  acres  lying  west 
aiirl  adjoining  the  tract  conveyed  by  them  to  the  United 
States  in  the  treaty  of  September  21,  1832.  It  is  under- 
stood that  the  points  of  termination  for  the  present  ces- 
sion shall  be  the  northern  and  southern  points  of  said 
tract  as  fixed  by  the  survey  made  under  the  authority  of 
the  United  States,  and  that  a  line  shall  be  drawn  between 
them,  so  as  to  intersect  a  line  extended  westwardly  from 
the  angle  of  said  tract  nearly  opposite  to  Rock  Island  as 
laid  down  in  the  above  survey,  so  far  as  may  be  necessarj 
to  include  the  number  of  acres  hereby  ceded,  which  last 


52  ANNALt<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

mentioued  Hue  it  is  estimated  will  be  about  tweut,y-llve 
miles. 

"vSecoud.  Of  all  right  or  iuterest  iu  the  land  ceded  by 
said  confederated  tribes  ou  the  15th  of  July,  1830,  which 
might  be  claimed  by  them  under  the  phraseology  of  the 
first  article  of  said  treaty." 

The  Sacs  and  Foxes  agreed  to  remove  from  the  tract 
ceded,  with  the  exception  of  Keokuk's  village,  possession 
of  which  might  be  retained  for  two  years,  within  eight 
months  from  the  ratification  of  the  treaty,  (February  21, 

1838). 

The  vSac  and  Fox  Indians  of  the  Missouri,  by  a  treaty 
made  the  same  day,  October  21,  1837,  (7  Stats.,  p.  543,) 
made  the  following  cessions  to  the  United  States : 

"First.  Of  all  right  or  interest  in  the  country  between 
the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  rivers  and  the  boundary 
line  between  the  Sac  and  Fox  and  the  Sioux  Indians, 
described  in  the  second  article  of  the  treaty  made  with 
these  and  other  tribes  on  the  19th  of  August,  1825,  to  the 
full  extent  to  which  said  claim  was  recognized  in  the  third 
article  of  said  treaty;  and  of  all  interest  or  claim  by  virtue 
of  the  provisions  of  any  treaties  since  made  by  the  United 
States  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes. 

"Second.  Of  all  the  right  to  locate,  for  hunting  or 
other  purposes,  on  the  land  ceded  in  the  first  article  of  the 
treaty  of  July  15,  1830." 

By  the  treaty  of  October  11,  1842,  (7  Stats.,  p.  59(i,(  the 
Confederated  tribes  of  Sacs  and  Foxes  cede  to  the  United 
States,  forever,  all  the  lands  west  of  the  Mississippi  Eiver, 
to  which  they  had  any  claim  or  title,  or  in  Avhich  they  had 
any  interest  whatever;  reserving,  however,  a  right  to 
occupy,  for  three  years,  all  that  part  of  the  land  so  ceded 
situated  "west  of  a  line  running  due  north  and  south  from 
the  painted  or  red  rocks  on  the  White  Breast  fork  of  the 
Des  Moines  River,  which  rocks  will  be  found  about  eight 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  53 

miles,  when  reduced  to  a  straight  line,  from  the  junction 
of  the  White  Breast  with  the  Des  Moines."  In  another 
article  of  this  treat.y  it  was  agreed  that  there  should  be 
assigned  "a  tract  of  land  suitable  and,  convenient  for  In- 
dian purposes,  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  for  a  permanent  and 
perpetual  residence  for  them  and  their  descendants, 
which  tract  of  land  shall  be  upon  the  Missouri  Eiver,  or 
some  of  its  waters." 

By  the  treatj^  of  1S42,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  ceded  all  the 
lands  then  remaining  to  them  in  Iowa,  agreeing  to  remove 
therefrom  hj  the  11th  of  October,  1815.  During  the  inter- 
val the  United  States  was  to  select  a  home  for  them  upon 
the  Missouri  or  some  of  its  waters.  This  was  done,  and 
before  the  last  day  of  September,  1845,  the  Sacs  had 
departed  from  Iowa.  On  the  8th  of  October  the  Foxes 
began  their  march,  so  by  the  11th  of  that  month  the  en- 
tire nation,  except  about  100,  had  actually  left  their  for- 
mer home,  and  settled  upon  the  lands  selected  for  their 
new  home  in  Kansas,  situated  upon  the  Kansas  River,  in 
contact  upon  two  sides  with  lauds  of  partially  civilized 
Indians,  the  Shawnees  and  Chippewas,  in  townships  16, 
17  and  18,  S.,  ranges  13  to  18,  E.,  inclusive.  The  Sacs  and 
Foxes  of  the  Missouri  had  previously  removed  from  Iowa 
to  a  tract  of  land  assigned  them,  with  the  Iowa  tribe  of  In- 
dians, by  the  2d  article  of  the  treaty  of  September  17, 
1836,  (7  Stats.,  p.  513,)  it  being  the  small  strip  of  land  in 
Kansas  and  Nebraska  on  the  south  side  of  the  Missouri 
River,  lying  between  the  Kickapoo  northern  boundary  line 
and  the  great  Xemalia  River,  and  extending  from  the  Mis- 
souri back  and  westerly  with  the  said  Kickapoo  line  and 
the  great  Nemaha,  making  four  hundred  sections;  to  be 
divided  between  the  lowas  and  the  Missouri  band  of  Sacs 
and  Foxes,  the  lower  half  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  the  upper 


54  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

half  to  the  lowas.  This  branch  of  the  Sac  aud  Fox  Nation 
continues  to  occupy  a  portion  of  this  I'eservation,  and  its 
members  liave  had  lauds  alloted  in  severalty.  The 
other  branch  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  have  since  sold 
their  lands  in  Kansas  and  are  now  residing  in  what  was 
known  as  the  Sac  and  Fox  reservation  in  Oklahoma  Ter- 
ritory, where  they  have  been  assigned  lands  in  severalty, 
for  which  patents  have  been  issued.  There  is  a  band  of  this 
latter  branch  of  Indians  located  in  Tama  County,  Iowa, 
Avho  have  purchased  lauds  amounting  to  nearly  three 
thousand  acres,  the  title  of  which  is  in  the  Governor  of  the 
state,  in  trust  for  said  baud  of  Indians. 

The  census  of  the  Sacs  aud  Foxes  of  the  Missouri  in 
1894  was  ST  persons;  that  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  of  the 
Mississippi,  in  1894,  in  Oklahoma,  was  512,  aud  in  Iowa, 
392.     So  much  for  the  Sacs  and  Foxes. 

With  respect  to  the  Iowa  tribe  of  Indians,  it  was 
agreed  to  and  understood  that  the  loAvas  had  a  just  claim 
to  a  portion  of  the  country  between  the  boundary  line 
defined  in  the  2d  article  of  the  treaty  of  August  19,  1825, 
(7  Stats.,  p.  272,)  hereinbefore  described,  between  the  Mis- 
souri and  the  Mississippi,  to  be  held  and  peaceably  occu- 
pied b.y  said  Nations  of  Indians  until  some  satisfactory 
arrangement  could  be  madebetween  them  for  a  division  of 
their  respective  claims  to  the  countr,y.  Although  no  divis- 
ion appears  to  have  been  definitely  arranged,  so  far  as  I 
have  beeu  able  to  examine,  yet  on  a  map  of  Iowa,  pub- 
lished in  "Tanner's  Atlas  of  the  United  States,"  by  Gary  & 
Hart,  Philadelphia,  in  1843,  the  divisional  boundary  be- 
tween the  lowas  aud  the  Sacs  aud  Foxes  is  designated  as 
the  Des  Moines  River  and  the  Raccoon  River,  a  branch  of 
the  Des  Moines, the  Sacand  Foxesretaining  the  laud  north 
and  east,  aud  the  loAvas  that  south  and  west  of  said  bound- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  55 

ary.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  matter  was  finally  disposed  of 
when  the  lowas  and  the  Sac  and  Fox  Nation  of  Indians, 
with  others,  by  the  treaty  of  July  15,  1830,  (7  Stats.,  p. 
32S,)  heretofore  referred  to  and  quoted,  ceded  and  relin- 
quished to  the  United  States  forever,  all  their  right  and 
title  to  the  lands  lying  west  of  the  ridge  dividing  the  wa- 
ters of  the  Des  Moines  and  Grand  rivers,  and  more  particu- 
larly described  on  page  3  of  this  letter;  and  also  by  the 
treaty  of  November  23, 1837,  (7  Stats.,  p.  547,)  whereby  the 
Iowa  Indians  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  right 
and  interest  in  the  land  ceded  by  the  treaty-  concluded 
with  them  and  other  tribes  on  the  15th  of  July,  1830, 
which  they  might  be  entitled  to  claim  by  virtue  of  the 
phraseology  employed  in  the  second  article  of  said  treaty; 
and  by  the  treaty  of  October  19,  1838,  (7  Stats.,  p.  568,) 
whereby  the  Iowa  tribe  of  Indians  cede  to  the  United 
States : 

"All  right  or  interest  in  the  country  between  the  Mis- 
souri and  Mississippi  rivers,  and  the  boundary  betAveen 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  Sioux,  described  in  the  second 
article  of  the  treaty  made  with  these  and  other  tribes,  on 
the  19th  of  August,  1825,  to  the  full  extent  to  which  said 
claim  is  recognized  in  the  third  article  of  said  treaty,  and 
all  interest  or  claim  by  virtue  of  the  provisions  of  any 
treaties  once  made  by  the  United  States  with  the  Sacs 
and  Foxes  of  the  Mississippi.'' 

By  the  third  article  of  the  treaty  of  September  17,  1836, 
(7  Stats.,  p.  512,)  the  United  States  assigned  to  the  lowas, 
at  the  same  time  they  assigned  land  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes 
of  the  Missouri,  the  tract  of  country  (to  which  they  then 
removed)  south  of  the  Missouri  Eiver  and  the  great  Ne- 
maha Eiver,  hereinbefore  referred  to,  the  upper  half  being 
assigned  to  the  lowas.  Here  the  lowas,  179  in  number  in 
1891,  still  reside,  their  lands  having  been  alloted  to  them 
in  severalty'. 


56        ANNAL^S  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

When  the  Pottawattamie  Indians,  Avitli  other  tribes, 
by  the  treaty  of  September-  26,  1S33,  (7  Stats.,  p.  431,) 
ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  land  along  the  west- 
ern shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  between  this  lake  and  the 
land  ceded  to  the  United  States  by  the  Winnebago  treaty 
of  September  15,  1832,  the  United  States  in  part  consid- 
eration of  said  cession  agreed  to  grant  to  said  Indians, 
parties  to  said  treaty,  a  tract  of  country  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, to  be  located  as  follows,  viz: 

"Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Boyer's  Biver  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Missouri  Biver,  thence  down  the  said  river  to 
the  mouth  of  Naudoway  Biver,  thence  due  east  to  the  west 
line  of  the  state  of  Missouri,  thence  along  the  said  state 
line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  state,  thence  east  along 
the  said  state  line  to  the  point  where  it  is  intersected  by 
the  western  boimdary  line  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  thence 
north  along  the  said  line  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  so  far  as 
that  when  a  straight  line  shall  be  run  therefrom  to  the 
mouth  of  Boyer's  Biver  (the  place  of  beginning)  it  shall  in- 
clude five  millions  of  acres." 

By  the  treaty  of  June  5  and  17,  1846,  (9  Stats.,  p.  853), 
the  Pottawattamies  and  other  Indians  known  as  the  Pot- 
tawattamie Xation,  ceded  to  the  United  States: 

"All  the  lands  to  which  they  had  claim  of  any  kind 
whatsoever,  and  especially  the  tracts  or  parcels  of  land 
ceded  to  them  by  the  treaty  of  Chicago,  and  siibsequently 
thereto,  and  now,  in  whole  or  in  part,  possessed  by  their 
people,  lying  and  being  north  of  the  Biver  Missouri,  and 
embraced  in  the  limits  of  the  territory  of  Iowa." 

By  this  same  treaty  the  United  States  agreed  to  grant 
possession  and  title  to  said  Nation  to  a  tract  or  parcel  of 
land  in  Kansas,  containing  576,000  acres,  being  thirty 
miles  square,  and  being  the  eastern  part  of  the  lands 
ceded  to  the  United  States  by  the  treaty  of  January  14, 
1846,  lying  adjoining  the  Shawnees  on  the  south,  and  the 


AXD  TEE  CEfY  OF  DHti  MOIXE^.  57 

DeliiAvares  and  Hhawnees  on  the  east,  cm  both  sides  of  the 
Kansas  River.  These  Indians  have  since  disposed  of 
their  lands  in  Kansas  by  sale  or  allotment  in  severalty, 
(except  a  portion  held  in  common  by  the  Prairie  band), 
and  snch  as  did  not  remain  on  allotments,  etc.,  removed  to 
the  thirty-mile  square  tract  in  Oklahoma  territory,  which 
has  been  allotted  in  severalty  and  patents  issued,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  land  sold. 

The  census  of  the  Pottawattamies  in  1894,  iu  Okla- 
homa, is  627,  and  of  the  Prairie  band  in  Kansas  is  554. 
The  Otoes,  now  in  Oklahoma  Territory,  made  claim  to 
a  portion  of  land  upon  the  Missouri  east  and  south  of  the 
Sioux  and  Sac  and  Fox  boundary  line,  which  was  recog- 
nized by  the  4th  article  of  the  treaty  of  August  19,  1825, 
which  right  they  subsequently  ceded  to  the  United  States 
by  the  treaty  of  July  15, 1830,  (7  Stats.,  p.  328). 

The  remainder  of  the  state  north  of  the  boundary  line 
between  the  Sioux  and  the  Sac  and  Foxes  detiued  in  the 
treat};'  of  August  19,  1825,  (Stats.,  p.  272),  was  then 
claimed  and  occupied  by  the  Medawakantou,  Wahpa- 
coota,  Wahpeton  and  Sisseton  bands  of  Sioux  Indians, 
wdio,  by  the  4th  article  of  the  treaty  of  July  15,  1830,  (7 
Stats.,  p.  329,)  ceded  to  the  United  States  forever  a  tract 
of  country  twentj^  miles  in  width,  from  the  Mississippi  to 
the  Des  Moines  rivers,  situated  north  and  adjoining  the 
aforesaid  boundary  line,  and  by  the  treatj'^  of  August  5, 
1851,  (10  Stats.,  p  954,)  ceded  all  their  lands  and  all  their 
right,  title  and  claim  to  any  lands  whatever,  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Minnesota,  or  in  the  state  of  Iowa. 

The  tract  of  country,  twenty  miles  in  width  ceded  to 
the  United  States  by  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  described 
in  the  2d  Article,  and  a  similar  tract  of  countrj^  twenty 


58  AXXALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

miles  in  widtli,  adjacent  to  the  above,  ceded  to  tlie 
United  States  by  the  Medawakanton  and  other  bands  of 
Sioux,  described  in  the  3d  Article  of  the  treaty  of  Jnly 
15, 1830  (7  Stats.,  p.  329)  was  known  and  designated  as  the 
"Neutral  Ground."  In  1831-32  some  of  the  Winnebago 
Indians  then  east  of  the  Mississippi,  unwisel.y  connected 
themselves  with  the  Black  Hawk  War.  At  its  close, 
which  Avas  exclusively  on  Winnebago  ground,  they  were 
compelled  to  cede  all  their  remaining  lands  in  Wisconsin 
lying  south  of  the  \Msconsin  and  Fox  rivers  and  to  accept 
in  lieu  thereof  lands  west  of  the  Mississippi  in  Iowa,  being 
a  portion  of  said  "Neutral  Ground." 


t^A§> 


By  the  2d  Article  of  the  treaty  of  September  15,  1832 
(7  Stats.,  p.  370)  the  United  States  in  exchange  for  their 
land  in  AVisconsin  granted  them  so  much  of  the  "Neutral 
Ground"  as  was  embraced  within  the  following  described 
limits,  viz: 

"Beginning  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi  liiver, 
twenty  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  upper  loway  Kiver, 
Avliere  the  lines  of  the  lands  purchased  of  the  Sioux 
Indians,  as  described  in  the  tliird  article  of  the  treaty  of 
Prairie  du  (3hieu,  of  tlie  fifteenth  day  of  July,  one  thous- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEt<  MOINES.  59 

and  eight  hundred  and  thirt}',  begins;  theuee  with  said 
line,  as  surveyed  and  marked,  to  the  eastern  branch  of  the 
lied  Cedar  Creek;  thence  down  said  creek  fortj-  miles,  in 
a  straight  line,  but  following  its  windings,  to  the  line  of 
purchase,  made  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  tribes  of  Indians  as 
designated  in  the  second  article  of  the  above  recited 
treaty;  and  thence  along  the  southern  line  of  said  last 
mentioned  purchase  to  the  Mississippi,  at  the  point 
marked  by  the  surveyor,  appointed  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  on  the  margin  of  said  river;  and  thence 
up  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning."' 

The  Winnebagoes,  though  stipulating  to  remove  to  the 
west  of  the  Mississippi  in  the  summer  of  1833,  they  re- 
mained in  Wisconsin,  until  1837,  Avhen  they  again  entered 
into  treaty  stipulations  to  remove  west  and  by  their  treaty 
of  November  1,  1837  (7  Stats.,  Si-l)  they  relinquished  their 
right  to  occupy,  except  for  hunting,  that  portion  of  the 
"Neutral  Ground"  held  by  them,  lying  between  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  and  a  line  drawn  from  a  point  twenty  miles 
distant  therefrom  on  the  southerly  boundary  of  the  "Neu- 
tral Ground"  to  a  point  equi-clistant  from  the  river  on  the 
northern  boundary  thereof. 

In  October,  1839,  the  Governor  of  Iowa  reported  that 
an  exploring  i:)arty  of  AViunebago  Indians  had  arrived  in 
that  territory  that  spring  to  the  great  alarm  of  Keokuk, 
the  head  Sac  Chief,  who  complained  of  the  movement  and 
requested  that  the  Winnebagoes  be  sent  south  of  the  Mis- 
souri. The  Winnebagoes  themselves  were  averse  to  re- 
moval either  to  the  "Neutral  Ground"  or  to  the  South,  and 
their  emigration  in  1840  had  to  be  enforced  by  General 
Atkinson,  who  eventuall,y  extended  the  time  to  the  spring 
of  1841. 

In  1846,  the  removal  of  the  Winnebagoes  to  a  tract  of 
country  north  of  the  St.  Peter  River  on  the  upper  Missis- 
sippi was  set  on  foot,  and  by  the  2d  Article  of  the  treaty 


00 


ANNALhi  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


of  October  13,  1846  (9  8tats.,  p.  878),  the  Wiuneba^oes 
ceded  aud  sold  to  the  United  States  all  their  title,  claim 
and  privilege,  to  all  lands  Avherever  situated  then  or  here- 
tofore occupied  or  claimed  by  them  within  the  states  and 
territories  of  the  United  vStates,  especially  the  "Neutral 
Ground"  AA'hich  had  been  assigned  them  by  the  treaty  of 
September  15,  1832;  the  United  States  agreeing  by  the 
3rd  Article  of  the  said  treaty  of  1846,  to  purchase  and  give 
to  the  "Winnebagoes,  as  their  home,  a  tract  of  country  not 
less  than  800,000  acres  north  of  the  St.  Peter  and  west  of 
the  Mississippi,  the  Indians  agreeing  to  remove  thence 
within  one  year  after  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  (which 
was  proclaimed  February  4,  1847). 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NOTED    INDIAN   CHIEFS. 

THE  most  distinguished  Indian  chief  connected  with 
tlie  liistory  of  Iowa,  no  doubt,  was  Black  Hawlc. 
The  ancestors  of  the  generation  of  Sacs  and  Foxes, 
which  were  contemporaneous  with  Blacli  Hawk,  had  far 
back  in  the  past  exchanged  a  comparatively  inhospitable 
region  for  a  more  congenial  home  where  they  fondly 
hoped  to  remain  undisturbed  by  the  pale-face  intruders. 
They  had  maintained  successful  war  against  the  allied 
tribes  of  the  Illinois  country;  against  the  haughtj^  and 
warlike  Sioux;  had  conquered  the  lowas  and  defied  the 
power  of  the  Osages.  They  looked  with  distrust  upon 
the  advances  of  the  white  men,  and  when  in  1804,  at  St. 
Louis,  some  four  or  five  of  their  chiefs  and  braves  sold  a 
large  portion  of  their  richest  lands  they  were  much  dis- 
satisfied. In  1805  the  country  was  explored  by  Lieuten- 
ant Pike,  and  a  few  years  later  Fort  Edwards  and  Fort 
Madison,  in  Iowa,  were  established.  Fort  Armstrong- 
was  located  in  Rock  Island  in  1816  and  whites  soon  began 
to  make  their  appearance  on  Rock  River,  in  Illinois.  A 
few  miles  from  the  new  fort  was  situated  the  village  of 
Black  Hawk  and  his  band.  Though  not  a  chief  hj  heredi- 
tary right  as  a  brave  he  had  acquired  much  influence  over 
a  (-(msiderable  portion  of  the  Sac  tribe,  avIio  adhered  to 
him  in  the  determination  to  yield  their  country  to  the 
whites.  The  Government  sold  a  few  tracts  of  land  near 
Black  Hawk's  village  and  the  removal  of  the  Indians  west 
of  the  Mississippi  was  demanded,  although  this  was  not 
in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  treatv.      The  Indians 


62  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

bad  a  right  to  remain  in  possession  of  and  hunt  upon  the 
lands  not  sold  to  settlers  by  the  Government. 

There  were  a  number  of  other  causes  leading  up  to  the 
late  war  and  the  white  men  were  not  blameless.  An 
adopted  son  of  Black  Hawk  was  wantonly  murdered  in 
ISIJ:  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  not  far  from  Fort  Madi- 
son. This  greatly  exasperated  Black  Hawk,  and  gather- 
ing a  band  of  some  thirty  braves  he  sought  revenge. 
They  killed  several  whites  and  were  subsequently  de- 
feated with  a  detachment  of  U.  S.  rangers  from  Fort  How- 
ard. Black  Hawk  and  the  survivors  of  his  band  then  re- 
turned to  their  village,  and  though  peace  was  declared 
between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  in  1815,  this 
baud  continued  restless  and  aggressive.  Black  Hawk 
assisted  in  the  capture  of  Prairie  du  Chien  in  ISIG,  and 
also  led  an  attack  against  men  and  boats  ascending  the 
Mississippi,  in  which  several  were  killed  and  Avounded. 
Soon  after  this  Black  Hawk  with  others  went  to  St.  Louis 
and  entered  into  another  treaty  with  the  United  States. 

Other  grievances  occurred,  but  Keokuk  and  other 
chiefs  made  an  agreement  to  move  to  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  and  most  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  made  a  new  home 
on  the  Iowa  Elver.  Black  Hawk,  however,  refused  to 
move  and  used  all  his  influence  to  keep  his  peojile  upon 
the  east  side.  He  denounced  Keokuk  and  his  folloAvers 
as  cowards.  This  trouble  was  continued  for  several 
years,  until  finally  in  1831  open  hostilities  came.  Gen. 
Gaines,  commanding  the  U.  S.  troops,  on  June  7,  after  a 
council,  informed  the  Indians  they  must  remove  or  he 
would  use  force.  In  June  1,G00  Illinois  militia  came  to 
Rock  Island  to  assist  the  regulars.  On  June  30,  a  treaty 
was  signed  by  which  Black  Hawk  agreed  to  move  to  the 
west  side  of  the  river  and  not  return  without  permission. 
Black  Hawk  removed  as  agreed  upon,  but  continued  rest- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  03 

less.  Other  troubles  occurred.  In  the  spring  of  1832 
in  expectation  of  help  from  the  British  and  other  Indians, 
Black  Hawk  assembled  his  warriors  and  again  crossed  to 
the  east  side.  Gen.  Atkinson  ordered  him  to  return  and 
he  refused,  and  Gov.  Reynolds  again  called  out  the  Illinois 
militia.  The  first  collision  occurred  some  thirty  miles 
up  Rock  River,  where  a  fight  occurred  between  the  Indians 
and  the  militia  under  Major  Stillman,  the  latter  retreat- 
ing. War  was  now  on,  and  there  was  great  excitement. 
A  number  of  frontier  families  were  massacred  and  several 
taken  captive.  By  July  Black  Hawk  had  a  force  esti- 
mated at  700  or  800  warriors,  and  proceeded  towards 
the  Wisconsin  River.  On  July  21  they  were  overtaken  by 
the  troops  of  Gen.  Atkinson,  under  the  immediate  com- 
mand of  Gen.  Dodge.  A  battle  followed  and  the  Indians 
were  defeated  and  scattered,  having  more  than  one  hun- 
dred killed,  drowned  and  wounded.  This  virtually  ended 
the  war.  Black  Hawk  saw  all  was  lost  and  sought,  with 
his  band,  to  reach  the  Mississippi  River.  They  reached  it, 
but  before  crossing  were  again  attacked  by  Gen.  Dodge's 
troops  and  about  150  of  them  killed.  Black  Hawk  made 
his  escape,  but  in  a  few  days  was  captured  by  some  Win- 
nebagoes  and  on  August  27  was  delivered  to  Gen.  Street, 
the  Indian  agent  at  Prairie  du  Chien  The  prisoners  were 
placed  in  custody  of  Col.  Zachary  Tajdor  and  in  Septem- 
ber Black  Hawk  and  a  few  others  were  taken  to  Jefferson 
Barracks,  near  St  Louis.  So  ended  the  Black  Hawk 
war,  which  cost  the  lives  of  between  four  hundred  and 
five  hundred  Indians,  including  men,  women  and  children, 
nearly  two  hundred  whites,  and  the  United  States  about 
two  millions  of  dollars. 

Under  the  treaty  of  1832  Black  Hawk,  his  two  sons,  his 
lieutenant,  Ne-o-pope  (Soup),  and  Wobokieshick  were  to 
be  held  as  hostages  at  the  pleasure  of  the  President.     They 


64  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

were  first  held  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  and  in  April,  1833, 
were  taken  to  Washington,  where  thej-  had  an  interview 
with  President  Jackson.  April  26  they  were  taken  to  For- 
tress Monroe,  where  they  were  held  nntil  June  4,  when 
they  were  ordered  liberated.  Under  the  escort  of  Major 
John  Garland,  of  the  U.  S.  army,  they  were  taken  to  Nor- 
folk, Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Albany,  Buffalo 
and  other  cities,  in  each  of  which  quite  an  ovation  was 
given  "Gen.  Black  Hawk."  They  finally  reached  Fort 
Armstrong,  at  Kock  Island.  Messengers  were  sent  out 
and  at  the  appointed  time  Keokuk  and  all  the  chiefs  and 
warriorsassembledthere  to  meet  their  great  deposed  chief. 
A  great  council  was  held  and  the  message  of  the  President 
given  that  hereafter  Keokuk  wcmld  be  regarded  as  the 
principal  chief,  and  he  wished  Black  Hawk  to  confirm  the 
mandate.  This  stung  Black  Hawk,  who  angrily  replied, 
but  subsequently,  through  Keokuk,  made  a  half  apology 
for  his  words.  For  a  time  he  made  his  home  near  Keo- 
kuk's village  on  the  Iowa  River.  In  1837,  by  courtesy  and 
not  as  a  delegate,  he  was  permitted  to  accompany  Keokuk 
and  other  chiefs  to  Washington  and  through  many  of  the 
cities  of  the  East,  Upon  his  return  Black  Hawk  with  his 
family  settled  in  Lee  county,  and  in  the  spring  of  1838 
moved  to  the  vicinity  of  the  villages  of  the  other  chiefs  of 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  on  the  Des  Moines  Eiver,  near  lowa- 
ville.  Here  he  had  a  comfortable  cabin,  furnished  in 
imitation  of  the  whites,  and  cultivated  some  acres  of 
ground.  Unlike  other  chiefs  of  his  tribe  he  never  had 
but  one  wife.  He  died  at  this  home  of  fever  October  3, 
1838,  at  about  the  age  of  seventy-two. 

His  body  Avas  buried  near  the  Des  Moines  River  in  Davis 
county.  He  was  dressed  in  the  full  military  uniform  pre- 
sented him  by  President  Jackson,  and  upon  his  breast 
was  placed  three  silver  medals  which  had  been  given  to 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  65 

him.  At  his  feet  a  flagstaff!  was  placed,  from  which 
floated  a  beautiful  silk  American  flag.  It  was  hoped 
the  remains  of  the  aged  chief  would  here  repose  in  peace. 
But  it  was  not  toi  be.  A  scoundrely  doctor  living  near, 
stole  the  bodj'  and  afterwards  took  it  to  Quincy,  Illinois. 
Complaint  was  made  by  the  widow  and  through  the  efforts 
of  Grovernor  Lucas  the  bones  were  returned  to  Burling- 
ton, the  then  capital  of  the  territory.  Later  the  building 
in  which  they  were  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  the  bones 
of  Black  Hawk  were  totally  consumed — destroyed  and 
scattered  to  the  winds  as  have  been  his  people. 

KEOKUK. 

As  Keokuk,  the  head  chief  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  is 
connected  to  more  extent  with  the  early  history  of  Polk 
county,  it  will  not  be  out  of  place  to  here  give  a  brief 
sketch  of  his  life  and  character.  This  name  Keokuk 
meant  the  Watchful  Fox.  He  was  of  the  Sac  tribe  and 
was  born  about  the  year  1780  near  Eock  River,  Illinois. 
He  was  less  renowned  as  a  warrior  than  Black  Hawk, 
but  as  an  orator  and  diplomatist  excelled  him  or  any  other 
of  his  tribe.  He  was  not  a  hereditary  chief,  but  attained 
his  elevation  by  the  early  manifestation  of  those  qualities 
which  commanded  the  admiration  of  his  people.  Though 
imputations  may  have  been  cast  upon  his  bravery  by  envi- 
ous and  ambitious  rivals  and  foes,  there  is  is  no  doubt  he 
was  free  from  cowardice.  In  his  early  career  he  perform- 
ed several  striking  warlike  deeds  which  brought  him  a 
great  reputation  among  his  people.  Without  bravery  he 
never  could  have  reached  the  rank  he  did  among  his 
friends  and  foes.  He  also  showed  on  several  occasions 
much  military  skill  in  battles  with  Indians  hostile  to  his 
tribe  or  nation. 

In  the  contest  between  the  United  States  and  Black 


C6  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Hawk  and  a  portion  of  his  tribe,  Keokuk,  with  a  majority 
of  Sacs  and  Foxes,  held  aloof,  though  every  possible  ef- 
fort was  made  by  Black  Hawk  and  others  to  induce  them 
to  join  in  the  hostilities.  Emissaries  were  sent  among 
Keokuk's  adherents  to  induce  them  to  take  ipart  in  the 
war,  and  at  one  time  it  seemed  almost  impossible  for  Keo- 
kuk, with  all  his  eloquence  and  influence,  to  restrain  them 
from  entering  upon  the  war  path.  Black  Hawk's  mes- 
sengers spoke  of  the  blood  which  had  been  shed;  of  the 
injustice  of  the  whites  in  driving  them  fi'om  their  hunting 
grounds,  and  of  the  injuries  repeatedly  inflicted  upon 
their  Indians;  referred  to  the  easy  vengeance  which 
might  be  inflicted  upon  a  sparsely  settled  frontier,  and  of 
the  rich  booty  which  might  be  obtained.  These  appeals 
were  not  Avithout  effect.  They  began  to  paint  and  pre- 
pare for  war.  The  chief  sympathized  with  his  people,  but 
he  clearl}^  saw  what  would  be  the  ultimate  result  of  such 
action.     In  a  speech  to  his  assembled  warriors  he  said: 

"Braves:  I  am  your  chief;  it  is  my  duty  to  rule  you  as 
a  father  at  home,  and  lead  you  to  war  if  you  are  deter- 
mined to  go,  but  in  this  war  there  is  no  middle  course. 
The  United  States  is  a  great  power,  and  unless  we  conquer 
that  great  nation  we  must  perish.  I  will  lead  you  against 
the  whites  on  one  condition;  that  is,  that  Ave  shall  flrst 
put  all  our  Avomen  and  children  to  death,  and  then  resolve 
that  having  ci'ossed  the  Mississippi  Ave  shall  never  return, 
but  perish  among  the  graves  of  our  fathers  rather  than 
yield  to  the  Avhite  man." 

These  words,  and  the  desperation  of  Keokuk's  proposal, 
forced  his  people  to  take  a  true  vieAv  of  the  situation. 
Their  passions  were  allayed.  The  authority  and  influ- 
ence of  Keokuk  Avas  restored,  and  Black  Hawk's  emis- 
saries failed  in  his  purpose.  Keokuk's  men  took  no  part 
in  that  Avar,  Avhich  ended  so  disastrously  to  Black  HaAvk 
and  his  bands. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  67 

Keokuk  avoided  another  trouble  with  the  whites  in 
1832.  Five  of  his  men,  one  of  them  his  nepliew,  murdered 
a  man  named  Martin  in  Illinois.  The  authorities  de- 
manded the}'  be  delivered  up  for  trial,  but  they  were  be- 
yond his  reach.  He  called  a  council  of  his  head  men  to 
determine  what  should  be  done.  If  satisfaction  was  not 
made  the  whites  would  send  an  army.  Four  young  men 
of  the  tribe  then  volunteered  tO'  go  in  tlhe  places  of  the 
absent  guilty  ones.  They  were  duly  delivered  up.  When 
the  trial  came  Keokuk  was  himself  present  and  testified 
that  the  prisoners  were  not  the  guilty  ones,  but  had  vol- 
untarily taken  their  places.  As  a  matter  of  course  they 
were  acquitted. 

After  the  Black  Hawk  war  it  was  reported  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes  were  dissatisfied  and  disposed  to  renew  hostilities. 
Keokuk  was  then  well  up  the  Des  Moines  valley  when  he 
heard  the  rumor,  and  dictated  a  letter  and  had  it  forward- 
ed to  Governor  Reynolds,  of  Illinois,  stating  there  was  no 
truth  in  the  report;  that  thej^  were  friendly  to  the  whites; 
that  "the  tomahawk  was  buried  so  deep  that  it  never 
again  will  be  raised  against  the  whites."  This  letter 
was  dated:  "Raccoon  Fork  of  Des  Moines  River  (now  city 
of  Des  Moines),  November  30,  1832."  This  was  some 
ten  years  prior  to  the  establishment  of  a  military  post 
here,  and  shows  this  to  have  been  for  many  years  a  fa- 
vorite camping  and  hunting  ground  for  the  Indians  and 
especially  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes. 

Keokuk,  with  a  deputation  of  Sac  and  Fox  chiefs  and 
warriors,  visited  Washington  in  the  autumn  of  1837. 
There  they  met  a  delegation  of  Sioux  chiefs,  and  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  endeavored  to  effect  a  reconciliation  be- 
tween these  long  time  enemies,  and  a  nominal  truce  was 
established,  after  eloquent  and  somewhat  bitter  speeches 


08  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

had  been  made  by  Keokuk  and  others  of  the  Indians. 
Keokuk  and  his  band  then  made  an  extended  tour  of 
northern  and  eastern  cities,  where  they  were  shown 
much  attention  by  prominent  oflicials  and  citizens.  At 
Boston  they  were  received  with  great  ceremony  by  the 
Governor  of  the  state  and  the  city  officials.  Keokuk  was 
the  main  spokesman  of  the  party  and  won  much  praise  for 
his  eloquence  and  dignity.  Throughout  his  entire  visit 
Keokuk  preserved  the  gravity  and  dignity  of  manner  be- 
coming his  high  position  and  won  the  respect  and  admira- 
tion of  all  who  saw  him. 

Under  the  treaty  of  1832,  commonly  known  as  the 
"Black  Hawk  Purchase,"  a  tract  of  four  hundred  square 
miles  on  the  Iowa  River  was  reserved  for  the  use  and  oc- 
cupancy of  the  Indians.  This  reserve  included  Keokuk's 
village  and  was  known  as  "Keokuk's  Eeserve."  The  vil- 
lage was  situated  on  the  border  of  Keokuk  Lake,  and 
about  six  miles  below  the  present  city  of  Muscatine.  In 
1836  this  was  ceded  to  the  United  States,  and  the  Indians 
removed  to  the  Des  Moines  River,  Keokuk  fixing  his  resi- 
dence near  the  trading  post  at  lowaville.  Years  after 
the  remains  of  the  earthen  embankment  which  had  been 
thrown  up  around  Keokuk's  lodge  was  visible.  The 
enclosure  was  elliptical  in  form,  with  an  opening,  or  gate- 
way, on  the  south  side  towards  the  river.  It  was  ninety 
feet  north  and  south,  by  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  long- 
east  and  west.  These  dimensions  indicate  that  the  lodge 
of  the  great  chief  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  was  no  insignifi- 
cant affair.  Here  one  of  Keokuk's  sons,  about  nineteen 
years  of  age,  died  while  his  father  was  in  Washington,  and 
was  buried  with  the  usual  Indian  rites.  His  death  was  a 
sore  grief  to  the  father.  A  year  or  two  afterwards  Keo- 
kuk removed  his  principal  village  further  up  the  river 


AiYZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DEti  MOINES.  69 

to  near  the  mouth  of  Sugar  Creek,  not  far  from  the  site  of 
the  present  city  of  Ottumwa. 

AYhile  in  this  village  Keokuk  received  an  invitation  to 
visit  Nauvoo,  from  Joseph  Smith,  the  Mormon  prophet, 
Avho  was  then  building  up  that  famous  "City  of  the 
Saints."  Keokuk  was  addressed  as  the  "King  of  the  Sacs 
and  Foxes"  by  Smith.  Keokuk  concluded  to  accept  the 
invitation,  and  accordingly  proceeded  to  Nauvoo,  attend- 
ed hj  many  of  his  chiefs  and  braves,  all  mounted  on  isonies 
in  grand  style.  They  were  given  an  audience  in  the  Mor- 
mon Temple.  The  prophet  made  a  speech  in  which  he 
referred  to  the  children  of  Israel  and  the  lost  tribes,  en- 
deavoring to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  Keokuk  the  idea 
that  the  Indians  were  the  identical  lost  tribes,  and  that 
such  was  the  fact  that  had  been  revealed  to  him.  Keo- 
kuk listened  attentively  and  then  shrewdly  replied: 

"If  my  brother  is  commissioned  by  the  Great  Spirit  to 
collect  our  lost  tribes  together  and  lead  them  into  a  land 
flov/ing  with  milk  and  honey  it  is  his  duty  to  do  so.  But 
I  wish  to  ask  about  some  particulars  that  my  brother  has 
omitted.  They  are  of  great  importance  to  my  people. 
The  Ked  Man  is  not  much  used  to  milk.  They  prefer 
streams  of  water,  and  in  the  country  where  they  live  there 
is  a  good  supply  of  honey.  The  points  which  we  wish  to 
inquire  about  are  whether  the  new  government  will  pay 
large  annuities,  and  whether  there  will  be  plenty  of 
whisky?" 

This  plain  talk  broke  off  all  further  negotiations  be- 
tween the  "Prophet  of  the  Lord"  and  the  "King  of  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes,"  and  the  latter  returned  to  their  villages 
on  the  l")es  Moines. 

The  last  move  made  in  Iowa  by  Keokuk  was  the  location 
of  his  lodge  and  village  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  some 
ten  miles  below  the  present  city  of  Des  Moines,  and  near 


70  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  mouth  of  North  River.  This  is  now  kno^Yn  as  Keo- 
kuk Prairie,  and  here  the  now  aging  chief  had  his  habita- 
tion until  his  final  removal  to  Kansas.  As  it  was  known 
that  this  was  to  be  only  a  temporary  resting  place  prior  to 
their  final  removal  from  the  territory  their  village  was  not 
as  well  built  as  had  previously  been  their  custom.  Keo- 
kuk himself  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  the  agency  and  trad- 
ing posts  then  located  here,  and  it  is  said  became  more 
than  ever  addicted  to  the  intemperate  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors.  He,  however,  continued  to  hold  his  place  and 
much  of  his  influence  with  his  people,  though  he  had  bit- 
ter enemies  among  those  left  of  Black  Hawk's  special 
friends  and  what  was  known  as  the  "British  Band." 

Keokuk  led  his  people  west  to  Kansas  in  1845,  where 
he  died  three  years  later.  In  June,  1848,  the  St.  Louis 
papers  announced  his  death,  stating  he  died  from  the  ef- 
fects of  poison  administered  by  one  of  his  tribe.  The 
Indian  who  committed  the  deed  was  apprehended,  con- 
fessed his  guilt,  and  was  shot.  Keokuk  left  a  son  who 
arose  to  some  prominence  in  the  tribe. 

Some  years  ago  Dr.  T.  K.  Brooks,  who  for  years  was  a 
highly  esteemed  resident  of  this  county,  town  and  city, 
told  the  writer  he  was  present  at  a  council  held  at  the 
agency,  at  which  Keokuk  and  a  number  of  other  Indians 
were  present.  Major  Beach,  the  agent,  pursuant  to  or- 
ders from  Washington,  made  a  speech  in  which  he  told 
how  good  the  Great  Father  at  Washington  was  to  his  In- 
dian children,  and  to  aid  theiu  in  living  happily  had  sent 
to  them  as  presents  a  number  of  plows,  harrows,  hoes,  etc., 
to  be  used  in  the  cultivation  of  the  land.  He  urged  them 
to  plant  and  soav  that  they  might  reap,  etc.  The  agent 
knew  tlie  character  and  habits  of  the  Indians  too  well  to 
suppose  they  Avould  feel  in  the  least  grateful  for  such 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  71 

presents  and  advice,  and  whispered  to  the  doctor  to  listen 
and  see  how  the  Indians  would  speak  and  act.  After  a 
wait  of  some  time  in  silence  Keokuk  arose  and  made  a 
speech  which  in  eloquence  and  dignity  the  doctor  consid- 
ered seldom  equalled  by  the  greatest  of  white  orators. 
He  said  in  substance:  "Our  people  once  owned  all  this 
beautiful  land,  free  to  hunt  and  go  wherever  'they  might 
will.  They  were  happy.  And  then  the  whites  came  and 
forced  them  from  place  to  place,  took  all  their  lauds,  and 
now,  the  great  White  Father  wants  them  to  dig  like  moles 
in  the  ground.''  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  this  council 
was  not  a  success,  and  the  Indians  failed  to  show  any 
gratitude  whatever  foi*  the  presents  so  ostentatiously 
given.      They  were  not  the  kind  of  presents  desired. 


MUSQUAKIE. 

There  is  a  band  of  Indians  yet  lingering  in  Iowa  whose 
history  is  to  some  extent  connected  with  that  of  Polk 
county.  They  are  a  remnant  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  and 
now  own  and  occupy  something  less  than  one  thousand 
acres  of  valuable  land  on  the  Iowa  Eiver  in  Iowa  county. 
They  are  generally  called  Musquakies,  and  for  many  years 
have  made  occasional  visits  to  Des  Moines  and  camped,  to 
fish  and  hunt  along  the  streams  of  Polk  couut3^  In  fact 
they  are  the  only  Indians  ever  seen  by  perhaps  nine-tenths 
of  the  present  citizens  of  the  countj'.  Before  the  whites 
came  the  favorite  home  and  hunting  ground  of  the  Mus- 
quakies was  along  the  Iowa  River.  When  the  main  body 
of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  were  removed  to  their  new  home 
west  of  the  Missouri  Eiver  these  Musquakies  accompanied 
the  balance  of  the  tribe.  As  early  as  1850  a  small  band, 
mostly   Pottawattamies,    under    the  leadership    of    Che- 


72  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

meuse  (Johnny  Green)  had  wandered  back  and  took  up 
their  abode  on  the  Iowa  Kiver,  not  far  from  the  present 
Musquakie  village.  They  were  again  removed  under 
military  escort,  but  persisted  in  returning  in  small  bands 
as  before.  It  was  not  long  until  a  portion  of  the  Fox 
(Musquakie)  branch  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  nation  became  dis- 
satisfied with  their  Kansas  home.  They  claimed  the  cli- 
mate did  not  agree  with  them  and  that  many  of  their  peo- 
ple had  sickened  and  died. 

At  the  time  of  the  allotment  of  lands  in  severalty  to  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes  some  of  them,  headed  by  the  chief,  Mow- 
me-wah-ne-kah,  were  bitterly  opposed  to  it.  They  refus- 
ed to  be  enrolled  and  for  this  the  chief  was  deposed.  He 
induced  five  or  six  lodges  to  follow  and  left  Kansas  for 
their  old  home  in  Iowa.  He  was  subsequently  joined  by 
other  members  of  his  tribe  and  with  them  came  also  some 
Pottawattamies  to  join  their  friends  under  Chemeuse. 
Their  pro  rata  share  of  the  government  annuity  was  with- 
held from  them  because  of  their  disobedience,  and  they 
received  no  aid  whatever  from  the  Government.  They 
were  wretchedly  poor,  and  eked  out  a  bare  subsistence 
cultivating  where  they  could  get  that  privilege  from 
white  men  a  few  small  patches  of  land,  by  fishing,  hunting 
and  trapping  in  winter  and  by  begging.  They  suffered 
much  but  clung  tenaciously  to  their  old  home.  Finally 
attention  was  called  to  their  suffering  condition  and  in 
1867  Congress  passed  a  bill  granting  them  their  annuities 
"so  long  as  they  are  peaceful  and  have  the  assent  of  the 
government  of  Iowa  to  reside  in  that  state."  The  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  Iowa  promptly  gave  the  required  assent. 

Under  the  act  of  Congress  a  special  agent  Avas  appoint- 
ed to  look  after  their  welfare,  and  at  their  own  request 
.'if2,000  of  their  money  was  devoted  to  the  purchase  of  a 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  J/O/XE'.s'.  73 

small  tract  of  land  in  Tama  county,  avMcIi  has  subsequent- 
ly been  largely  added  to.  These  lands  on  the  Iowa  River 
bottom  are  now  quite  valuable  and  are  on  the  line  of  the 
Chicago  and  Northwestern  railway.  They  cultivate  a 
portion  of  this  land,  and  rear  considerable  stock,  especi- 
ally horses.  They  are  much  attached  to  their  Iowa  home, 
and  in  the  summer  go  in  small  par-ties  hunting  and  fish- 
ing along  the  Iowa,  Skunk, Des  Moines andRaccoon  rivers. 
They  are  very  peaceable  and  seldom  have  any  trouble 
with  the  whites.  In  a  few  instances  they  have  complain- 
ed to  their  agent  of  trespass  by  some  of  the  whites.  Ef- 
forts have  been  made  to  educate  them,  but  these  have  not 
been  very  successful,  though  some  of  the  younger  have 
learned  to  read  and  write.  Most  of  the  men  still  retain  in 
part  the  Indian  costume  of  their  ancestors,  the  blanket 
being  indispensable,  winter  and  summer.  They  prefer 
the  primitive  moccasin,  but  a  few  of  them  wear  shoes  and 
hats,  the  latter  usually  decorated  with  a  feather,  indica- 
tive of  the  warrior's  standing  as  a  brave  or  as  a  hunter. 
About  the  village  the  women  generally  dress  in  petticoats 
and  sacks,  but  always  take  their  blankets  when  they  visit 
the  neighboring  towns.  On  such  occasions  they  gener- 
ally ride  their  ponies  and  take  their  pappooses  (babies) 
along  if  they  have  anj.  In  this  case  the  pappoose  is  strap- 
ped in  a  basket  to  the  back  of  an  extra  pony.  Several 
families  usually  live  together,  occupying  the  same  wig- 
wam. As  families  they  maintain  amiable  relations,  and 
deny  the  practice  of  polygamy.  The  women  are  exem- 
plary in  their  deportment,  modest  and  chaste.  The  chil- 
dren are  kept  under  good  discipline,  and  brought  iq)  to 
do  strictly  right  according  to  their  views.  If  a  child 
disobeys  its  parents  it  is  punished  by  fasting,  and  not  by 
the  rod,  as  the  exercise  of  such  physical  force  by  the 
strong  over  the  weak  would  not  only  degrade  the  child  but 


74  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  parent  also.      They  take  good  care  of  the  sick,  the 
aged,  crippled  and  blind. 

The  Musquakies  still  maintain  the  ancient  rites,  cere- 
monies and  superstitions  of  their  race,  and  strictly  follow 
the  traditions  handed  doAvn  from  their  forefathers.  They 
are  very  proud  of  their  race,  independent  in  feeling  and 
tenacious  of  their  liberty. 

On  March  21),  1880,  Kes-co,  an  aged  Musquakie  woman 
died  in  camp  near  Mitchellville  in  this  county,  at  the  age, 
it  is  claimed,  of  101.  She  w^as  buried  with  the  usual  In- 
dian care  and  rites  near  where  she  died. 

The  principal  chief  of  the  Musquakies,  Maw-mo-wah- 
ne-kah,  died  July  3,  1881,  aged  about  forty-five  years  and 
was  succeeded  by  Maw-taw-a-qua  and  Wau-co-mo. 

Although  not  a  Musquakie,  perhaps  no  Indian  has  been 
better  known  among  the  whites  of  Iowa  of  later  days  than 
the  old  chief  Chemeuse,  or  "Johnny  Green,"  as  he  was 
generally  called  by  whites.  He  was  an  Indian  of  full 
blood,  but  of  Pottawattamie  and  Chippewa  parentage, 
his  mother  being  of  the  latter  tribe.  He  first  came  to 
Iowa  from  Wisconsin  in  1838,  with  five  or  six  families 
of  mixed  Pottawattamies,  a  remnant  of  whom  still  reside 
on  the  Iowa  Eiver  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Musquakie  village. 
While  the  Pottawattamies  occupied  southwestern  Iowa 
and  the  Winnebagoes  the  "Neutral  Ground,"  Johnny 
Green  generally  had  a  large  following,  but  after  the  re- 
moval of  those  tribes  his  band  dwindled  to  a  small  rem- 
nant which  he  left  on  the  banks  of  the  Iowa  River,  iu 
Marshall  county.  Long  before  the  Musquakies  had  re- 
turned to  Iowa  Johnny  Green  had  wandered  back  with 
his  followers.  Living  iu  the  vicinity  of  the  Musquakie 
village,  and  the  two  remnants  of  distinct  tribes  being 
much  together,  Johnny  Green  was  erroneously  called  by 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^i  MOINES.  75 

the  white  people  the  "Old  Musquakie  Chief."  We  know 
little  of  his  early  history,  but  many  people  throughout 
central  Iowa  still  remember  the  pleasant,  kindly  face 
of  the  old  chief  Avho  led  a  nomadic  life,  encamping  with 
his  little  band  along  the  various  streams  during  the  hunt- 
ing season.  He  was  always  the  white  man's  friend  and 
had  no  enemies  among  them.  One  of  his  daughters  is 
married  to  a  Musquakie  and  lives  in  Tama  county.  He 
died  near  Marshalltown  about  Christmas,  1868,  and  was 
supposed  to  be  about  seventy-three  years  of  age.  Fulton, 
in  his  Histoiy  of  the  Eed  Men  of  Iowa,  says  of  this  old 
chief: 

"We  know  not  what  heroic  acts  of  his  are  unrecorded, 
or  what  generous  and  noble  impulses  may  have  nerved 
him  to  action  in  behalf  of  his  nation  or  tribe.  The 
dust  of  thousands  of  nameless  heroes  enrich  the  soil  up- 
on which  we  tread.  'Johnny  Green'  was  doubtless  wise 
enough  to  foresee  the  inevitable  destiny  that  awaited  his 
race,  and  we  know  he  was  gxeat  enough  to  lead  his  exiled 
people  back  to  their  favorite  land.  We  know,  too,  that  he 
was  great  enough  to  assist  in  securing  to  them  that  con- 
cession from  the  whites  by  which  the}^  yet  retain  a  home 
in  Iowa." 


CHAPTER   V. 

THE    FIRST   FORT   DES    MOINES. 

A  UNITED  States  frontier  Post,  located  on  the  Right  bank 
OF  THE  Mississippi  River,  at  the  Mouth  of  the  Des  Moines, 
Near  the  Site  of  what  is  now  the  Town  of  Keokuk,  iowa. 

THE  establishment  of  a  military  post  at  this  point 
was  an  outcome  of  the  Act  of  Congress  (1833)  which 
provides  for  the  better  defense  of  the  frontier,  hj 
the  raising  of  a  regiment  of  dragoons  to  scout  the  country' 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  This  movement  is  outlined  in 
the  report  of  Secretary  Cass,  dated  November  29,  1833, 
accompanying  the  President's  Annual  Message.  He 
says : 

"The  act  for  the  better  defense  of  the  frontier  by  rais- 
ing a  regiment  of  dragoons,  is  in  the  process  of  execution. 
About  six  hundred  men  have  been  enlisted  and  most  of 
the  officers  ,ap]3ointed,  and  five  of  the  companies  have 
been  ordered  to  proceed  to  Fort  Gibson,  upon  the  Arkan- 
sas, where  they  will  be  stationed  during  the  winter.  The 
remainder  of  the  regiment  will  be  concentrated  at  Jeffer- 
son Barracks  this  season,  and  it  is  intended  in  the  spring 
to  order  the  whole  to  proceed  through  the  extensive  In- 
dian regions  between  the  western  boundaries  of  Missouri 
and  Arkansas  and  the  Eocky  Mountains.  It  is  deemed 
indispensable  to  the  peace  and  securitj^  of  the  frontier 
that  a  respectable  force  should  be  displayed  in  that  quar- 
ter, and  that  the  wandering  and  restless  tribes  who  roam 
through  it  should  be  impressed  with  the  power  of  the 
United  States  by  the  exhibition  of  a  cor]:)s  so  well  qualified 
to  excite  their  respect.  These  Indians  are  beyond  the 
reach  of  a  mere  infantry  force.  Without  stationary  resi- 
dences, and  possessing  an  abundant  supply  of  horses,  and 
with  habits  admirably  adapted  to  their  use,  they  can  be 
held  in  check  only  by  a  similar  force,  and  bv  occasional 


^ffiP^''^ 


PLAT    OF     FT.     DES    MOINES,     FURNISHED     BY     THE    WAR     DEPARTMENT 
FROM    OFFICIAL    DOCUMENTS    ON    FILE    AT    WASHINGTON,     D.     C. 


1.  Flagstaff. 

2.  Officers'  Quarters. 

3.  Soldiers'  Barracks. 

4.  Stables. 


5.  Hospital. 

6.  Guard  House. 

7.  Corrals  and  Hay  Yards. 

8.  Gardens. 


g.  Government  Road, 

10.  Scott's  Farm  House. 

11.  Lower  Ford,  or  Ferry. 

12.  Upper  Ford. 


Ewing's  Trading  House  was  on  east  side  at  the  Upper  Ford. 

Phelps'  Trading  House  was  east  of  River,  near  extreme  lower  left  hand  corner  of  plit. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  79 

display  among  them.  Almost  every  year  has  witnessed 
some  outrage  committed  by  them  upon  our  citizens,  and, 
as  many  of  the  Indian  tribes  from  the  country  this  side 
of  the  Mississippi  have  removed  and  are  removing  to  that 
region,  we  may  anticipate  their  exposure  to  these  preda- 
tory incursions,  unless  vigorous  measures  are  adopted  to 
repel  them.  We  owe  protection  to  the  emigrants,  and  it 
has  been  solemnly  promised  to  them;  and  this  duty  can 
only  be  fulfilled  by  repressing  and  punishing  every  at- 
tempt to  disturb  the  general  tranquility.  Policj'  and 
humanity  equally  dictate  this  course;  and  there  is  reason 
to  hope  that  the  display  of  this  force  will  itself  render 
unnecessary  its  hostile  employment." 

In  the  execution  of  this  project.  Col.  Henry  Dodge,  with 
nine  companies  of  the  regiment  of  dragoons,  left  Fort  Gib- 
son on  the  15th  of  June,  1834,  and  entered  upon  the  fated 
expedition  to  the  Pawnee  country  which  resulted  in  the 
death  of  Gen.  Leavenworth  and  so  large  a  number  of  his 
officers  and  men  from  sickness  incident  to  the  climatic 
changes,  that  reorganization  of  the  regiment  was  render- 
ed necessary,  as  well  as  its  transfer  to  more  northern  lati- 
tudes. Accordingly^  on  the  return  of  the  expedition  to 
Fort  Gibson,  four  companies  under  Col.  Dodge  were 
marched  to  Fort  Leavenworth  on  the  Missouri;  three  un- 
der Major  Mason,  to  a  point  on  the  Arkansas  about  eighty 
miles  above  Fort  Gibson,  and  the  remainder,  under  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Kearney  to  the  region  of  the  Des  Moines. 
By  orders  from  the  War  Department,  dated  May  19,  1834, 
the  regiment  of  dragoons  were  ordered  "to  take  up  their 
winter  quarters  in  the  following  positions : 

"Lieutenant  Colonel  Kearney,  with  three  companies, 
viz:  Sumner's,  Boone's  and  Browne's  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Mississippi,  Avithin  the  Indian  country  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Des  Moines." 

A  short  rest  at  Gibson  pending  the  convalescence  of  the 


80  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

sick  list,  delaj^ed  the  movements  of  Colonel  Kearney,  until 
the  season  had  been  well  advanced,  although  a  quarter- 
master's force  had  left  Jefferson  Barracks  early  in  the 
summer  to  select  the  site  and  lay  the  foundation  for  the 
buildings.  On  September  2,  he  writes  from  Camp  Caring- 
ton,  near  Fort  Gibson,  "I  shall  leave  here  to-morrow  with 
Companies  B,  H  and  I,  U.  S.  dragoons  for  the  Des  Moines, 
crossing  the  Missouri  River  at  Booneville  (Missouri),"  ad- 
ding, "I  have  to  request  that  a  name  be  given  for  the  new 
post  at  the  Des  Moines,  and  that  it  may  be  considered  as 
a  double  ration  one."  The  force  which  left  Fort  Gibson 
on  the  3rd  of  September,  1834,  for  the  Des  Moines,  under 
the  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Stephen  W.  Kearney, 
consisting  of  Company  B,  of  the  regiment  dragoons,  Cap- 
tain E.  V.  Sumner  and  Second  Lieutenant  J.  H.  K.  Berg- 
win;  Company  H,  Avhich  owing  to  the  absence  of  Ca])tain 
Boone  and  Lieutenant  Schaumburgh,  who  had  been  left 
sick  at  (ribson,  was  also  commanded  by  Captain  Sumner; 
Company  I,  Captain  J.  B.  Browne  and  Brevet  Second 
Lieutenant  A.  G.  Edward,  together  with  an  aggregate  of 
107  non-commissioned  officers,  musicians  and  privates. 
First  Lieutenant  George  H.  Grossman,  of  the  Sixth  In- 
fantry, accompanied  the  command  'as  assistant  quarter- 
master, while  the  duties  of  adjutant  and  commissary 
were  performed  by  Lieutenant  Burgwin. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kearney, 
writing  from  Camp  Des  Moines,  reports  his  arrival,  which 
occurred  late  the  previous  evening.  "The  quarters  for  the 
officers  and  soldiers,"  he  complains,  "are  not  as  far  ad- 
vanced as  1  had  expected,  and  not  a  log  is  yet  laid  for 
stables  for  our  horses.  We  shall,  on  the  28th,  go  to  Avork 
with  all  our  disposable  force,  and  I  hope  by  the  close  of 
next  month  we  may  complete  the  buildings,  though  they 


Al^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  81 

will  be  less  comfortable  and  of  meaner  appearance  than 
those  occupied  b}'  anjr  other  portion  of  the  army."  He 
is  yet  uncertain  as  to  the  purposes  for  which  he  has  been 
sent  to  this  most  isolated  spot  "I  should  like  to  know," 
he  says,  "if  it  is  contemplated  that  we  are  to  occupy  this 
post  after  the  ensuing  winter,  and  I  wish  to  know  whether 
I  am  authorzied  to  keep  away  settlers  from  here,  and  how 
far  I  may  proceed  in  doing  so;  also  what  is  required  of 
this  command  while  stationed  here." 

The  winter  of  1834-5  was  one  of  unusual  severity  in  that 
section,  and  it  appears  from  Col.  Kearney's  frequent  com- 
plaints that  the  command  experienced  no  little  suffering 
from  uncomfortable  quarters  and  insufficient  supplies. 
Captain  Boone  joined  his  company  during  the  winter,  but 
Lieutenant  Grossman  having  been  recalled  to  St.  Louis,  all 
the  administrative  duty  of  the  garrison  devolved  upon 
Lieutenant  Burgwin.  On  the  1st  of  February,  1835,  we 
find  Col.  Kearney  again  urging  upon  the  War  Depart- 
ment that  a  name  be  given  to  the  post,  which  up  to  that 
time  he  had  designated  as  merely  "The  Detachment 
Headquarters  of  the  Eegiment  of  Dragoons,  at  Camp  Des 
Moines,  Michigan  Territory."  On  the  back  of  this  appeal 
we  find  in  the  familiar  handwriting  of  Mr.  Secretary 
Cass: 

"Let  the  post  be  called  'Fort  Des  Moines,'  and  let  it  be  a 
double  ration  post." 

The  date  and  authority  for  the  naming  of  the  river  from 
which  the  fort  takes  its  name  in  turn  is  involved  in  much 
obscurity.  On  the  map  made  by  Pere  Marquette  in  1681, 
first  found  in  Charlevoix's  narrative  published  in  1743,  a 
river  corresponding  with  this  is  marked  "le  reviere  des 
Moingonina,"  which  Charlevoix  refers  to  as  Moingona, 
but  there  is  nothing  in  the  narrative  of  either  of  these 


82  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

eai-ly  explorers  to  indicate  the  aiitliority  for  attacliing  the 
name  to  this  particular  stream.  Joliet  and  Marquette,  as 
well  as  most  of  the  early  roi/ageiirs  along  the  Mississippi, 
owed  their  tirst  allegiance  to  the  church;  a  controlling 
cause  which  has  had  the  effect  of  tingeingmany  of  its  laud- 
marks  with  names  and  titles  of  sacred  subjects.  If  to  this 
circumstance  is  added  the  probability  recently  advanced 
by  a  Canadian  writer,  that  the  Illinois  country  had  been 
visited  prior  to  the  voyage  of  Joliet  and  Marquette,  by 
two  priests,  it  affords  a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  diffi- 
culty, La  riviere  f/e.s'  Moines — ^the  river  of  the  monks,  and 
not  des  Dioynes,  as  written  by  Wilkinson  and  Pike  at  the 
beginning  of  the  present  century. 

The  War  Department  at  no  time  intended  the  ]K)St  at 
the  nioutli  of  the  Des  Moines  to  be  a  permanent  one,  but 
rather  as  a  point  for  the  winter  quai'ters  of  the  Dragoon 
regiment,  which  was  to  operate  in  the  country  to  the  Avest- 
ward,  working  graduall}'  to  the  northwest  limit  of  our  ter- 
ritory, where  it  was  contemplated  to  erect  a  permanent 
fort.  On  the  11th  of  April,  Col.  Kearney  reports  the  arri- 
val of  seventy-nine  recruits,  increasing  his  force  to  an  ag- 
gregate of  157,  and  urges  upon  the  Department  the  desira- 
bility of  keeping  his  command  employed  in  the  field  as  a 
means  of  discipline  and  instruction,  of  which  they  were 
sadlj'  in  need.  Before  the  receipt  of  this,  however,  instruc- 
tions Avere  already  on  their  Avay,  which  combined  all  the 
purposes  of  Col.  Kearnej^'s  communication.  Drders  of 
the  9th  of  March,  1835,  from  the  Adjutant  Creneral's  office, 
directed  that : 

"The  tliree  companies  under  command  of  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Kearney  Avill  proceed  uj)  the  river  Des  Moines  to 
the  Eaccoon  fork,  there  halt  and  reconnoiter  the  position 
Avith  a  view  to  the  selection  of  a  site  for  the  establishment 
of  a  military  post  in  that  vicinity;  on  Avhich  subject  Lien- 


■AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOIXEH.  88 

tenant  Col.  Kearney  will  report  on  his  retnrn  to  his  winter 
quarters  at  Fort  Des  Moines.  After  having-  made  this 
reconnoissance,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kearney  will  proceed 
with  his  command  to  the  Sioux  villages  near  the  high- 
lands on  the  Mississippi  about  the  4:4th  of  north  latitiule, 
thence  taking  a  direction  to  the  westward,  return  to  his 
original  position  at  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines,  passing 
by  the  right  bank  of  that  river." 

Colonel  Kearney  writes  on  the  5th  in  acknowledgement 
of  these  orders:  "I  shall  leave  here,"  he  says,  "on  the 
7th,  to  execute  the  duties  pointed  out  for  me  in  Orders  No. 
12.  I  shall  take  about  150  men  —  Company  B,  com- 
manded by  Brevet  Second  Lieutenant  Turner;  Company 
H,  by  Captain  Bof)ne,  and  Company  I,  by  Second  Lieuten- 
ant Lea.  Assistant  Surgeon  Wright  goes  with  us.  The 
above  and  myself  are  all  the  officers  for  the  march.  You 
Avill  see  I  have  no  staff  officer.  Lieutenant  Burgwin  I 
leave  here  to  provide  forage  for  the  ensuing  winter,  and 

Captain  Brown  is  too  unwell  to  start  with  us 

I  hope  to  return  by  the  middle  of  August." 

As  this  expedition  was  charged  with  the  duty  of  select- 
ing a  fort,  which  afterwards  succeeded  to  the  name  and 
honors  of  the  post  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  so  much  of  the 
report  of  Colonel  Kearney  as  relates  to  his  visit  to  the  new 
site  is  subjoined.    He  says : 

"On  the  8th  (of  August,  1835,)  we  reached  the  mouth  of 
the  Raccoon,  Avhere  I  halted  to  reconnoiter  the  country 
with  a  view  to  the  selection  of  a  site  for  a  militiiry  post 
in  that  vicinity  as  directed  by  you. 

"After  riding  over  a  considerable  portion  of  the  country 
myself,  and  sending  off  officers  in  different  directions  with 
a  view  to  the  same  object,  I  could  neither  see  nor  hear 
of  any  place  that  possessed  the  necessary  advantages, 
nor  in  my  opinion  was  suitable  for  the  estaljlishment  of  a 
military  post.  The  point  of  land,  in  the  fork,  at  tlie  junc- 
tion of  the  Baccoon  with  the  Des  Moines,  Avould  probably 


S4  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

answer  as  well  as  auy  other  place  in  that  vicinity.  It  is 
about  eight  feet  above  high  water  mark  — a  narrow  strip 
of  prairie  commences  here,  but  widens  out  as  the  two  riv- 
ers recede.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  Des  Moines,  which 
is  there  about  360  feet  wide  and  3^-  deep,  being  a  good  ford, 
is  a  great  abundance  of  timber,  oak,  walnut,  elm,  ash,  linn 
and  Cottonwood,  which  would  answer  for  building  and  fire- 
wood. We  saw  no  springs  near  the  place;  wells,  how- 
ever, could  be  dug.  About  a  mile  up  the  Des  Moines  is  a 
bluft"  containing  stone,  coal,  and  a  small  quantity  of  silic- 
ious  limestone,  but  apparently  not  ^ nough  for  the  neces- 
sary chimneys  of  a  small  post,  nor  do  1  believe  it  can  be 
burned  into  lime.  If  a  post  should  be  established  there, 
I  think  stone  and  lime  must  be  brought  to  it  from  near 
the  mouth  of  the  north  fork,  a  distance  by  land  of  about 
forty-five  miles,  and  sixty  by  water.  It  is  by  land  150 
miles  from  Fort  Des  Moines,  and  2Gfi  by  water  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  River. 

"I  caused  a  canoe  to  be  made,  in  which  Lieutenant  Lea, 
with  a  few  soldiers,  descended  the  Des  Moines,  to  its 
mouth,  to  examine  the  practicability  of  navigating  it,  and 
the  means  by  which  supplies  could  be  obtained  there.  I 
send  you  his  report:  'Unless  some  obstmctions  are  I'e- 
moved,  the  navigation  of  the  Des  Moines  to  the  Eaccoon, 
by  boats  sufticiently  large  to  carry  stores,  etc.,  for  a  mili- 
tary post,  I  am  convinced  will  be  at  all  times  uncertain, 
and  but  for  a  very  small  portion  of  the  year,  practicable.' 
Lieutenant  Lea  thinks  there  are  positions  near  the  mouth 
of  Cedar  (ninety-six  miles  by  water  below  the  Raccoon) 
offering  more  advantages  for  a  militai-}'  post,  such  as 
springs,  limestone,  and  less  diificulty  in  navigating  the 
river,  than  any  we  saw  above. 

"If  a  post  is  established  in  that  section  of  country,  the 
officer  commanding  the  party  sent  for  that  purpose  should 
of  course  have  discretionary  power  to  select  such  place 
as  may  appear  to  him  most  favorable  within  such  limits 
to  distance  as  may  be  deemed  uecessarj'  to  restrict  him. 

"With  the  views  of  the  Department  as  to  the  object  to 
be  obtained  by  the  establishment  of  a  military 
post  at  the  Raccoon,  I  am  unacquainted,  but  I  can 
imagine  nothing  to  make  it  necessary  or  advisable.  If  it 
is  intended  as  a  barrier  between  the  Sac  and  Sioux,  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  85 

thereby,  put  a  stop  to  their  predatory  excursions  against 
each  other,  it  is  unneccessary,  the  'former  Indians  from 
what  I  have  myself  seen  and  heard,  and  by  information 
gained  from  persons  acquainted  witli  them,  I  know  to  be 
inclined  to  a  permanent  peace,  which  can  be  easily  secured 
by  some  restraints  imposed  upon  the  latter.  These  we  now 
have  within  striking  distance,  and  they  know  and  feel  it. 
Their  two  villages  on  the  Des  Moines  (Keokuk  and 
Openousas,)  containing  the  leading  men  of  the  nation, 
are  within  fifty-five  and  seventy-five  miles  from  Fort  Des 
Moines.  On  my  return,  I  marched  with  my  command 
through  both  of  them  ,  thus  making  a  road  from  them  to 
this  post,  convincing  them  they  are  not  inaccessable  to 
us,  and  that  we  can  reach  them  when  we  think  proper  so 
to  do.  The  Secretary  of  War  is  well  acquainted  with  the 
Indian  character,  and  he  knows  that  mild  measures  will 
not  restrain  an  Indian  from  gratifying  his  passions  when 
provoked,  or  prevent  him  from  distinction,  by  the  taking 
of  a  scalp  when  a  fair  opportunity  offers.  If  a  permanent 
peace  between  the  above  nations  of  Indians  is  an  object  of 
much  importance  with  the  Department,  I  can  easily  effect 
it,  if  I  can  be  authorized  to  repeat  to  them  what  in  1830, 
by  order  of  the  then  Secretary  of  War,  they  were  told  by 
Colonel  Morgan,  one  of  the  commissioners  of  the  treaty 
held  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  if  I  can  be  further  authorized 
upon  the  first  infraction  of  the  peace  to  pursue  the  offen- 
ders and  punish  them. 

"If  it  is  not  deemed  expedient  to  grant  the  above  au- 
thority, but  a  military  post  between  the  two  nations  still 
thought  necessary,  then  a  post  at  the  Raccoon  is  not  suffi- 
ciently advanced.  It  should  be  about  100  miles  above 
there,  viz.,  at  the  upper  fork  of  the  Des  Moines,  which  is 
the  neutral  ground  (a  strip  of  forty  miles)  which  separates 
them. 


"If  a  post  is  required  on  the  Des  Moines  to  protect  the 
frontiers  of  Missouri,  one  at  the  Raccoon  would  be  alto- 
gether too  far  advanced. 

"To  conclude,  all  the  Sauk  Indians,  (and  there  were 
many),  who  spoke  to  me  of  the  probability  of  a  military 
post  being  established  near  the  Raccoon,  were  strongly 
and  most  decidedly  opposed  to  it,  giving  as  one  of  their 


86  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

objections  that  the  whites  would  drive  off  the  little  game 
that  is  left  in  their  conntry." 

From  an  inspection  report  of  Colonel  George  Croghan, 
who  visited  the  post  on  the  3d  of  December,  1835,  we  are 
enabled  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  condition  of  the  work  at 
that  time.  At  the  time  of  his  visit  the  garrison,  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kearney,  consisted  of 
Company  B,  Dragoons,  Captain  Sumner,  rank  and  tile  59, 
with  72  animals;  Captain  Boone,  49  rank  and  file,  with  68 
animals,  and  Company  I,  Captain  Brown,  5()  rank  and 
file,  with  65  animals,  making  a  total  strength  of  184  oftl- 
cers  and  men,  with  205  horses  and  mules. 

"The  quarters,"  he  reports,  "are  of  a  temporary  char- 
acter, hastil,y  constructed  and  of  round  logs.  They  are 
now  more  comfortable  than  they  were  last  winter;  the 
men  since  their  return  from  the  summer  campaign  having 
made  in  them  some  material  and  essential  alterations. 
The  roofs  of  several  of  the  buildings  are  bad  and  leaky." 

Concerning  the  health  of  the  garrison,  which  he  regards 
as  unnecessarily  bad,  and  the  hospital  facilities,  he  says: 

"The  building  is  comfortable,  though  too  small  to  ac- 
commodate more  than  six  or  eight  patients,  and  as  there 
is  but  one  ward,  they  must  all  be  together.  Its  location, 
too,  is  bad,  being  near  a  creek,  on  the  (tpposite  side  of 
which  is  a  bottom,  subject  to  overflow  whenever  the  Mis- 
sissippi rises  much  above  its  ordinary  level." 

On  the  6th  of  June,  1836,  Captain  Sumner,  with  all  the 
available  tro(jps,  left  the  post  for  the  usual  summer  cam- 
paign, leaving  the  post  in  command  of  Lieutenant  B.  S. 
Roberts,  of  the  Dragoon  regiment,  who  had  recently 
joined  from  the  Military  Academy.  At  this  date  the  gar- 
rison had  reached  its  greatest  strength  and  efficiency.  Its 
ofiftcers  were  Captains  E.  Y.  Sumner,  X.  Boone  and  J.  B. 
BroAvne,  commanding  tht^ir  respective  companies;  First 
Lieutenant  J.  H.  K.  Burgwiii,  of  E  cc»mpany,  acting  quar- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  87 

termaster  and  commissary;  Second  Lientenant  A.  M.  Lea, 
of  I  Company,  and  J.  W.  Scliaumburg,  of  H;  Brevet  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  J.  H.  Hanly,  of  B  company,  and  B.  S.  Rob- 
erts, of  n,  the  latter  acting  as  post  adjutant  and  Assistant 
Surgeon  S.  P.  Moore  with  an  aggregate  ranlv  and  file  of 
184. 

The  resignation  of  Colonel  Dodge,  in  the  spring  of  1836, 
promoted  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kearney  to  the  command  of 
the  regiment  of  Dragoons  which  took  him  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth, the  headquarters  of  the  regiment,  and  the  command 
of  Fort  Des  Moines  devolved  upon  Captain  E.  V.  Sumner, 
pending  the  arrival  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Mason,  who 
had  succeeded  to  the  vacancy.  The  history  of  the  fort  up 
to  this  period,  and  in  fact  during  its  whole  career,  was 
uneventful.  The  site  in  every  military  sense  had  been 
badly  chosen,  its  locality  unhealthy,  and  to  reach  the 
country  through  which  the  command  was  expected  to 
scout,  involved  long  and  tedious  marches.  That  the  post 
had  been  maintained  so  long  at  this  point  was  the  result 
of  the  delay  and  irresolution  of  the  authorities  in  deciding 
upon  the  site  of  a  point  farther  up  the  Des  Moines  and 
nearer  the  frontier,  the  details  of  which  are  more  fully 
reported  in  the  history  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  No.  2.  Be- 
yond this,  the  post  was  experiencing  the  inevitable  diffi- 
culty that  has  accompanied  the  career  of  most  of  our 
frontier  posts,  the  rapacity  of  land  agents  and  the  contin- 
uous encroachments  of  settlers  upon  the  lands  surround- 
ing the  gaiTison. 

On  the  18th  of  September,  1830,  Colonel  Mason  writes 
the  War  Department: 

"A  town  has  been  laid  off  at  this  place  and  lots  sold, 
which  takes  in  ai  part  of  our  garrison.  This  town  has 
been  laid  off  on  a  tract  of  land  which  I  am  told  was 


88  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

granted  on  a  grant  confirmed  by  Congress  to  the  heirs 
of  one  'Reddick.'  I  have  none  of  the  acts  of  Congress 
by  me  and  cannot  therefore  more  particularly  point  the 
act  confirming  the  grant.  You  will  at  once  perceive, 
under  the  circumstances,  how  certain  it  is  that  we  must 
come  in  collision  with  the  citizens  of  this  town,  who  have 
already  commenced  to  build. 

"I  see  by  a  letter  of  Colonel  Kearney's  to  the  Honorable 
Secretary  of  War,  dated  September  27,  1835,  and  his  an- 
swer thereto,  that  some  steps  were  about  to  be  taken  to 
have  a  reserve  of  two  miles  out  from  this  post  for  military 
purposes.  This  reserve  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  con- 
venience and  well  being  of  the  garrison.  Independent  of 
the  town  there  are  other  parties  putting  np  buildings 
within  the  two  miles,  and  their  object  is  to  sell  Avhiskey  to 
the  Indians  and  soldiers.  All  thisi  within  the  country 
given  to  the  half-breed  Sacs  and  Foxes.  I  shall  be  glad  to 
receive  specific  instructions  for  my  government,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  town  and  the  individuals  erecting  buildings 
within  the  'two  miles'  proposed  as  a  reservation  for  this 
post." 

On  the  receipt  of  this  it  was  immediately  determined  to 
abandon  the  post  without  delay,  rather  than  encounter 
the  conflict  with  the  land-grasping  element  in  the  western 
section,  with  whom  the  Department  had  already  had  a 
sufficient  and  unpleasant  experience.  As  a  result  of  this 
policy.  General  Orders  No.  71,  from  the  Adjutant  Gener- 
al's office,  dated  20  October,  1836,  directed  that: 

"The  Dragoon  post  of  Fort  Des  Moines  will  be  broken  up 
without  delay,  and  the  squadron  immediately  proceed  to 
join  the  headquarters  of  the  regiment  at  Fort  Leaven- 
worth. The  Quartermaster's  department  will  receive 
and  make  the  proper  disposition  of  the  stores  and  public 
property  pertaining  to  the  post  when  evacuated." 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  following  summer  that 
the  arrangements  necessary  to  an  evacuation  of  the  post 
were  fully  completed.  Colonel  Mason,  who  was  absent  on 
detached  duty  at  St.  Louis  and  elsewhere,  remained  away 


A^W  TEE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  89 

during  the  entire  winter,  the  post  being  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  J.  B.  Brown,  with  Lieutenant  Koberts  as 
adjutant.  Colonel  Croghan  again  visited  the  post  on  the 
26th  of  November,  1836,  and  his  report  affords  lis  the  last 
glimpse  of  the  inner  history  of  the  fort. 

"There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  sickness  here  this  sea- 
son," he  remarks,  "chiefly  cases  of  intermittent  fever,  but 
the  number  on  the  sick  reports  are  lessening  daily.  Were 
a  garrison  to  be  continued  here  much  longer  (and  I  hope  it 
may  not)  a  hospital  sihould  be  erected,  the  one  now  occu- 
pied being  inconveniently  arranged,  too  small  by  one-half, 
and  moreover  badly  located,  near  the  bank  of  a  miry 
creek,  which  is  stagnant  during  the  warm  months."  The 
store-houses  he  finds  are  not  only  too  small,  but  are  in  bad 
repair,  open  in  places,  and  everywhere  'full  of  chinks  and 
unsafe.'  In  concluding  he  refers  to  the  matter  already 
alluded  to  in  the  monthly  report. 

"The  company  under  orders  to  proceed  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth, is  filled  exclusively  by  selection  from  the  entire 
command,  of  such  soldiersi  as  have  not  less  than  twelve 
months  to  serve.  It  having  departed,  the  garrison  will 
then  consist  of  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  commandant,  a  cap- 
tain and  a  subaltern,  with  scarcely  men  enough  to  attend 
to  the  stable  duties,  as  there  will  be  many  surplus  horses 
requiring  their  care.  And  what  will  be  the  strength  of 
this  command  by  or  before  the  close  of  next  April?  Eigh- 
teen rank  and  file,  every  other  enlistment  will  by  that 
time  have  terminated,  and  of  the  officers,  it  is  believed 
that  the  lieutenant  colonel  alone  will  be  willing  to  remain 
in  the  service  after  the  commencement  of  the  spring." 

The  breaking-up  process  commenced  on  the  30th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1836,  when  B  company  left  the  post  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  Sumner  for  Fort  Leavenworth. 

This  movement  was  not  in  accordance  with  the  War 
Department  order,  but  the  carrying  out  of  a  project  of  the 


90  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

departineiit  coiiiinauder,  Geueral  Atkiuson  "for  the  bet- 
ter protection  of  the  frontier."  "i^till,"  writes  General 
Kearney  to  Colonel  Mason,  "I  do  not  think  Company  B 
will  retnru  to  Fort  Des  Moines,  and  therefore  what  public 
property  it  may  require  and  cannot  bring  with  it  you  will 
order  to  be  sent  to  St.  Louis  without  delay,  to  be  for- 
warded to  this  post  (Leavenworth). 

In  reporting-  the  departure  of  Sumner's  company  Colo- 
nel Mason  adds : 

"In  making  the  transfer  ordered  by  the  colonel,  it  has 
taken  every  man  from  Companies  H  and  I,  who  had  more 
than  one  year  to  serve,  that  was  off  the  sick  report,  to  fill 
up  Companj'  B.  There  is  now  left  belonging  to  this  post 
but  seventy-six  men,  one  of  whom  is  absent  in  confine- 
ment, fifty-eight  of  Avhom  will  be  discharged  during  the 
winter  and  early  part  of  the  spring,  so  that  by  the  15th  of 
May  next,  there  will  be  only  eighteen  enlisted  men  iu  the 
two  companies  which  garrison  the  post." 

Immediateh'  on  the  receipt  of  this  letter  at  the  War 
Department,  it  was  decided,  in  view  of  the  situation  set 
forth  by  Colonel  Mason,  which  was  supplemented  a  few 
days  later  by  a  report  from  the  commandant  at  Fort 
Leavenworth,  that  the  quarters  at  the  latter  post  ■\A'eie  in- 
snfticieut  to  accommodate  the  Fort  Des  Moines  garrison, 
that  the  latter  had  better  remain  at  that  post  during  the 
winter  should  its  commaudant  not  have  already  com- 
plied with  General  Orders  No.  71.  Orders  suspending 
that  nn^vement  were  accordingly  sent  to  Colonel  Mason, 
reaching  him  before  he  had  concluded  his  arrangements 
to  evacuate  the  post. 

During  the  most  of  this  winter  the  absence  of  Colonel 
Mason  devolved  the  command  upon  Captain  Jesse  B. 
Browne,  of  I  company.  Concerning  this  officer  but  little 
is  known  at  the  \\'ar  Department.   He  entered  the  service 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^S  MOINES.  91 

as  a  captain  of  IJangers  in  1832,  was  transferred  to  tlie 
Dragoon  regiment  npon  its  organization,  and  accompan- 
ied lii.s  regiment  to  Des  Moines,  where  all  of  liis  service  in 
tlie  army  was  perform c-^d,  lie  resigning  his  commission  the 
30th  of  Jnne,  1837,  immediately  after  the  abandonment  of 
the  post,  in  order  to  engage  in  civil  jinrsuits.  Nothing  is 
known  regarding  his  subsequent  whereabouts. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1837,  Colonel  Mason  returned  to 
the  post,  and  on  the  30th  of  March  he  addressed  the  War 
Department  for  information  as  to  the  probable  duration 
of  the  post,  in  order  that  he  may  regulate  his  requisitions 
for  the  needed  supplies.    In  this  letter  he  remarks: 

"The  town  which  I  mentioned  to  you  in  my  letter  as  hav- 
ing been  laid  out  and  taking  in  part  of  this  post,  has  been 
abandoned,  the  title  of  the  proprietors  proving  not  to  be 
good."  Before  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  however,  and  as 
thei'e  no  longer  existed  any  necessity  for  the  keeping  up 
of  an  establishment  at  this  site,  instructions  had  already 
been  sent  to  the  commanding  offlcer  at  Jefferson  Barracks 
to  carry  into  effect  the  General  Order  No.  71,  of  1836.  "All 
the  public  propert.y,  Quartermaster  and  Commissary 
stores  will  be  left  in  charge  of  the  Qnai'termaster's  depart- 
ment, an<l  be  disposed  of  in  the  manner  best  suited  for  the 
public  interest." 

The  last  official  communication  from  Fort  Des  Moines 

is  dated  June  1st,  1837,  and  signed  by  Lieutenant  Colonel 

Mason..  He  writes: 

"The  post  is  this  day  abandoned,  and  the  squadron 
takes  up  its  march  for  Fort  Leavenworth.  It  has(  been 
delayed  until  this  date  in  order  that  the  grass  might  be 
sUfflciently  high  to  afford  grazing  for  the  horses,  as  corn 
cannot  be  had  on  some  parts  of  the  route." 

Of  the  officers  who  served  in  the  command  of  the  post, 
Lieutenant  Colonels  Kearney  and  Mason,  who  became  sub- 
sequently distinguished  in  the  military  and  political  his- 
tory of  the  land,  are  treated  of  in  the  histories  of  other 


92  AlSflSfAL^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

posts,  with  whose  career  they  were  more  eminently  asso- 
ciated. To  one  subaltern  more  than  the  others  was  en- 
trusted for  a  greater  period  the  duties  of  adjutant,  quar- 
termaster and  commissary,  and  who,  during  the  absence 
of  the  command  on  its  summer  campaigns,  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  post. 

Second  Lieutenant  Benjamin  vS.  Roberts  joined  the  gar- 
rison at  Des  Moines  from  the  Military  Academy  imme- 
diately upon  his  graduation  and  remained  with  it  during 
the  whole  duration  of  the  post.  His  subsequent  mili- 
tary career  was  most  honorable,  serving  with  high  dis- 
tinction during  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  reaching  the 
position  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  Third  Cavalry,  from 
which  rank  he  was  retired  in  1870,  having  rendered 
nearly  forty  years  active  service  in  the  army.  He  died  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  January  29,  1875. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE   SECOND   FORT   DES   MOINES. 
A  United  States  Frontier  fort,  located  at  the  Fork  of  the 

DES    MOINES  and    raccoon    RIVERS,   AT    THE    PRESENT    SITE  OF 

THE  City  of  des  Moines,  Iowa. 

THE  preliminary  agitation  and  reconnoissances  inci- 
dent to  the  location  of  a  military  post  at  this  point 
commenced  as  early  as  1835,  or  soon  after  the  time 
when  Lieutenant  Colonel  Kearney,  with  a  detachment  of 
the  Dragoon  regiment,  was  sent  up  from  St.  Louis  to 
establish  and  garrison  a  point  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
In  the  summer  of  that  year  Colonel  Kearney,  at  the  head  of 
a  considerable  expedition,  followed  up  the  valley  betAveen 
the  Des  Moines  and  vSkunk,  under  instructions  from  the 
War  Department  to  halt  at  the  mouth  of  the  Raccoon  and 
select  a  site  suitable  for  a  military  post. 

His  report  on  his  return,  which  is  embodied  in  the 
sketch  of  Fort  Des  Moines  No.  1,  was  unfavorable  to  the 
establishing  of  a  post  in  that  vicinity,  for  reasons  which 
in  a  military  sense  were  perhaps  conclusive.  In  this  view 
of  the  case,  however,  the  War  Department  declined  to 
join,  and  Colonel  Croghan,  the  inspector  general  of  the 
army,  who  was  about  to  visit  the  frontier,  was  instructed 
to  look  into  the  matter  carefiilly  and  report  as  to  the  ex- 
pediency of  breaking  up  Fort  Armstrong,  at  the  mouth  of 
Rock  River,  and  transferring  its  garrison  to  a  suitable 
site  up  the  Des  Moines. 

Colonel  Croghan's  report  in  the  case  was  more  diplo- 
matic than  logical.    Doubting  the  expediency  in  any  event 


94  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  establishing  a  post  in  that  vicinity,  he  suggests  that 
should  it  be  decided  to  build,  that  live  or  six  companies 
of  infantry  be  ordered  to  assist  in  the  erection  of  the 
necessary  buildings,  though  "in  all  probability  it  will  not 
be  occupied  beyond  a  few  years."  He  has  learned  with 
much  regret  that  a  bill  has  been  introduced  in  Congress 
for  the  laying  out  of  a  road  from  old  Fort  Des  Moines  to 
Fort,  Leavenworth.  "There  is  now,"  he  remarks,  "alto- 
gether too  much  traveling  between  the  several  forts  for 
the  quiet  of  the  frontier,  and  good  roads  Avill  only  in- 
crease the  evil  by  opening  the  whole  territory  to  the  rav- 
enous appetites  of  lawless  vagabonds  and  more  greedy 
land  speculators.  Already  has  this  description  of  per- 
sons begun  to  talk  about  the  tine  lands  on  the  Iowa  and 
Des  Moines,  and  perhaps  before  tAvo  years  are  gone  bj^ 
they  will  be  crying  aloud  for  new  territory  on  that  side 
of  the  Mississippi.  First  will  come  a  memorial  to  Con- 
gress from  Missouri,  to  extend  her  northern  line  until  it 
shall  strike  the  Missouri  Elver;  and  then  a  new  territory 
having  been  created  an  urgent  effort  will  be  made  to  have 
the  Indians  sent  to  the  south  side  of  the  Missouri.  From 
the  changes  that  I  have  witnessed  since  my  first  visit  to 
that  section  of  the  country,  and  from  ]ny  perfect  ac- 
quaintance with  the  character  of  those  frontier  men,  and 
of  the  emigrants  Avho  are  daily  adding  to  their  number, 
I  hazard  nothing  in  predicting  that  in  a  very  few  years 
we  will  positively  need  and  perhaps  may  garrison  but  the 
tAvo  posts  of  iSt.  Peters  and  Council  Bluffs  upon  the  whole 
frontier." 

Colonel  Croghan's  fears  as  to  the  advance  of  quasi-civ- 
ilization  west  of  the  Mississippi  were  singularly  pro- 
phetic, for  almost  precisely  the  course  of  procedure  out- 
lined in  his  repor-t  of  January  25,  1830,  Avas  developed 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINE^S.  95 

within  the  following  two  years.  So  rapid  was  the  west- 
ern march  of  emigration  in  this  direction,  that  before  the 
Oovernment  conld  fix  upon  a  point  sufficiently  advanced 
whereat  to  build  a  post  for  the  protection  of  the  Io^va  set- 
tlements, the  settlements  had  themselves  pushed  forward 
until  most  of  the  country  east  of  Fort  LeaveuAvorth  had 
been  seized  by  speculators,  and  much  was  already  under 
cultivation.  The  section  immediately  surrounding  the 
junction  of  the  Raccoon  and  Des  Moines  had  so  far 
escaped  the  invasion.  It  was,  as  will  be  seen  by  reference 
to  the  report  of  Colonel  Kearney,  before  mentio]ied,  a  part 
of  the  Sac  and  Fox  reservation,  especially  prized  b}'  those 
tribes  on  account  of  the  abundance  of  game  that  fre- 
quented its  resorts.  These  tribes,  in  every  other  respect 
friendly  and  peaceable,  resisted  with  fury  and  war-like 
demonstrations  all  encroachments  upon  their  domain. 
The  strongest  objection  advanced  by  Colonel  Kearney  to 
the  establishment  of  a  military  post  at  the  Raccoon  fork, 
was  the  protest  of  the  Indians  that  the  soldiers  would 
drive  off  the  little  game  that  was  left  them.  For  these  rea- 
sons the  six  or  seven  years  following  the  visit  of  Kearny 
were  years  of  comparative  quiet  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes, 
who  freely  roamed  the  country  along  the  Des  Moines  from 
its  mouth  to  its  upper  fork,  where  the  so-called  "Neutral 
Ground"  separated  them  from  their  relentless  enemies, 
the  Sioux. 

Still,  it  was  only  by  reason  of  the  stubborn  determina- 
tion of  the  Government  to  protect  these  tribes  in  their 
treaty  rights  that  this  section  was  so  long  left  compara- 
tively undisturbed.  Settlements  swarmed  about  the 
boundaries  on  every  side;  Congress  was  being  flooded 
with  petitions  to  f>pen  the  lands  to  settlement,  and  every 
possible  pressure  was  being  made  upon  the  autJiorities  at 


96  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Washington  to  remove  the  Indians  and  occupy  their  terri- 
tory. In  1841  the  encroacliments  on  the  Indian  domain 
had  become  so  frequent  and  determined  that  it  became 
apparent  to  the  Government  thatpro^ision  must  be  made 
to  recognize  the  inexorable  demand  of  civilization  which 
had  crowded  the  red  man  from  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic 
to  beyond  the  Mississippi  within  half  a  century,  and 
which  was  destined  to  continue  its  onward  march  until 
restrained  alone  by  the  waters  of  the  Pacific. 

Negotiations  were  accordingly  opened  with  the  chiefs 
of  the  tribes,  and  on  the  11th  October,  1842,  purchase  of 
the  reservation  was  finally  effected.  Still,  so  reluctant 
were  they  to  leave  the  lands  that  were  attached  to  them 
by  the  traditions  of  centuries  that  it  was  stipulated  that 
they  might  remain  yet  another  three  years,  and  that  in 
the  meantime  no  white  man  should  be  allowed  to  settle 
on  their  reservation.  To  protect  them  in  this  stipulation, 
and  to  enable  the  Government  to  carry  out  its  part  of  the 
treaty,  it  was  decided  by  General  Scott  to  locate  a  detach- 
ment of  troops  directly  on  the  reservation  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  agency  buildings,  then  on  the  Des  Moines, 
about  three  miles  below  the  Raccoon  fork. 

The  selection  of  this  particuler  site  was  the  result  of  a 
visit  to  the  spot  by  Captain  James  Allen,  of  the  Dragoon 
regiment,  whose  company  had  for  several  years  been  sta- 
tioned between  Leavenworth  and  Gibson,  and  who  was 
familiar  with  the  locality.  In  a  letter  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment, dated  Fort  Sandford,  Iowa,  December  30,  1842,  in 
referring  to  the  expediency  of  protecting  the  Indians  in 
their  treaty  rights,  by  stationing  troops  within  their  reser- 
vation, he  says : 

"I  went  up,  as  you  know,  last  month,  as  high  as  the 
mouth  of  the  Eaccoon  River,  and  had  in  view  at  the  time  to 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  97 

look  out  a  suitable  point  for  the  stationing  of  troops  for 
the  time  required.  And  I  did  select,  with  a  view  to  recom- 
mend it,  the  point  made  by  the  junction  of  the  Eaccoon 
with  the  Des  Moines. 

"My  reasons  for  selecting  that  point  are  these: 

"The  soil  is  rich ;  and  wood,  stone,  water  and  grass  are 
all  at  hand.  It  Avill  be  high  enough  up  the  river  to  protect 
these  Indians  against  the  Sioux,  and  is  in  the  heart  of  the 
best  part  of  their  new  country,  where  the  greatest  effort 
will  be  made  hj  the  squatters  to  get  in.  It  is  about  equi- 
distant from  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  rivers,  and 
offers  a  good  route  to  both,  the  direct  route  to  the  Missoui-i 
passing  around  the  heads  of  many  ugly  branches  of  Grand 
River.  It  will  be  twenty-five  miles  within  the  new  line, 
about  the  right  distance  from  the  settlements,  and,  above 
all,  of  the  Indian  villages  and  trading  houses  (all 
of  the  Sacs  have  determined  to  make  their  villages  on  a 
larger  prairie  bottom  that  commences  about  two  miles 
below,  and  the  traders  have  selected  their  sites  there 
also).  It  will  also  be  about  the  head  of  keel  bo^t  naviga- 
tion on  the  Des  Moines.  I  think  it  better  than  any  point 
farther  up,  because  it  Avill  be  harder  to  get  supplies 
farther  up,  and  no  point  or  post  that  may  be  established 
on  this  river  need  be  kept  up  more  than  three  years,  or 
until  these  Indians  shall  leave.  A  post  for  the  northern 
boundary  of  future  loway  will  go  far  above  the  sources 
of  the  Des  Moines. 

"Now,  as  to  the  process  of  establishing  this  post.  I  do 
not  seek  the  job,  but  I  am  willing  to  undertake  it,  if  my 
suggestions  for  that  puii)ose  shall  be  approved.  I  would 
build  but  common  log  cabins,  or  huts,  for  both  men  and 
officers,  giving  them  good  floors,  windows  and  doors, 
stables,  very  common,  but  close  and  roomy,  pickets,  block 
houses,  and  such  like  not  at  all.  The  buildings  to  be 
placed  in  relations  of  comfort,  convenience  and  good 
taste;  and  of  defense,  so  far  as  the  same  may  comply  with 
the  first  rule. 

"Ten  mechanics  and  five  laborers  and  four  yoke  of  oxen 
and  tools  and  implements,  and  the  small  material,  ought 
to  be  furnished  by  the  quarternvaster's  department.     All 


98  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

to  be  reaclj^  to  go  up  and  begin  early  in  the  spring.  Pine 
lumber  for  'tlie  most  necessary  parts  of  the  buildings 
ought  to  be  sent  up  in  keel  boats  in  the  spring  rise  of  the 
river.  Provisions  and  corn,  etc.,  may  be  sent  up  at  the 
same  time. 

"With  such  means,  and  the  force  of  my  company,  I 
could  make  a  good,  comfortable  establishment  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Raccoon  during  the  next  summer;  and,  in 
the  meantime  give  to  the  Indians  all  necessary  protection. 
One  of  their  agents  has  told  me  that  the  American  Fur 
company  would  probably  send  up  a  steamboat  to  Rac- 
coon on  the  spring  rise.  If  they  do,  it  will  be  a  good  time 
to  send  up  army  supplies. 

"I  could  easily  have  corn  raised  for  me  in  that  country 
if  I  could  now  contract  for  it,  and  permit  a  person  to  open 
a  farm  there.  Such  is  the  desire  of  the  people  to  get  a  foot- 
ing in  this  country,  that  I  believe  that  now  I  could  hire 
corn  to  be  raised  there  next  summer,  for  25  cents  a  bushel. 
I  could  get  lumber  on  as  good  terms  by  allowing  some  one 
to  build  a  mill.  In  short,  there  Avill  be  no  difficulty  in 
establishing  and  maintaining  a  post  there,  if  notice  of 
such  a  design  shall  be  given  in  time.  But  I  hope  it  will 
not  be  required  of  my  company,  that  they  shall  build  this 
new  post  without  tlie  assistance  of  the  hired  labor  that  I 
have  suggested.  I  have  not  the  necessary  mechanics  for 
the  purpose;  and  if  I  had,  it  would  be  requiring  too  much 
of  them.  It  is  not  competent  for  dragoons  to  build  their 
quarters  and  stables;  and  get  their  wood  and  do  their  duty 
as  soldiers. 

"I  have  but  little  to  add  to  Avhat  is  contained  in  the 
foregoing  extract  of  my  letter  to  the  colonel.  The  new 
post  will  be  so  purely  temporary  that  this  character  of  it 
ought  to  be  Icept  in  view  in  its  construction.  According 
to  the  plan  and  method  that  I  have  recommended,  this 
post  may  be  built  ajid  established  for  one  company  of 
dragoons  for  about  twenty-five  hundred  dollars. 

"If  a.  company  of  infantry  could  also  be  sent  to  this  new 
post,  it  would  be  well,  although  it  would  increase  some 
what  the  expense  of  its  establishment.  Of  the  propriety 
of  such  an  arrangement  the  Department  Avill  best  judge. 

"Rut  I  will  respectfully  urge  upon  the  Department  the 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY  99 

necessity  for  a  speedy  decision  on  the  subject  of  tliis  new 
post,  that  if  it  is  to  be  established,  early  measures  may 
be  taken  to  secure  the  timely  transportation  of  the  neces- 
sary materials  and  supplies.  The  rise  of  the  Des  Moines 
will  occur  in  March. 

"In  regard  to  the  point  recommended  for  the  new  post, 
I  may  remark  that  I  have  seen  much  of  the  territory  of 
lowaj',  and  particularly  of  the  valley  of  tlie  Des  Moines, 
having,  in  addition  to  uiy  observations  from  there  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Eaccoon,  crossed  the  territory  with  my  com- 
pany last  summer,  on  a  direct  route  from  Fort  Leaven- 
worth to  Fort  Atkinson,  crossing  the  Des  Moines  above 
Raccoon,  and  from  all  that  I  have  seen  and  learned,  I 
would  recommend  the  point  that  I  have  designated  as 
the  most  suitable  for  the  post  in  question. 

"All  of  this  is  predicted  on  the  supposition  that  the  late 
treaty  with  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  will  be  approved  and 
ratified,  but  this  treaty  is  so  very  favorable  and  advan 
tageous  to  the  United  States  that  I  feel  no  apprehensions 
for  its  fate." 

Captain  Allen's  company  of  dragoons  at  that  time  was 
stationed  at  Fort  Sanford,  on  the  Des  Moines,  at  a  point 
sixty-five  nules  west  from  Fort  Madison,  tAventy-five  north 
of  the  Missouri  boundary,  and  about  four  miles  Avest  of 
the  Sac  and  Fox  agency  (his  nearest  postoffice  being  at 
Fairfield,  now  the  county  seat  of  Jefferson  county);  or 
as  near  as  maj''  be,  at  what  is  now  the  site  of  the  toAvn  of 
OttumAva,  in  Wapello  county,  Avhere  it  remained  during 
the  Aviuter  of  1842-3.  The  captain's  recommendations  had 
met  the  approval  of  General  Scott  and  the  War  I>e])art- 
ment,  and  Colonel  Ivearne}',  then  commanding  the  Third 
District,  at  St.  Louis,  AA'as  directed  to  cause  the  post  to  be 
established.  It  Avas  not,  hoAvever,  until  the  following 
spring,  during  Avhich  the  treaty  had  hung  fire  in  the 
Senate  for  so  long  a  time  that  fears  were  entertained 
that  it  would  not  be  ratified,  that  it  was  fully  determined 
to  move  the  troops  from  the  agency  to  Raccoon  fork. 


100  AXNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

By  orders  Xo.  6,  dated  Headquarters  Third  Militarj' 
Department,  Jefferson  Barracks,  February  20tli,  1843,  it 
was  ordered,  that: 

"A  temporary  post  will  be  established  at  as  early  a 
period  as  the  weather  will  permit  on  the  Kiver  Des  Moines, 
at  or  near  the  junction  of  the  Eaccoon,  for  the  protection  of 
the  tSac  and  Fox  Indians  and  the  interests  of  the  Govern- 
ment on  that  frontier. 

"The  troops  designated  for  the  garrison  of  the  neAV  post 
are  Captain  Allen's  company  of  the  First  Dragoons,  at 
present  stationed  near  the  Sac  and  Fox  agency,  and  a 
companj'  of  the  First  Infantrj',  now  stationed  at  Fort 
Crawford,  to  be  selected  by  the  lieutenant-colonel  com- 
manding the  regiment. 

"The  site  of  the  post  will  be  determined  upon  by  Cap-, 
tain  Allen,  and  he  will  also  have  charge  of  the  erection 
of  the  requisite  buildings  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
command;  which  will  be  constructed  with  as  strict  a 
regard  for  economy  as  may  be  consistent  with  the  health 
of  the  trooj^s,  and  conformably  to  the  instructions  for- 
warded from  this  office,  or  such  order  as  he  may  hereafter 
receive  from  proper  authority." 

Captain  Allen  left  Sandford  with  a  small  detachment 
of  dragoons  on  the  29th  of  April  for  the  new  station, 
whither  a  steamboat  with  supplies  had  been  dispatched 
from  St.  Louis,  arriving  in  time  to  receive  and  land  them. 
Leaving  his  men  to  guard  the  stores,  he  returned  to  the 
agency  to  bring  up  the  balance  of  his  company,  from 
whence,  on  the  10th  of  May,  he  dispatched  a  report  of  his 
movement  to  tlie  War  Department. 

"I  have  located  the  post,"  he  writes,  "on  the  point  I 
selected  for  it  last  fall,  the  point  made  by  the  junction  of 
the  Eaccoon  with  the  Des  Moines.  I  have  delayed  taking 
up  my  horses  or  removing  my  whole  company  because  of 
the  lateiu'ss  of  the  spring  aiul  the  consequent  scarcity  of 
grass.    It  is  too  ex]xmsive  now  to  take  up  full  rations  of 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  101 

corn,  and  the  Des  Moines  Elver  being  low,  I  could  not 
induce  the  steamboat  that  took  up  the  corn  and  quarter- 
master's stores  to  make  anotlier  trip  at  reasonable  rates. 
I  am  using  a  small  keel  boat  and  wagons,  all  public,  for 
transportation  of  corn  and  some  other  stores,  and  will 
move,  with  my  company,  on  the  IStli  instant.  Fairfield, 
loAvay  Territory,  will  be  raj  first  convenient  postoffice, 
until  another  shall  be  established  in  the  new  territory  just 
vacated  by  the  Indians." 

It  may  jiossibly  be  an  item  of  historical  interest  to  the 
good  people  of  the  capital  of  Avhat  is  now  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  prosperous  states  of  the  Union  to  learn 
how  nearly  their  city  escaped  the  burden  of  a  ridiculous 
name,  and  to  what  fortuitous  incident  is  due  the  one  that 
now  attaches  to  it. 

"I  have  named  the  new  post,''  writes  Captain  Allen  at 
this  time,  "Fort  Raccoon,  to  which  I  respectfully  ask  the 
sanction  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  ...  I 
have  recommended  this  name  because  the  place  has 
already  a  great  notoriety  under  such  designation  for  a 
great  distance  ar(nind  it,  as  'Raccoon  River,'  'Raccoon 
Forks,'  'Raccoon,'  etc.,  etc.,  by  all  of  which  it  is  known  as 
perhaps  the  most  conspicuous  point  in  this  territorj'^,  and 
no  other  name  will  so  well  designate  the  position  of  the 
new  i)ost.''  It  is  not  surprising  that  this  suggestion  did 
not  strike  the  authorities  at  Washington  with  the  same 
force  as  it  did  the  more  practical  mind  of  its  worthj^  com 
mandant.  "Fort  Iowa  would  be  a  \'ery  good  name,''  en- 
dorses Adjutant  General  Jones  on  the  papers,  which  he 
submits  to  General  Scott,  "but  'Raccoon'  would  be  shock- 
ing; at  least  in  very  bad  taste.''  It  is  probable  that  Gen- 
eral Scott  agreed  with  this  vieAV  of  the  case,  for  a  foAV  days 
later  he  informs  Captain  Allen  that  the  word  "Raccoon" 


102  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

is  uot  considered  a  proper  designation  for  a  military  post, 
and  that  nntil  otlierwise  directed,  he  will  call  the  post 
"Fort  Des  Moines." 

Captain  Allen  does  uot  give  up  his  point  without  a 
struggle.  "I  am  afraid,"  he  writes  later,  "that  the  latter 
designation  for  the  post  will  divert  much  of  our  mails 
and  supplies  to  the  late  post  of  this  name  on  the  Mississippi, 
the  recollection  of  which  is  yet  in  tlie  minds  of  many  of 
the  postmasters  and  public  carriers.  I  know  that  at  Fort 
Atkinson,  last  year,  most  of  my  letters  and  papers  came  to 
me  by  the  way  of  the  old  post  of  that  name  in  Wisconsin, 
and  with  great  delay.  I  will  therefore  respectfuUj',  sug- 
gest and  recommend  that  some  name  be  given  to  this  post 
to  which  this  inconvenience  may  not  attach." 

If  Captain  Allen  had  limited  the  commnuication  to 
that  subject  alone,  it  is  quite  probable  that  his  latter  ob- 
jection would  have  been  sustained,  and  some  new  name 
have  been  given  to  his  post.  But,  unfortunately  for  him, 
if  providential  to  the  fort,  he  raised  a  point  in  that  letter 
regarding  the  right  of  the  post  to  "double  rations"  which 
at  tlie  tiine  was  a  matter  of  contest  between  the  War  and 
Treasury  departments,  with  the  result  that  his  letter  was 
buried  in  some  forgotten  pigeon  hole  about  the  desk  of  the 
commanding  general,  from  which  it  Avas  not  extracted 
until  nearly  two  years  afterwards.  By  that  date  the  lapse 
of  time  liad  carried  with  it  the  main  objection  of  Captain 
Allen,  and  the  name  of  Des  Moines  had  so  long  attached 
to  the  fort,  that  equal  objection  would  have  forbidden 
a  change.  To  this  trifling  circumstance,  the  mislaying 
of  a  document,  the  present  capital  city  of  Iowa  undoubt- 
.edly  owes  its  name. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  20th  of  May,  Captain  Allen  with 
his  company  of  dragoons, four  officers  and  forty-eight  men. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOJXES.  103 

landed  at  the  new  site,  and  went  into  camp,  where  they 
were  joined  on  the 21st  by  Captain  J.  E.B.Gardenier's com- 
pany "F,"  ft'  th^^  l^t  Infantry,  two  officers  and  forty-four 
men.  The  handing  was  made  at  the  point  where  the  Court 
Avenue  bridge  now  stands,  the  camp  being  laid  out  along 
the  west  bank  of  the  Des  Moines  at  the  edge  of  the  belt  of 
timber  that  extended  along  the  river  front,  and  about  the 
present  line  of  Second  street.  First  Lieutenant  John  H. 
King  of  the  1st  Infantry  (who  subsequently  reached  high 
rank  in  the  army  and  was  retired  as  colonel  of  the  9th 
Infantrj')  was  appointed  adjutant  of  the  post,  and  Second 
Lieutenant  C.  F.  Ruff,  of  the  Dragoons,  quartermaster 
and  commissary.  Captain  Allen  being  in  command  of  th*^ 
post,  the  command  of  his  company  devolved  upon  First 
Lieutenant  William  N.  Greer,  who  was  retired  fortj'  years 
later  as  colonel  of  the  Third  Cavalry;  that  of  the  Infantry 
company  being  under  the  charge  of  its  captain,  J.  E.  B. 
Gardenier,  who  died  in  1850,  while  still  in  command  of 
this  company.  These,  with  Dr.  John  S.  Griffin,  the  sur- 
geon of  the  post,  constituted  the  first  roster  of  Fort  Des 
Moines. 

The  command  immediately  fell  to  work  erecting  quar- 
ters and  laying  out  its  gardens,  building  first  a  tempo- 
rary wharf  at  the  "Point"  so  often  mentioned  hj  Captain 
Allen,  at  the  convergence  of  the  two  s,treams.  The  first 
building  erected  was  the  public  storehouse,  at  a  point 
some^flfty  yards  from  the  north  bank  of  the  Raccoon.  This 
was  first  completed,  followed  by  the  hospital  at  the  north- 
ern boundary  of  the  camp  about  three  hundred  yards  from 
the  west  bank  of  the  Des  Moines,  which  was  first  occupied 
about  the  twentieth  of  June.  The  companj'  quarters, 
built  of  logs,  one  story  in  height,  -ndth  puncheon  floors,  and 
capable  of  comfortably  quartering  ten  men  each,  were  next 


104  AKNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

<'ommenced  at  the  northwest  of  the  storehouse;  and  still 
fiu-ther  to  the  west,  the  stables  for  the  dragoons,  behind 
which  were  the  corrals,  and  beyond,  following  down  the 
north  bank  of  the  Raccoon,  the  company  gardens.  In  the 
fall,  the  quarters  for  the  officers  were  begun,  to  the  I'ight 
of  the  storehouse  along  the  west  bank  of  the  Des  Moines, 
and  another  garden  laid  out,  across  the  Raccoon,  in  the 
angle  formed  by  the  south  bank  of  the  latter  and  the 
west  bank  of  the  Des  Moines. 

The  conunanding  officer's  quarters  stood  on  the  site  now 
occupied  by  the  Des  Moines  &  Fort  Dodge  railway  station, 
and  the  front  of  the  officers'  quarters,  along  the  line  of 
Second  sitreet  near  the  track  of  the  Keokuk  and  Des 
Moines  railroad.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  council  of 
administration  was  the  selection  of  Mr.  Robert  A.  Kinzie 
as  post  trader,  who  immediatelj^  proceeded  to  erect  his 
store  and  dwelling  at  a  point  to  the  northwest  of  the  flag- 
staff, where  now  stands  the  Sherman  block,  at  the  corner 
of  Third  street  and  Court  avenue.  Permits  to  cultivate 
patches  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  post  in  order  that 
they  miglit  purvey  for  the  garrison,  were  granted  Benj. 
B.  Bi-yant,  John  Sturtevant  and  Alexander  Turner.  J. 
M.  Thrift,  a  discharged  soldier,  was  given  a  room  in  the 
quarters  to  open  a  tailor  shop,  and  Charles  Weatherford 
to  build  a  blacksmith  shop.  These  people,  together 
with  Dr.  T.  K.  Brooks,  James  Drake  and  J.  B.  Scott,  all 
attaches  of  the  garrison,  formed  the  first  (-(Jony  of  Fort 
Des  Moines. 

By  the  time  the  winter  of  1843-44  had  fairly  set  in,  all 
the  buildings  Avere  under  roof,  and  the  command  abandon- 
ing their  tentsi,  moved  in  and  made  themselves  as  ann- 
fortable  as  the  circumstances  of  their  isolated  position 
would  permit.     The  contractor  for  supplying  the  post 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOTXES.  105 

with  forage  aud  beef,  Mr.  J.  B.  Bcott,  of  Fairfield,  had 
erected  and  that  winter  occupied,  tlie  largest  and  most 
comfortable  house  on  the  reserTation.  By  the  terms  of 
liis  contract,  dated  April  18,  1843,  it  was  agreed  by  tlie 
United  States  that: 

"The  said  J.  B.  Scott  .shall  be  permitted  to  open 
and  cultivate  a  farm  in  the  Indian  country  to  embrace 
at  least  one  section  of  land  of  64:0  acres,  the  said 
farm  to  be  selected  by  the  said  Scott  at  any  place 
not  nearer  than  one  mile  of  the  said  military  post  from 
any  single  body  of  land  not  appro])riated  to  the  purposes 
of  the  said  military  post,  or  for  the  Indian  villages  or  the 
licensed  trading  houses  in  the  country.  The  said  Scott  to 
enjoj'  the  use  'and  the  benefit  of  the  said  farm  until  the 
time  that  the  Indians  shall  have  left  the  country  agree- 
ably to  their  late  treaty  with  the  United  States  to  remove 
south  of  the  Missouri  Elver;  provided  that  the  said  Scott 
shall  from  time  to  time  faithfully  execute  all  his  agree- 
ments of  this  contract  and  provided  further  that  he  shall 
not  violate  any  law  of  the  United  States  regulating  trade 
and  intercourse  in  the  Indian  country  nor  any  proper 
regulation  of  the  said  military  post  or  order  of  the  com- 
manding oiflcer." 

Under  this  agreement  Mr.  Scott  had  selected  a  section 
of  land  on  the  o^jposite  or  east  bank  of  the  Des  Moines; 
the  center  of  his  western  boundary  line  being  opposite  the 
ferry,  and  liis  residence,  built  at  the  noi*thwestern  corner 
of  his  farm,  directly  opposite  the  site  of  the  officers'  quar- 
ters at  the  fort.  Adjoining  Scott's  farm  to  the  north,  a 
half  section  had  been  assigned  to  the  Messrs.  (xeorge 
Washington  and  Washington  George  Ewiug,  of  Fort 
Wayne,  Indiana,  who  had  been  granted  trading  i)erniits. 
The  log  house  built  by  the  Ewing  brothers,  was  the  first 
dwelling  house  raised  on  the  east  bank.  Adjoining  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  Scott  farm  was  a  thick  growth 
of  timber,  sometw^o  miles  in  width,  at  the  eastern  edge  of 
which  was  the  residence  and  farm  of  the  Phelps  brothers, 


106  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

who  were  trading  Avith  the  Indians  under  a  permit  from 
their  agent,  Mr.  John  Beach.  Next  to  the  Phelps  farm 
was  the  residence  and  buildings  of  the  Indian  agent,  the 
latter  being  about  four  miles  in  a  direct  east  line  from 
the  flagstaff  of  the  fort.  These  parties  were  all  occupy- 
ing their  premises  during  the  first  winter  of  the  new  post. 
With  the  opening  of  spring  their  numbers  were  largely  in- 
creased by  white  settlers,  who  hoped  to  pre-empt  the  lands 
in  advance  of  tlie  treaty,  and  their  importunities  and  fre- 
quent overt  act.5,  caiised  no  little  annoyance  to  Captain 
Allen  and  his  officers,  as  none  of  them  were  permitted  to 
settle  on  the  premises.  They,  however,  hovered  about 
the  vicinity,  ekiug  out  a  precarious  living  in  various  ways, 
to  await  the  expiration  of  the  three  years.  The  necessity 
of  watching  these  vagabond  speculators,  and  at  the  same 
time  endeavoring  to  restrain  the  restless  instincts  of  his 
more  particular  charges,  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  afforded  the 
commandant  of  the  fort  sufficient  employment  for  his 
meagre  force. 

The  settlements  all  about  them  had  the  consequent  re- 
sult of  tempting  the  Indians  to  depredations  and  trespass, 
and  wlien  restrained  from  these  acts,  to  war  upon  their 
neighbors,  the  Sioux.  In  February,  1844:,  upon  the  requi- 
sition of  the  Governor  of  the  territory.  Captain  Allen  left 
the  fort  with  an  officer  and  twenty-nine  men,  to  find  a  party 
of  these  trespassing  Indians  and  remove  them  back  to  the 
reservation.  He  accomplished  this;  task  without  much 
trouble,  returning  to  the  fort  within  a  few  weeks,  but  was 
called  upon  to  repeat  the  work  at  intervals  during  the 
whole  period  of  his  occupancy.  These  tribes  do  not  u]> 
pear  at  any  time  to  have  been  other  than  mischievous,  no 
serious  offense  being  laid  to  tlieir  cliarge. 

During  this  season  Lieutenant  King  left  the  post  on  an 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  107 

extended  leave  of  absence,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  ad- 
jutancy by  Brevet  Second  Lieutenant  Joseph  H.  Potter, 
and  later  by  First  Lienteuant  Robert  S.  Granger,  both  of 
whom  a  few  years  later  were  brevetted  for  distinguished 
services  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  subsequently  reach- 
ed the  highest  grade  in  their  profession.  As  the  time 
drew  nearer  for  the  termination  of  the  treaty,  the 
duties  of  the  garrison  increased.  Hundreds  of  settlers 
were  "squatting"  along  the  boundaries  ready  to  pounce 
upon  the  lands  the  moment  they  were  evacuated  by  the 
Indians,  and  their  frequent  incursions  over  the  line,  which 
were  usually  accompanied  by  the  shooting  of  one  or  more 
of  the  Indians,  followed  by  acts  of  reprisal,  required  all 
the  good  judgment  and  discretion  of  the  commandant  to 
maintain  the  peace.  Nor  Avas  this  the  least  difficult  of  his 
duties.  It  became  evident  as  the  time  drew  nearer,  that 
so  strong  was  the  disinclination  of  the  tribes  to  leave  their 
country,  that  many  of  them  would  not  go,  until  removed 
by  force.  So  trying  was  the  situation  during  the  summer 
of  1845,  that  Captain  Allen  with  his  dragoons,  was  almost 
constantly  in  the  field;  being  aided  in  this  patrol  of  the 
district  by  Captain  Sumner's  company  from  Fort  Atkin- 
son. 

On  the  29th  of  August,  1845,  he  writes  the  Department 
in  regard  to  the  situation,  and  in  strong  disapproval  of  the 
assumed  intention  of  the  Government  to  abandon  the  post 
at  the  expiration  of  the  treaty : 

"I  think  the  post  ought  not  to  be  abandoned  until 
after  the  Indians  shall  have,  left  the  country  and  gone 
to  their  new^  home  south  of  the  Missouri  Eiver.  This 
they  will  not  do  before  the  time  mentioned  in  their  late 
treaty — October  12,  1845 — and  I  fear  that  many  of  them 
will  not  go  until  they  shall  be  forced  to  do  so. 

"If  then  they  are  to  be  removed  by  troops,  this  garrison 
will  be  the  most  convenient  for  the  purpose.     Moreover, 


lOS  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

after  the  12tli  of  October,  it  Avill  be  too  late  to  remove  the 
l)nblic  stores  to  another  post  -n'ithout  expense  aud  iucon- 
veuieuce;  and  the  contract  for  forage  and  other  supplies 
being-  let  for  the  Avinter,  and  much  of  them  delivered,  the 
<J'n'ernment  must  exjjerience  loss  and  inconvenience  on 
this  account,  by  leaving  them,  or  by  exjjosing  them  to  sud- 
den sale. 

"On  the  VN^hole,  I  will  recommend  that  this  post  be  kept 
up  at  its  present  strength  until  next  spring,  and  that  it 
be  abandoned  as  early  in  the  spring  as  practicable." 

In  this  recommendation  the  department  commander, 
General  Brooke,  did  not  join.     He  writes  on  Septembr  9: 

"I  have  had  a  conversation  with  Colonel  Kearney,  and 
he  ad\'ises  that  the  post  be  broken  up  after  the  departure 
of  the  Indians,  and  that  the  Indians  be  compelled  to  re- 
move by  the  12tli  proximo,  as  immediately  after  the  12th, 
a  great  number  of  white  ]iersous  Avill  enter  the  country, 
for  the  purpose  of  squatting,  and  that  much  disturbance 
and  difficulty  may  be  expected  between  them  and  the  In- 
dians, if  they  are  suffered  to  remain. 

"Besides  tliis,  if  an  Indian  be  not  made  to  comply  with 
a  contract  once  made,  he  is  always  looking  after  indul- 
gences, which  in  the  end  lead  to  delays  extremely  difficult, 
ever  to  obviate.  I  am  informed  by  letter  received  in  this 
city,  from  Mr.  Beach,  tlie  agent,  that  the  Hacs  and  Foxes 
are  now  making  preparation  and  are  willing  to  comply 
with  the  treaty.  Notwithstanding  all  this  apparent 
readiness,  I  am  well  convinced  that  like  all  other  emigra- 
ting tribes,  some  will  scatter  on  the  march  and  many  Avill 
endeavor  to  remain  at  their  old  homes." 

Notwithstanding  this,  however,  the  vi<nvs  of  Captain 
Allen  obtained  at  the  War  Department,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined to  keep  up  the  post  during  the  winter.  On  t^eiitem- 
ber  22,  1845,  Com])any  I,  1st  Infantry,  left  the  post  for 
Jefferson  Barracks,  leaving  the  garrison  with  fifty-two 
men.  At  the  termination  of  the  treaty,  October  12,  1S45, 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  left  the  country  without  resistance 
and  moved  to  lands  set  apart  for  them  south  of  tlie  Mis- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  109 

souri,  tliougli  mauj  remained  and  continned  by  their  pres- 
ence to  create  no  considerable  disturbance.  On  Jannary 
1, 184:6,  Captain  Allen  reports  that  there  are  still  from  ISO 
to  200  Sacs  and  Foxes  yet  remaining  in  the  territory,  but 
believes  that  they  will  all  remove  c|nietly  to  their  new 
homes,  south  of  the  Missouri,  before  their  next  annual 
payment. 

The  first  act  of  the  authorities,  after  the  land  came  into 
the  possession  of  the  United  States,  was  to  set  aside  a 
military  reservation  of  one  mile  square,  of  which  the  flag- 
staff of  the  fort  was  the  center.  Of  this  area,  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres,  with  all  the  buildings  thereon,  were 
subsequently  ceded  to  Polk  county,  on  January  17,  1846. 

The  order  for  the  abandonment  of  the  post  is  dated  St. 
Louis,  February  23,  1846.     It  reads: 

"First  Lieutenant  Grier,  commanding  Allen's  company, 
1st  Dragoons,  will,  as  early  as  practicable,  take  up  his  line 
of  march  from  Fort  Des  Moines,  for  For-t  Leavenworth, 
escorting  all  the  Fox  Indians  who  have  not  left  the  terri- 
tory of  Iowa,  in  accoi'dance  with  their  treaty  stipulations 
of  October,  1842,  to  their  permanent  homes,  as  designated 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

"Lieutenant  Grier  will  leave  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  one 
steady  non-commissioned  officer  and  two  privates,  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  care  of  all  the  public  buildings,  quar- 
termaster's and  subsistence  stores,  ordnance  and  ord- 
nance stores,  and  all  other  public  property  until  instruc- 
tions are  received  from  the  War  Department  for  their 
final  disposition. 

"Allen's  company  of  dragoons  will,  after  having  execut- 
ed the  above  duty,  form  a  part  of  the  permanent  garrison 
of  Fort  Leavenworth." 

Immediately  upon  the  receipt  of  this  order  at  the  Fort, 
Lieutenant  Grier,  in  the  absence  of  Captain  Allen,  began 
his  arrangements  for  its  evacuation.  Lieutenant  Noble, 
with  twenty  men,  was  sent  up  the  Des  Moines  in  search 


110  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  a  partj'  of  Indians  known  to  be  there,  while  another 
party  marched  to  the  Skunk  River  to  bring  over  two  lodges 
of  Foxes  that  were  said  to  be  there.  By  the  Tth  of  March 
all  the  Indians  had  been  brought  in.     He  writes: 

"They  were  found  about  thirty  miles  above  this  post 
on  the  Des  Moines  and  Raccoon  rivers,  assembled  (as  they 
pretended  to  tell  me)  for  the  purpose  of  moving  over  to 
join  their  chief,  Pow-a-shick.  However,  information  de- 
rived from  a  better  source,  and  their  total  Avant  of  means 
and  preparation,  go  to  convince  me  that  they  did  not  in- 
tend to  move  until  compelled  to  do  so.  Their  intention 
was  to  move  higher  up  on  the  Des  Moines  or  Raccoon 
Ri^^er,  and  hj  scattering  they  doubtless  supposed  they 
could  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the  dragoons.  They  number 
about  one  hundred  and  ten.  I  found  them  in  rather  mis- 
erable condition  for  the  journey. 

"Mr.  Scott,  one  of  their  traders,  supplied  them  with  pro- 
visions, but  was  unwilling  to  furnish  transportation,  and 
I  directed  the  A.  A.  quartermaster  to  do  so.  Yesterday 
morning  (the  Sth  instant)  Lieutenant  Xoble,  with  a  com- 
ma.nd  of  tweuty-tive  dragoons,  conducted  the  Indians  on 
their  route  to  Fort  Leavenworth.  I  expect  to  overtake 
them  in  three  days.  I  am  not  aware  that  there  are  any 
of  the  Foxes  left  in  this  territory.  If  there  are,  they  must 
certainly  be  so  few  in  nu}nber  as  to  give  no  further  trouble 
to  the  whites. 

"The  public  property  has  been  packed  up,  and  placed 
in  store  in  charge  of  a  uon-commissionedi  officer  and  two 
privates." 

At  noon  on  March  10,  1816,  Lieutenant  Grier,  with 
tlie  balance  of  Company  I,  marched  out  of  the  town,  and 
Fort  Des  Moines  as  a  military  post  ceased  to  exist.  After 
conducting  the  command  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  Lieuten- 
ant Grier  returned  to  Des  Moines,  by  way  of  St.  Louis,  in 
order  to  direct  the  sale  of  the  public  property,  Avhich  oc- 
curred on  the  1st  day  of  May.  By  this  time  the  vicinity 
of  the  fort  had  become  a  considerable  settlement,  as  well 
as  the  county  seat  of  the  new  Polk  county,  that  had  been 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  Ill 

organized  by  the  Legislature  during  its  session  of  that 
winter.  The  first  survey  of  the  new  town  was  made  on 
July  8,  18J:6,  the  first  entrj'  on  May  12,  1818;  in  1853  the 
town  of  Fort  Des  Moinesi  was  incorporated,  and  a  year 
hTter  bj'  act  of  the  Legislature,  it  was  designated  as  the 
capital  of  the  new  state  of  Iowa. 

Captain  James  Allen,  the  commandant  of  the  fort  from 
its  first  occupation  to  within  a  few  weeks  of  its  abandon- 
ment, was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  1806,  and  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  appointed  to  the  Military  Academj-  from  the 
state  of  Indiana.  He  graduated  July  1,  1829,  and  appoint- 
ed as  second  lieutenant  in  the  5th  Infantry,  joined  his  reg- 
iment at  Fort  Brady,  where  he  served  until  Marcla  4,  1833, 
Avhen  he  was  transferred  to  tlie  new  Dragoon  regiment  as  a 
second  lieutenant.  From  this  time  until  his  death,  his 
services  on  the  frontier  were  continuous  and  of  the  high- 
est value  to  the  Government.  Joining  his  regiment  at 
Fort  Dearborn,  he  remained  on  staff  duty  until  his  promo- 
tion as  first  lieutenant.  May  31,  183.5,  when  he  was  as- 
signed to  certain  engineer  duties  in  connection  Avith  the 
reconnoissance  of  the  Indian  country.  He  served  during 
the  next  decade  at  Forts  Leavenworth,  Gibson,  Atliinson 
and  Sandford,  from  wlience  he  marched  to  tlie  establish- 
ment of  Des  Moines.  On  the  abandonment  of  that  work, 
he  was  appointed  lieutenant-colonel  and  commander  of 
the  Mormon  battalion  of  Missouri  volunteers  for  the  Mex- 
ican war,  and  was  en  route  to  New  Mexico  with  his  com- 
mand, when  he  died  suddenly  near  Fort  Leavenworth  on 
August  23,  1846,  at  the  age  of  forty. 

The  career  of  Fort  Des  Moines  had  upon  the  whole  been 
uneventful.  Like  hundreds  of  its  associates  it  was  the 
initial  factor  in  the  progress  of  that  grand  movement 
which  within  less  than  a  centurv  had  civilized  a  continent. 


ll'i  AKNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

At  tlie  time  of  its  establisliiiieut  it  was  tlie  extreme  out- 
post ou  the  noi'tlierii  frontiei-,  iu  tlie  midst  of  a  region  that 
was  comparatively  unexplored.  Around  it  as  a  nucleus, 
sloAvJY  but  surely,  had  gathered  a  colony  of  sturdy,  deter- 
mined pioneers,  who,  rushing  in  as  the  soldiers  marched 
out,  turned  the  soil  aud  metamorphosed  the  camp  into  a 
thriving  city.  The  tirst  cdiild  born  at  the  settlement,  a 
son  of  Lieutenant  Grier,  iu  1845,  Avas  also  the  first  to  die 
within  its  limits,  and  at  its  funeral  was  preached  the  lirst 
sermon  by  the  first  minister,  the  Kev.  Mr.  Eathbuu.  The 
same  year  a  Methodist  church  was  organized,  aud  a  log 
school  house  erected,  so  that  when  the  flag  was  lowered 
for  the  last  time,  and  the  garrison  marched  out,  it  left 
behind  a  thriving  community  complete  in  all  its  parts. 
The  fort  had  fulfilled  its  mission. 

Names  of  officers  and  men  who  constitute<l  the  first  gar- 
rison of  Fort  Des  Moines,  loAva,  June  30,  1843: 

COMPANY  I,  FIRST  U.  S.  DRAGOONS. 

Captain — James  Allen. 

First  Lieutenant — Win.  N.  Grier. 

Second  Lieutenant — C.  F.  Euff. 

Sergeants — James  Miller,  Parker  Gideon,  Charles  Wil- 
liams, John  Haley. 

Corporals — Eobert  Williams,  Alexander  Newal,  Darius 
Halstead,  Alonzo  Williams. 

Bugler — Loren  Holcomb. 

F.  &.  Bl.— George  Marshall. 

Privates — Joseph  Brown,  William  Brown,  James 
Batty,  Frederick  Banfield,  John  J.  Buckmuller,  James 
Caterson,  Augustine  Dame,  George  De  Groote,  Benjamin 
F.  Fiss,  James  Gould,  George  Howlett,  Michael  Halpin, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE^S  MOINES.  118 

James  Ha^vkius,  John  Harcourt,  John  Happ,  Alexander 
Howard,  Cornelius  Hutton,  Willard  Hill,  John  Jones, 
William  Jackson,  Francis  Kirkwood,  Lewis  KnoUe, 
Charles  W.  Lazier,  William  Martin,  Joshua  M.  Merrill, 
John  W.  Miller,  Joseph  C.  Moses,  John  Newton,  Polk 
O'Conner,  Alphens  Pomroy,  David  Roach,  Henry  Robert- 
son, Jacob  Kichait,  William  Ramsey,  Voorhus  Robbins, 
Francis  81einwinder,  Anthony  Stromberger,  Henry 
Stuckenberg,  Y.  H.  Bchlegel,  Christopher  Schultz,  Charles 
StcAA'art,  Geo.  W.  Silver,  James  M.  Sampson,  John  Skil- 
liu,  F.  W.  Sick,  Michael  Trainor,  William  Tyler,  Ira  Tay- 
lor, B.  F.  Vanhorn,  Herman  Walter,  Charles  W.  Wentz, 
Thomas  Woolcut,  Erastus  Washburn,  Peter  Yerick  and 
Thomas  Yeadon. 


COMPANY  F,  FIRST  U.  S.  INFANTRY. 

Captain — J.  R.  B.  Gardenier. 

First  Lieutenant — John  H.  King. 

Second  Lieutenant — T.  d'Oremieux. 

First  Sergeant — Thomas  Buxton. 

Sergeants — John  Farley,  John  Fortes,  Augs.  A.  San- 
ford. 

Corporals — Hiram  G.  Thorp,  John  Lynch,  James  Clore. 

Drummer — Robert  Porter. 

Fife — Robert  Lucky. 

Privates — John  Andrews,  Ropon  P.  Andruss,  John 
Barnes,  William  Burns,  Palmer  Gheesebro,  James  M. 
Calder,  Abraham  Canon,  John  Clee,  Peter  Collins,  Wil- 
liam B.  Deros,  Daniel  Gatnet,  Peter  Grevelle,  William 
Hutchinson,  William  Hanson,  William  Hazen,  John  Ham- 
ilton, Edmund  L.  Jarvis,  James  Keenan,  Francis  Ken- 
nedy, Samuel  Kellogg,  Terrence  Lee,  Michael  McDonough, 


114 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


Thomas  McDonald,  Frederick  G.  Potter,  Thomas  Pew, 
Soloman  Palmer,  John  Smith,  John  G.  Smith,  Samuel 
Smith,  Owen  Sullivan,  John  Shay,  Matthias  Schlechtweg, 
Charles  Schlechtweg,  William  Tate,  David  Thompson, 
John  Welch. 


^hf 


FIRST    POST    OFFICE. 


T 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SOLDIERS   AND   FIRST  SETTLERS. 

HE  first  settlers  of  Polk  coimty  came  from  manj^ 
states  and  countries.  It  is  noticeable  that  emigra- 
ti(jn  has  geuerallj  followed  a  line  from  east  to  west. 
Hence  we  find  the  New  Englander  and  the  York  state  men 
generally  locating  as  near  as  possible  on  a  line  more  or 
less  due  west  from  the  place  of  their  nativity.  For  in- 
stance, northern  Iowa  was  first  settled  by  people  who 
originally  sprung  from  the  New  England  or  states  adjoin- 
ing thereto,  while  southern  Iowa  drew  upon  Illinois,  Indi- 
ana, Ohio,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  etc.,  for  a  large  majority 
of  its  first  inhabitants.  Polk  county  being  near  the  cen- 
ter of  the  new  territory,  drew  from  all  these  sources, 
though  a  majorit}^  came  from  the  states  last  named.  The 
fact,  too,  that  Missouri,  bordering  on  the  south  of  Iowa, 
was  a  "slave  state,"  while  the  latter  was  a  "free  territory,'' 
had  not  a  little  to  do  with  turning  the  tide  of  emigra- 
tion towards  Iowa.  Many  who  were  southern  born  and 
disliked  slavery,  mostly  because  they  regarded  the  system 
as  repressive  and  injurious  to  the  whites  themselves,  and 
in  seeking  a  new  home  in  the  west  they  came  to  Iowa  be- 
cause they  knew  slaverj'  did  not  and  never  could  exist. 
Hence  among  the  early  settlers  were  to  be  found  many 
natives  of  the  more  northern  slave  states,  and  a  few  even 
from  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  etc. 
They  regarded  the  new  free  soil  of  Iowa  as  offering  more 
advantageous  openings  for  themselves  and  their  children 
than  could  be  found  in  their  old  homes.  And  further, 
the  question  of  slaver}-  in  Iowa  was  settled  at  a  very  early 


11(1  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

day,  and  it  was  known  from  the  beginning  tliis  institution 
would  nevei"  be  recognized  on  Iowa,  soil,  and  this,  too, 
without  the  turmoil,  trouble  and  even  bloodshed,  whicdi 
marked  the  early  settlement  of  Kansas  and  other  territo- 
ries. In  fact,  there  never  was  but  little,  if  any,  trouble  in 
regard  to  slavery  in  Iowa.  It  was  free  soil  from  the  be- 
ginning, notwithstanding  it  had  once  formed  a  part  of  a 
province  in  which  negro  slavery  was  established  and  le- 
gally recognized. 

The  Irishman  was  to  be  found  almost  as  a  matter  of 
course  among  the  soldiers  of  the  garrison  and  with  the 
earliest  of  the  settlers,  and  the  steady  German  was  not 
far  behind  in  moving  in  to  enjoy  the  opening  u])  of  this 
new  and  fertile  country.  The  Scandinavians,  Swedes  and 
Norwegians,  were  here  also  at  an  early  day,  large  numbers 
of  them  settling  in  the  '50s  in  the  north  part  of  Polk  and 
in  the  adjoining  counties  of  Story  and  Boone,  where  they 
formed  large  and  prosperous  settlements,  although  it  was 
some  years  later  before  they  began  coming  in  such  num- 
bers to  and  living  in  the  city  of  Des  Moines.  The  Irish 
farmers  at  first  mostly  settled  south  and  west  of  the  city 
in  Polk  and  the  northern  portion  of  Warren  and  Madison 
counties,  and  the  "Irish  Settlement,''  as  it  Avas  termed, 
became  well  and  favorably  known  at  an  early  day  in  the 
history  of  this  portion  of  Iowa.  The  sturdy,  persevering- 
Scots  also  came  and  made  several  settlements  formed  al- 
most exclusively  of  people  of  their  own  race,  and  soon  be- 
came among  the  most  substantial  and  successful  citizens 
of  tlie  country.  Quite  a  number  of  natives  of  England 
also  found  their  way  to  this  favored  country,  and  as  farm- 
ers and  as  residents  of  the  city  fully  held  their  own  with 
all  the  others  And  all  these  diiferent  peo])le  of  various 
nationalties,  have  for  years  dwelt  together  in  the  city  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE,S  MOINES.  117 

comity  iu  ])ea(;e  aud  harmony,  tlieir  only  rivalry  being  to 
see  which  conld  do  the  most  for  the  advancement  of  their 
individual  interests  and  the  good  of  the  community  gen- 
erally. This  mingling  of  different  people  has  also  had  a 
broadening  and  liberalizing  effect  upon  the  entire  com- 
munity, in  time  anialganmting  all  into  a  harmonious 
whole. 

At  the  first  there  were  very  few  of  the  colored  race  to 
be  found  in  central  Iowa.  They  wei^e  almost  unknown 
among  the  early  settlers,  though  a  few  drifted  into  the 
town  between  1850  and  1860.  During  the  Civil  war  they 
commenced  coming  in  and  in  the  few  years  thereafter 
scores  of  them  found  homes  here,  mostly  in  Des  Moines. 
Their  numbers,  as  the  census  of  this  year  shows,  have 
rapidly  increased.  Their  children  are  admitted  to  the 
public  schools  witli  the  whites,  but  they  generally  attend 
churches  controlled  by  and  ministered  to  by  those  of  their 
own  race.  They  generally  prefer  the  toAvn  to  the  coiin- 
try,thougha  limited  number  of  them  havebecomesuccess- 
ful  farmers.  Many  of  them  own  their  own  homes  and  the 
large  majority  are  industrious  working  men  and  women, 
who  have  proven  their  right  to  freedom  by  the  rapid  ad- 
vancement in  juanj^  ways  they  have  made  since  this  boon 
Avas  conferred  upcjn  them  throughout  the  entire  countrj'. 

The  Indians,  the  original  possessors  of  the  land,  have 
long  since  <lisa]jpeared,  and  are  seen  no  more  save  when 
a  few  Musquakies — men,  women  and  children — may  be 
rarely  seen  upon  <mr  streets  or  haunting  the  streams  and 
woods  of  the  country.  When  they  do  appear  they  are 
looked  upon  vrith  curiosity  by  the  young  and  later  citizens 
who  never  saw  the  Indian  in  his  natural  state,  before  he 
was  driven  aAvay  from  his  former  home  bj^  the  rapid  ad- 


118  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

vancemeut  and  sweeping  progress  of  the  white  man.  A 
better  race,  perhaps,  has  tal^eu  their  place  and  civilization 
has  been  the  gainer — the  laucl  has  been  cultivated  and  im- 
proved, and  the  beneficent  gifts  of  a  land  Providence  have 
been  utilized,  the  wilderness  has  been  made  to  blossom — 
and  yet  from  the  thoughtful  man  who  contemplates  these 
great  and  almost  wonderful  changes  wrought  in  so  few 
years,  some  sympathy  must  go  out  to  the  poor  red  man 
who  once  had  all  this  beautiful  land — and  lost  it. 

As  stated  in  the  official  history  the  United  States 
troops  and  stores  were  brought  here  by  the  little  steamer 
lone,  which  made  a  landing  at  the  Raccoon  Forks  on  the 
ninth  day  of  May,  1813.  Captain  Allen,  who  was  the 
commandant  of  the  new  post,  soon  landed  his  soldiers, 
their  arms,  baggage  and  stores,  and  the  erection  of  the 
new  fort  buildings  was  soon  commenced  and  carried 
to  comiiletion  as  soon  as  possible.  The  barracks  were 
built  of  rough  logs,  and  were  one-story  high,  with  good 
chimnej's  and  puncheon  floors.  They  soon  became  com- 
fortable quarters  for  the  troops.  These  buildings,  includ- 
ing stables,  numbered  twenty-four.  After  starting  the 
work  Captain  Allen  returned  to  old  Fort  Sanford,  four 
miles  south  of  Agency  City,  for  the  purpose  of  afterwards 
bringing  the  remainder  of  the  troops  and  stores  to  the 
new  fort.  The  militarj'  force  then  consisted  of  about  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  officers  and  men.  A  portion 
were  infantry  and  the  remainder  cavalry,  or  dragoons  as 
they  were  then  termed.  The  headquarters,  or  quarters 
of  Captain  Allen  were  near  where  Market  Square  is  now 
located.  Witli  the  soldiers  were  a  number  of  artisans 
and  hangers-on  who  had  been  permitted  to  accompany  the 
soldiers  to  tlieir  new  post.  ^Vhat  had  i)reviously  been  a 
wild  solitude,  occasionally  occupied  by  Indians,  now  be- 


AiA'Z>  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  119 

came  the  bustling  haunt  of  white  soldiers,  of  traders  and 
pioneers. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  troops  a  trading  post  was 
established  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  In  fact,  accord- 
ing to  the  memorandum  of  Benjamin  Bryant,  the  traders 
were  a  few  days  in  advance  of  the  steamer  lone  and  the 
soldiers.  This  says:  "May  3,  1843,  the  Ewings  landed 
a  keelboat  at  the  water's  edge  on  the  east  side  of  the  Des 
Moines  Ifiver,  laden  with  goods,  corn,  some  provisions, 
and  tools  with  which  to  build  a  trading  house."  The 
Ewings  also  built  a  log  cabin  to  be  used  as  a  dwelling, 
the  first  in  the  future  city.  These  Indian  traders,  George 
W.  and  Washington  G.  Ewing,  were  from  Fort  Wayne, 
Indiana.  They  had  first  traded  with  the  Miamis  on  the 
Wabash,  and  afterwards  extended  their  operations  to 
numerous  other  Indian  tribes  throughout  a  vast  stretch 
of  country,  and  had  previously  dealt  with  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes.  They  had  the  exclusive  right  to  this  trade  at  this 
point,  though  it  also  appears  that  hj  an  arrangement 
between  the  parties  Phelps  &  Co.,  of  Fulton,  111.,  a  branch 
of  the  American  Fur  company  had  the  right  of  dealing 
with  the  Indians  for  furs,  etc.  This  firm  built  their  trad- 
ing house  farther  down  the  river,  near  the  present  site  of 
the  packing  houses. 

The  agency  buildings  were  also  placed  on  the  east  side 
situated  near  the  elegant  residence  subsequently  built 
by  the  late  Wesley  Bedhead.  These  agency  buildings 
remained  standing  for  a  number  of  years.  The  wife  of  the 
son  of  the  writer  was  born  in  this  old  agency  building. 
While  the  Indians  remained,  here  lived  Major  Beach,  the 
Indian  agent,  and  with  him  was  generally  to  be  found 
Joseph  vSmart,  the  interpreter.     Major  Beach  was  a  gradu- 


120  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

ate  of  West  Point,  had  served  in  the  United  States  army, 
and  several  years  before  had  resigned  liis  commission. 
He  married  the  daughter  of  Gen.  Street,  the  noted  Indian 
commissioner  and  agent,  and  upon  his  death  was  ap- 
pointed government  agent  for  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.  He 
Avas  an  honorable,  upright  man,  faithful  to  his  trust,  and 
highly  respected  alike  by  Indian.s  and  whites.  Smart, 
the  interpreter,  was  a  valuable  assistant  to  hiui,  and  made 
liis  services  indispensable  to  both  whites  and  Indians, 
he  being  popular  with  Indians,  soldiers  and  civilians. 

The  first  merchant  of  Des  Moines  was  Robert  A.  Kin- 
zie,  who  held  the  position  of  sutler  to  the  post.  He  had 
his  store  room  near  where  the  Prouty  Avholesale  grocery 
now  is,  east  of  the  Roclv  Island  depot.  He  was  not 
allowed  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  and  confined  liis  sales 
to  the  soldiers  and  the  few  others  then  in  and  around  the 
post.  No  white  man  was  allowed  in  tlie  limits  of  this  ter- 
ritory until  after  the  expiration  of  the  Indian  title,  except 
by  special  permission  of  the  Indian  agent  or  the  military 
authorities.  Among  the  few  who  obtained  these  special 
permits  and  aftei'wards  made  claims  were:  John  B. 
Scott,  Wilson  Alexander  Scott,  traders  and  farmers; 
James  Drake,  blacksmith  and  gunsmith;  John  Sturte- 
vant,  ^Vlexander  Turner  and  William  Lamb,  were  permit- 
ted to  open  claims  and  raise  corn  for  the  agency  troops. 
•Tosepli  M.  Tlirift  was  tlie  tailor,  and  did  the  making  and 
patching  of  the  clothes  of  soldiers  and  civilians,  while 
Charles  Worthington  and  a  man  named  Baker  looked 
after  tlie  shoeing  of  the  horses.  These  were  the  first 
mechanics  of  the  future  great  city.  Dr.  Griftin,  surgeon 
of  the  post,  attended  to  the  health  of  soldiers  and  citizens, 
and  was  soon  assisted  and  followed  by  Dr.  Thomas  K. 
Brooks,  Avho  was  for  years  a  prominent,  popular  and  use- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEi^  MOIXES.  121 

ful  citizen  of  the  city  and  county.  Peter  Newcomer,  in 
February,  1844:,  obtained  permission  of  Captain  Allen  to 
make  a  claim  on  agency  prairie  east  of  the  capitol,  if  he 
woukV  build  a  bridge  oyer  Four  Mile  Creek  on  the  road 
leading  to  the  southeast.  The  bridge  was  built  and  Peter 
made  his  yaluable  claim  and  held  it  for  many  years. 

Thomas  Mitchell,  so  prominent  in  the  history  of  the 
county  and  so  universally  esteemed  by  all,  came  into  the 
county  in  April,  1844,  and  was  giyen  permission  to  make 
a  claim  on  Camp  Creek,  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
county,  if  he  would  build  a  bridge  oyer  that  stream.  This 
was  on  the  road  both  to  Iowa  City  and  Keokuk,  and  oyer 
the  latter  were  hauled  most  of  the  supplies  for  the  gar- 
rison and  settlers.  Mr.  Mitchell  built  the  bridge,  and  as 
the  travel  increased  when  the  lands  were  opened  to  white 
settlers  he  opened  a  hotel  at  his  place,  Apple  Grove.  He 
was  virtually  forced  into  this,  as  travelers  would  stop 
with  him,  tavern  or  no  tavern,  and  he  was  too  hospitable 
and  kind-hearted  to^  turn  them  away.  For  fifteen  or 
twenty  years  the  fame  of  Tom  Mitchell's  hostelry  Avas 
abroad  in  the  land.  There  the  weary  traveler  or  emi- 
grant was  certain  of  clean,  wholesome  food,  good  beds 
and  a  hospitable  welcome.  The  main  traveled  roads  from 
Iowa  City  and  Oskaloosa  came  together  a  short  distance 
east  of  Mitchell's  and  all  coming  from  the  east  had  to  pass 
his  house,  and  soon  few  there  were  who  did  not  stop  with 
him  for  a  time.  Hungry  and  discontented  travelers,  by 
coach,  private  conveyance  or  on  foot,  would  grumble  at 
tlie  accommodations  at  other  places  and  then  brighten  up 
with  the  cheerful  thought  or  remark:  "Wait  until  we 
get  to  Tom  Mitchell's,  and  then  we  will  be  all  riglit." 

The  only  blacl^smith  shop,  operated  hy  Worthington 
and  Baker,  was  within  the  limits  of  the  Fort  on  the  west 


122  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

side  of  the  rivei-,  and  their  principal  work  was  shoeing 
the  horses  of  the  dragoons.  The  coal  they  used  is  said  to 
have  been  procured  from  the  banks  along  the  river,  and 
some  of  it  from  the  exposed  vein  at  Rattlesnake  Bend. 
The  first  coal  shaft  and  stone  quarry  is  said  to  have  been 
opened  in  1843  by  Captain  Allen  and  A.  K  Hays.  The 
stone  was  not  of  the  best  quality,  and  the  coal  being  taken 
from  the  first  ^ein  was  not  of  the  superior  quality  of  that 
mined  later  and  taken  from  the  lower  veins.  Then  there 
Avas  not  much  demand  for  coal  as  the  abundant  timber 
along  the  rivers  and  streams  near  by  made  wood  conveni- 
ent and  cheap  for  use  as  fuel.  In  fact  it  was  not  until 
years  after  that  coal  became  so  much  of  an  object  and  the 
mining  of  it  was  carried  on  Avith  skill  and  success.  See 
chapter  on  coal. 

Frojn  the  data  Ave  have  gleaned  we  find  Des  Moines  in 
the  first  year  of  her  growth  to  sum  up  a  toAvn  as  f oIIoavs  : 
The  garrison,  consisting  of  from  one  hundred  to  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  officers  and  enlisted  men;  Kinzie,  the  sut- 
ler; Worthington  and  Baker,  blacksmiths;  Dr.  Griflin,  the 
surgeon;  Joseph  M.  Thrift,  the  tailor;  the  Scott,  Lamb  and 
Turner  families;  Indian  Agent  Beach  and  Interpreter 
Joseph  Smart;  the  E wings  trading  store;  Sturtevant  »&: 
Drake,  gunsmiths;  Phelps  &  Co.,  fur  dealers;  Benjamin 
Bryant,  and  a  feAV  other  attaches  of  the  traders  and  the 
post.  These  were  all  the  white  people  Avithin  a  radius  of 
one  mile  of  Eaccoon  Forks,  now  included  Avithin  the  city 
of  Des  Moines,  which  according  to  the  census  of  1895,  con- 
tains a  population  of  56,359,  and  will  approximate  over 
100,000  at  the  close  of  the  century,  now  only  five  years 
distant.  All  these  changes  have  been  made  in  a  period  of 
fifty-two  years. 

The  navigation  of  the  Des  Moines  River  Avas  precarious, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  123 

to  say  the  least,  aud  steamboats  could  make  the  trip  only 
during  the  high  water  of  the  spring  and  earl 3'  summer,  and 
at  that  time  there  were  no  great  inducements  for  boats  to 
often  make  this  dangerous  and  tedious  trip.  One  boat 
could  in  one  trip  carrj^  goods  and  provisions  enough  to  sup- 
ply for  many  months  the  wants  of  the  few  and  scattered 
settlers  then  living  one  hundred  or  more  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  At  that  time  the  natural  tendency  of 
trade  was  toward  the  Mississippi  Elver  and  on  to 
St.  Louis.  Chicago  was  then  aud  for  years  afterward, 
comparatively  unknown.  Hence  the  first  roads  opened 
were  in  a  southeasterly  direction  to  reach  the  mills  toward 
the  mouth  of  the  river  for  flour  and  corn  meal  and  to  obtain 
supplies  of  dry  goods,  groceries,  etc.,  from  St.  Louis  by  way 
of  Keokuk  and  Burlington.  Thus  we  find  Captain  Allen, 
in  the  first  year  of  his  occupancy  of  the  post  of  Fort  Des 
Moines,  planning  and  laying  out  a  military  road  from  his 
post  to  Tool's  Point,  now  Monroe,  in  Jasper  county.  There 
a  connection  could  be  made  with  a  road  leading  on  to  Oska- 
loosa,  Eddyville,  Ottumwa,  the  old  Agency,  and  then  on 
either  to  Burlington  or  Keokuk.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered that  in  1843 Eddyville  was  the  first  town  onthe  river 
below  the  Fort,  and  between  these  two  small  villages  there 
Avere  no  settlements;  nothing  but  an  uninhabited  country 
of  prairie  and  timber.  Eddjwille  was  settled  in  June,  1813, 
and  that  year  had  less  than  a  dozen  families.  Ottumwa 
was  settled  about  the  same  time  and  shortly  after  had 
many  more  inhabitants,  not  counting  the  soldiers,  than  had 
Des  Moines. 

To  open  this  road,  so  important  to  these  early  settlers. 
Captain  Allen,  commandant  of  the  Fort  and  Major  Beach, 
the  Indian  agent,  gave  permission,  as  previously  stated, 
to  Peter  Newcomer,  to  make  a  claim  if  he  would  build  a 


124       ANNALf^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

bridjie  over  Four  Mile  Creek,  and  the  privilege  was  given 
Thomas  Mitchell  for  a  bridge  over  Camp  Creek,  and 
other  inducements  were  held  out  to  others  to  improve  or 
make  passable  this  much-needed  road,  over  which  the  most 
of  their  necessary  supplies  must  be  transported.  And  it 
was  not  expected  to  make  of  it  one  of  the  improved  high- 
ways of  the  present  day;  if  it  could  only  be  made  passable 
by  bridging  some  of  the  worst  streams,  this  would  be  suf- 
ficient. The  travelers  along  the  road  must  do  the  rest. 
Until  the  erection  of  a  grist  mill  on  Middle  Kiver  by  (!'ap- 
taiu  Allen  and  John  D.  Parmelee,  tlie  settlers  were  com- 
pelled to  go  from  fifty  to  more  than  one  hundred  miles 
below  for  the  flour  and  meal  they  used.  They  were  com- 
pelled to  take  their  "grist"'  as  far  as  Bentonsport,  Fairfield, 
and  a  few  other  distant  mills,  and  later  on  to  Oskaloosa 
and  other  mills  later  built  farther  up  the  river.  They  were 
compelled  to  haul  their  grain  these  long  distances  over 
rough  and  unimproved  and  often  unbridged  roads,  more 
trails  than  highways,  in  all  kinds  of  weather,  and  then  per- 
haps be  compelled  to  wait  days  at  the  mill  before  their 
"grist  was  ground,"  or  they  could  exchange  their  grain  for 
flour  and  meal.  And  not  unfrequently,  when  flour  and 
meal  were  gone,  they  and  their  families  were  compelled  for 
days  and  weeks  to  use  as  a  substitute  for  flour  and  meal, 
cracked  wheat  and  corn  and  hominy.  And  yet  with  all 
these  hardships  and  privations  they  managed  to  extract 
no  little  enjoyment  out  of  tliis  frontier  life,  and  certainly 
were,  if  we  are  to  believe  the  testimony  of  many  of  them, 
as  healthy,  happy  and  content  as  at  any  other  period  of 
their  lives.  Their  sons  and  daughters  of  to-day,  sur- 
rounded as  tliey  are  with  all  the  appliances  and  luxuries  of 
civilization,  nmy  Avonder  at  tliese  statements  of  the  early 
settlers,  and  yet  their  truth  is  beyond  dispute. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  125 

The  object  in  keepiiii;  the  United  States  troops  liere  was 
primarily  to  Iveep  tlie  peace  betAveen  the  Sioux  and  Sacs 
and  Foxes,  wlif»  were,  and  liad  been  for  many  years,  sworn 
foes  to  each  otlier,  and  liad  often  met  in  deadly  conflict. 
The  Sionx  then  overrun  northwestern  Iowa,  but  seldom 
came  as  low  down  as  the  Raccoon  Forks.  They,  however, 
controlled  all  the  country  around  the  headwaters  of  the 
Des  Moines  River  and  the  two  up2:)er  forks  thereof.  As 
stated  previously,  there  was  a  strip  fort_y  miles  wide  pass- 
ing from  the  east  in  a  soutlnvesterly  direction  between 
Fort  Des  Moines  and  Fort  Dodge,  which  was  designated 
as  "Neutral  Ground,"  and  was  intended  to  keep  the  Sioux 
and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  lowas,  etc.,  as  far  apart  as  possi- 
ble, and  prevent  collisions  between  these  inveterate  foes. 
Several  alarms  were  given  that  the  Si<mx  were  making,  or 
about  to  make,  a  raid  upon  the  Indians  around  tlie  Fort, 
but  these  generally  turned  out  to  have  no  foundation  in 
fact.  They  caused  the  dragoons,  however  to  make  a  num- 
ber of  scouts  and  hard  marches  through  the  country  to 
the  north  and  west  of  the  Fort. 

The  troops  also  had  the  more  difficult  task  of  keeping 
white  intruders  off  the  Indian  reservation  until  the  three 
year  limit  fixed  by  the  treaty  had  expired.  The  pioneers  of 
that  day  had  heard  of  the  beautj'  and  fertility  of  the  coun- 
try in  and  around  the  Raccoon  Forks,  of  the  rich  land 
awaiting  the  emigrant  in  the  "Three  River  Counti-y,"  and 
of  the  future  beautiful  homes  to  be  secured  in  a  short  time 
in  the  "  'Coon"  and  Des  Moines  valleys  above  the  Fort. 
These  impatient,  but  honest,  anxious  settlers  could  be 
kept  back  without  much  difficulty,  but  there  was  a  class 
of  men,  generallj^  found  in  all  opening  or  recentlj^  settled 
countries,  who  caused  the  soldiers  and  the  few 
honest  settlers  much  more  trouble.    Tliev  were  to  be  found 


126  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

hanging  around  the  edges  of  the  reseiTation  and  making 
frequent  dashes  therein  for  the  purpose  of  robbing  both 
Indians  and  whites.  There  were  a  number  of  these 
rascals  hovei-ing  around  in  those  earlj^  days. 

One  of  the  chief  rascals  of  that  early  day,  and  he 
remained  about  liere  for  several  years,  was  one  Jonas 
Carsner,  who  in  some  ten  years  made  a  long  record  as  a 
criminal  in  Polk  and  other  counties  of  central  Iowa.  Tur- 
rell  says  of  him  in  his  first  history  of  Des  Moines: 

"Some  renegade  white  men  had  penetrated  into  the  re- 
serve, sold  whisky  to  the  Indians,  and  after  gaining  their 
friendship  abused  it  by  stealing  their  horses.  Incidents 
of  this  kind  caused  Captain  Allen  to  send  out  detach- 
ments of  dragoons  to  capture  the  thieves  and  restore  the 
stolen  horses  to  their  legal  owners.  This  was  a  difficult 
task,  the  illimitable  wilderness  around  affording  an  ample 
retreat  for  the  miscreants.  But  finally  one  of  them  was 
captured  and  brought  into  the  Fori.  This  was  Jonas 
Carsner,  since  notorious  in  the  criminal  records  of  this  and 
other  counties  for  felonies  of  every  description.  He  was 
tried  by  the  officers  of  the  Fort,  and,  although  there 
was  no  doubt  of  his  guilt,  no  direct  proof  of  it  could 
be  obtained.  Captain  Allen,  therefore,  thought  it  best 
not  to  sentence  him  under  the  law,  but  knowing-^  he 
was  deserving  of  some  punishment,  turned  him  over  to  the 
Indians  (some  say  white  men  disguised  as  Indians).  They 
took  him  out,  tied  him  to  a  tree,  and  gave  him  a  most 
unmerciful  whipping.  This  certainlj'^  should  have  had  a 
beneficial  effect,  but  subsequent  events  proved  otherwise. 
One  of  the  horses  stolen  by  Carsner  had  been  found.  The 
same  night  Carsner  was  rewarded  with  the  cat-o'-nine-tails 
two  horses  were  stolen  from  a  man  by  the  name  of  Fish, 
who  was  bringing  supplies  to  the  Fort  and  had  encamped 
for  the  night  a  few  miles  from  tlie  settlement.  Tlie  Indi 
ans  kindly  lent  Fish  the  horse  they  had  just  reclaimed 
and  he  started  in  search  of  his  own.  But  while  following 
their  trail  through  a  lonesome  strip  of  timber  suddenly 
Jonas  (Jarsner  appeared,  and  coming  abrupt!}'  up,  he  dex- 
trously  cut  the  saddle  girth  with  a  huge  knife,  hurled  Fish 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES.  127 

to  the  gi'ound,  and  bore  uAvay  at  full  speed  the  twice-cap- 
tured horse.  The  disconifitted  luau  uow  felt  'like  a  Fish 
out  of  water.'  " 

No  course  was  left  him  but  to  trudge  doggedly  back 
to  his  Indian  friends  whose  curses,  when  they  fully  com- 
prehended Carsner's  coup  de  et  etat,  may  be  imagined,  but 
not  recorded. 

Among  the  first  white  men,  if  not  the  very  first,  to  visit 
Des  Moines  and  become  a  resident  and  afterwards  a  set- 
tler near  by,  was  John  D.  Parmelee.  He  was  a  native  of 
Vermont  and  had  lived  north  and  south,  and  finally  came 
to  Iowa  in  1840  as  the  agent  of  a  fur  company.  His  first 
location  was  in  what  is  now  Wapello  county,  near  Ot- 
tumwa.     In  a  letter  written  by  him  in  1841  he  says : 

"It  is  one  of  the  most  pleasant  countries  that  can  be 
found  in  the  world,  and  I  think  very  healthj'.  The  Des 
Moines  River  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  streams  that  ever 
flowed.  It  is  about  as  wide  as  the  Connecticut  River, 
but  shallow,  with  high  banks,  with  gravel  or  rock  bottom 
and  as  clear  as  the  streams  that  tumble  from  the  moun- 
tains of  Vermont.  The  country  is  well  divided  into  tim- 
ber and  prairie  for  the  convenience  of  the  farmer." 

On  March  27, 1843,  he  again  writes,  dating  from  the  Des 

Moines  River: 

"The  Indians  have  sold  their  whole  country,  but 
retain  one-half  of  it  for  three  years  more.  This  will 
cause  us  to  move  our  trading  post  one  hundred  miles 
up  the  river,  by  the  first  of  May,  and  there  remain  for  three 
years.  You  can  see  where  I  have  located  our  new  trading 
post  bj^  looking  at  your  map  of  the  United  States.  We 
shall  be  on  the  north  side  of  the  Des  Moines  River,  directly 
opposite  to  the  mouth  of  the  Raccoon  River,  which  is  a  lit- 
tle more  than  one  hundred  miles  above  where  we  now  are. 
The  winter  has  been  remarkably  cold,  with  an  immense  fall 
of  snow,  from  one  and  one  half  to  two  feet  deep.  Since  the 
twelfth  of  this  month  (March)  I  have  been  to  Raccoon 
River,  and  have  taken  men  and  provisions  for  building 
.our  post  on  the  ice.     It  is  still  cold  winter  weather,  very 


128  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

good  sleighing,  and  ice  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches 
thick  on  the  river.  It  is  equal  to  old  Vermont.  Its 
]iaral]el  was  never  known  in  this  conntry." 

In  the  same  letter  Mr.  Parmelee  states  he  Avas  married 
about  a  month  before.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  John  D.  Par- 
melee was  in  Fort  Des  Moines  some  months  bef(jre  the  ar- 
rival of  the  troops.  He  came  again  in  May,  about  the  time 
the  troojjs  first  came,  owing  to  the  non-payment  of  scnne 
five  hundred  dollars — a  small  fortune  in  those  days — due 
him  from  his  einployers,  he  quit  their  service  in  June,  1848, 
and  took  the  place  of  Moses  Barlow,  as  a  partner  of  Captain 
James  Allen  in  operating  the  first  saw  mill  in  this  section 
of  the  country.  This  mill  was  located  on  Middle  River, 
not  far  from  the  present  town  of  Carlisle.  The  first  object 
of  the  mill  was  to  furnish  lumber  for  use  at  the  buildings 
at  tlie  fort.  The  erection  and  progress  of  this  enter j)rise 
is  given  in  a  letter  written  by  Parmelee  some  time  after  to 
his  friends  in  Vermont.     In  this  he  says: 

"The  work  at  that  time  was  just  commenced.  I  took 
charge  of  the  work,  completed  the  saw  mill  that  winter 
and  furnished  lumber  to  build  Fort  Des  Moines,  and  have 
since  that  time  added  to  the  building  sufficiently  for  a  grist 
mill  with  four  runs  of  burs,  one  of  which  we  have  in  opera- 
tion— all  of  the  best  quality — and  shall  put  in  more  as  the 
country  settles  and  requires  it.  Our  frame  is  45x35  and 
three  stories  high — as  fine  a  building  as  any  of  that  size 
you  can  see  in  Vermont.  .  .  .  Captain  Allen  was  an 
officer  in  the  First  regiment.  United  States  dragoons,  and 
was  promoted  last  spring,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
Mexican  war,  to  be  lieutenant-colonel  of  volunteers,  and 
ordered  to  California,  but  was  taken  sick  just  at  the  time 
he  Avas  to  start,  and  died  at  Fort  Leavenworth.  It  has  been 
very  expensive  Avork,  and  it  Avas  done  at  a  time  Avhen  this 
was  an  Indian  country,  and,  of  course,  hands  and  provis- 
ions w^ere  hard  to  get.  But  it  is  in  the  flower  of  loAva,  and 
the  garden  of  the  Avorld.  I  have  a  farm  adjoining,  Avith 
eighty  acres  in  cultiA^ation,  and  about  one  hundred  and 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  BE^  MOIXE^.  129 

forty  under  fence,  but  this  I  will  have  to  pay  Umle  ^ani 
for  Avhen  it  comes  into  market,  at  -11.25  per  acre,  though 
my  claim  includes  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  half 
timber  and  the  rest  river  bottom,  all  lying  on  the  banks  of 
the  Des  Moines  River,  one  of  the  prettiest  rivers  that  flows, 
and  only  ten  miles  below  Fort  Des  Moines,  the  probable 
place  of  our  future  seat  of  government,  it  being  within 
eighteen  miles  of  the  centre.  The  commissioners  are  at 
this  time  in  the  county  for  the  purpose  of  locating." 

The  location  of  the  mill  was  in  Polk  county  at  first,  and 
remained  therein  for  several  years,  but  that  strip,  or  tier 
of  townships,  was  afterwards,  by  legislative  enactment 
taken  from  Polk  and  given  to  Warren  county.  This  first 
saw  and  grist  mill  was  a  great  boon  to  the  early  settlers 
not  only  of  Des  Moines,  but  to  those  also  settling  within  a 
large  area  of  territory  around  the  Raccoon  Forks.  They 
were  no  longer  compelled  to  travel  many  weary  miles 
soutli  and  east  to  procure  necessary  breadstuffs.  They 
could  now  be  supplied  nearer  their  homes.  John  D. 
Parmelee  was  indeed  a  benefactor  to  the  early  settlers  of 
this  entire  section  of  Iowa,  and  his  memory  V\'as  and  will 
be  cherished  by  them  as  long  as  life  exists.  Parmelee's 
mill  was  a  very  important  factor  in  the  early  settlement 
of  Polk,  Warren,  Madison  and  adjacent  counties. 

William  Mason,  for  many  years  a  citizen  of  Warren 
county,  came  to  Fort  Des  Moines  in  1843,  and  assisted  in 
cutting  the  shingles  for  the  (lovernment  building,  and 
afterwards  Avorked  in  the  building  of  the  Parmelee  mills, 
After  going  back  to  New  Jersey  he  returned  in  1845  and 
took  the  (daim,  which  he  subsequently  entered  and  lived 
upon  so  many  years. 

Mention  might  also  here  be  made  of  a  name,  so  familiar 
to  nearly  every  one  of  the  early  settlers,  that  of  Benjamin 
Bryant.     He  came  here  in  May  as  a  trusted  employe  of  the 


130  .i.V.Y.iL^S'  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

trading  company,  and  after  their  occupation  was  gone 
witli  the  Indians,  Mr.  Bryant  remained  a  citizen  of  Des 
Moines,  to  which  he  was  alwaj's  most  ardently  attached. 
He  held  a  number  of  county  and  town  offices,  and  always 
faithfully  discharged  every  public  and  private  duty.  He_ 
was  one  of  the  first  county  treasurers,  deputy  sheriff,  con- 
stable, and  for  a  juimber  of  years  Avas  justice  of  the  peace 
for  Des  Moines  township.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  judg- 
ment and  strict  honesty,  liberal  and  generous  hearted.  He 
had  also  the  distinction  of  having  sustained  a  leading  part 
in  the  first  legal  performance  of  the  marriage  ceremony 
within  the  limits  of  Polk  county.  The  records  show  that 
the  first  marriage  license  issued  in  the  county  was  in  June, 
1846,  when  Benjamin  Bryant  was  married  to  Elvira  Birge, 
in  Franklin  township.  Addison  Michael,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  of  Des  Moines  township,  ofliciatiug  as  the  marrying 
magistrate.  Mrs.  Bryant  died  a  few  years  thereafter,  and 
Mr.  Bryant,  some  years  later  again  married.  Benjamin 
Bryant,  died  in  1SG6;  and  was  sincerely  mourned  by  the 
many  friends  with  whom  he  had  been  associated  so  closely 
in  the  early  and  later  days  of  the  city  and  county. 

Isaac  Cooper,  Avho  made  a  claim  among  the  early  ones 
on  Four  Mile  Creek,  and  was  for  years  a  prominent  citizen 
of  the  city  and  county,  writes  thus  of  the  early  settlers  from 
his  present  home  in  Oleta,  Amador  County,  California, 
under  date  of  June  30, 1895 : 

"I  received  your  letter  some  time  since,  but  as  you  asked 
no  i:)articular  points,  I  hardly  know  what  to  write  you. 
When  your  history  is  published  I  want  a  copy,  of  course. 
Casady  and  others  can  give  later  names  than  those  I  give. 
Should  there  be  any  point  you  wish  to  know  about  that  I 
am  conversant  with,  write  me. 

"Ishallgiveyounames  I  knoAVAV  ho  settled  in  Polk  county 
prior  and  up  to  the  spring  of  1846.     I  think  the  earliest  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  3  31 

'Continuous  settler  of  the  county  will  be  found  in  Anna 
Mills,  born  Newcomer,  who  was  only  a  babe  in  arms  when 
brother  William  and  I  arrived  there  late  in  July  or  early 
August.  Anna  Mills  has  a  sister,  Cassy,  older  thau  she, 
but  I  think  she  is  with  her  mother  in  Louisiana.  New- 
comer moved  his  family  to  the  county  in  1844.  He  came 
himself  in  1843  and  worked  as  a  carpenter  at  tlie  Fort,  his 
family  living  in  a  cabin  on  the  Lamb  place.  The  Lamb 
and  Scott  families  came  up  from  Fairfield  early  in  1843,  as 
corn  contractors  for  the  troops,  and  settled  on  their  several 
places.  They  found  an  army  sergeant  and  three  soldiers 
in  possession  of  the  'Raccoon  Forks.'  Newcomer  got  per- 
mission to  make  his  claim.by  building  a  bridge  over  Four 
Mile  Creek  just  below  where  the  Hock  Island  railroad 
crosses. 

"William  Lamb  raised  a  crop  of  wheat,  the  first  in  Polk 
county,  in  1845,  and  my  brother  William  and  I  sowed 
twelve  acres  to  wheat  on  the  Lamb  place  the  same  year, 
about  September  1.  Dr.  T.  Brooks  came  late  in  1845,  set- 
tled in  tlie  Indian  agent's  house,  and  early  in  1846  laid  out 
tlie  town  of  Brooklyn  ou  the  ground  occupied  by  Phelps  as 
a  trading  post,  and  Avhere  Tuttle  built  his  pork  house.  In 
the  same  year  Dr.  Brooks  was  appointed  postmaster  and 
William  Cooper  deputy.  John  Saylor  was  living  ou  Saylor 
bottom  and  was  beef  contractor  for  the  garrison.  A  man 
named  Post  was  mail  contractor.  William  Hughes  came 
earljr  in  1845;  also,  old  man  Myers  and  his  son  John,  and  I 
assisted  in  raising  their  cabin.  Mr.  Harris  and  his  son 
Nate  were  there  in  1845.  Newton  Lamb  and  family  came 
late  in  the  same  year.  Jerry  Church  was  fiddling  and 
locating  ground  for  the  state  capitol  in  1845. 

''Thomas  Newell  claimed  South  Des  Moines.  Eli  Smith- 
son,  a  roustabout  at  the  garrison,  claimed  the  ground 
back  of  the  dragoou  stables,  which  woiild  include  the  low 
lauds  on  the  Raccoon  about  the  old  fair  grounds.  Ben- 
jamin Bryant  was  an  employe  of  Phelps,  and  was  married 
in  the  early  summer  of  1846  to  Miss  Birge.  This  was  the 
first  marriage  in  the  county,  she  at  that  time  was  living 
with  her  father  on  the  Skunk  River.  William  Cooper  and 
Martha  Lamb  were  guests,  James  Lamb  was  the  fiddler 
for  the  party,  and  the  dancing  was  on  a  ground  floor  under 


132  AXXAJ.S  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

a  brush  roof.  Johu  Baird  aud  William  Warden  work(^d 
for  the  Scotts  and  Thad  Wellmaii  for  Lamb  in  1845. 
Jacob  Fredericks  and  sons  made  claims  in  Four  Mile  tim- 
ber in  1845.  Fred  Elliott  and  Isaac  aud  Riley  Thornton 
claimed  on  upper  Four  Mile  timber  in  1815.  There  were 
most  probably  others  that  I  did  not  know  and  some  that  I 
can't  recall  as  I  write  from  memory.  Keese  Wilkins  can 
probably  give  you  more  full  information,  as  he  has  remain- 
ed in  the  countj'. 

"The  Indian  race  coui'se  was  from  near  where  Cypher 
lived  on  Fourth  street  (where  the  State  Insurance  building 
now  stands),  over  the  ground  where  the  Methodist  churcli 
once  stood  (Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  building),  as  far  as  about 
Seventh  street.  I  attended  the  races  there  in  1845,  and  the 
Indians  beat  the  Avhites,  who  had  brought  race  horses  from 
the  south  part  of  the  state  of  Missouri.  Among  those  who 
had  race  stock  was  old  Billy  AA'are. 

"Thomas  Mitchell  you  know  all  about.  I  brought  the 
first  threshing  machine  to  Polk  county  and  threshed  in 
Jasper,  Mahaska  and  Marion  counties.  Daniel  Justice, 
Peter  Newcomer  and  myself  brought  the  first  reaj)er  and 
mower  in  1847.  Mr.  Oglesvie  and  family  came  in  the 
winter  of  1845,  and  Thomas  Henderson  and  family  in  the 
fall  of  the  same  year. 

"I  can  think  of  nothing  further  and  have  had  to  scratch 
to  remember  this.  Norris  and  Stutsman  came  in  the 
spring  of  184(3.  William  Cooper  sold  Norris  forty  feet  of 
rope  to  dig  a  wellwith,  and  at  the  depth  of  forty  feet  he 
struck  the  top  of  a  pine  or  cedar  tree  and  had  to  come  for 
more  rope. 

"We  are  in  good  health,  mine  esq^jecially  so,  for  a  man 
half  along  in  his  83d  year. 

"Very  truly  yours, 

"    "ISAAC  COOPER." 

ABOUT    OLD   SETTLERS. 

The  following  letter  was  drawn  out  by  that  of  Mr. 
Cooper,  and  was  written  from  Maloy,  Iowa,  under  date 
of  July  5,  1S!»5,  by  John  D.  Carter,  and  is  an  interesting 
contriljution: 


AXD  TITE  CITY  OF  DEfi  MOiyE^.  133 

"I  read  Isaac  Cooper's  letter  in  Sunday's  Kegister,  and  it 
brought  tlie  long  ago  to  my  mind  very  vividly.  Mr.  (^'ooper 
says  John  Baird  and  William  Warden  worked  for  the 
Scotts  in  1845.  I  will  tell  you  that  A.  Davis,  John  (los- 
sage,  Eli  Kirk  and  I  worked  for  the  Seotts  in  1844.  My 
father  settled  in  Jefferson  county  near  Fairfield,  in  1843, 
on  Cedar  Creek,  near  Henry  and  Thomas  Mitchell,  aud 
when  Thomas  Mitchell  moved  to  Cani]i  Creek,  in  Polk 
county,  in  April,  1844,  1,  John  Beard,  Eli  Kirk  and  Davis 
went  to  the  Fort  to  work  for  the  Scotts.  Davis  had  a  wife 
and  she  worked  for  Mrs.  John  Scott.  Davis  made  all  the 
rails  for  the  Scott  improvements  in  the  winter  of  1843-4, 
and  I  helped  build  the  fence.  The  rails  Avere  all  made  of 
white  Avalnut  timber  or  butternut. 

"John  Beard  was  hauling  corn  from  Fairfield  for  the 
Scotts.  The  summer  (jf  1844  was  wet  and  Scott  fell  short 
ou  corn  for  the  dragoons.  I  went  home  to  Fairfield,  got 
my  father's  ox  team,  and  brought  seventy-five  bushels  of 
corn  to  the  Fort  for  the  Scotts,  and  then  broke  up,  I  think, 
seventy-five  acres  of  prairie  for  the  Scotts.  I  also  broke  up 
a  garden  patch  for  Smart,  the  Indian  interpreter  for  the 
(lovernment.  Pie  lived  out  at  the  agency  buildings  by  the 
spring. 

"Mr. Cooper  gives  the  location  of  the  race  track  right  at 
the  Fort.  We  had  auother  one  on  the  bottom  towards 
where  Lamb  farmed,  and  we  put  in  most  of  the  Sundays 
one  place  or  the  other;  mostly  in  the  bottom  for  the  reason 
it  was  too  much  trouble  to  swim  our  horses  over  the  river 
to  the  Fort.  John  Scott  outran  Ingram  Baker,  the  agency 
blacksmitli,  on  the  track  in  the  Fort  that  summer,  and  also 
outran  the  Heetest  Indians  in  the  Sac  tribe. 

"The  only  families  I  know  outside  of  the  agency  people 
were  the  Scotts,  Lambs,  Thomas  Mitchell  and  Joseph 
Thrift,  a  tailor  by  ti'ade,  who  lived  over  north  and  east  of 
the  capitol  building.  A  Mr.  Parmelee  w^as  building  a  mill 
over  on  one  of  the  three  rivers. 

"Now  I  want  to  say  myonlyreasonforwritingthis  bung- 
ling letter  is  to  let  .you  know  that  I  helped  to  make  one  of 
the  first  farms  in  Polk  county;  that  I  plowed  np  and  fenced 
quite  a  field  where  East  Des  Moines  now  stands.     I  w^as 


18i 


ANNALS  OF  I'OLK  COUNTY 


20  years  old  then.     I  went  to  California  in  1849,  dug  up 
some  mouej^,  and  entered  the  land  I  am  now  living  upon. 

"Yours  truly, 

"JOHN  D.  CARTER." 


OLD    STATE    CAPITOL    BEFORE    THE    FIRE. 


CHAPTER  Vlll. 

TOWN    AND   COUNTY    IN   THE    FORTIES. 

THE  map  drawn  at  the  United  States  War  Depart- 
ment, and  published  in  this  volnme,  shows  the  loca- 
tion of  the  fort,  buildings,  stables,  hospital,  etc. 
The  bnildino-s  in  which  the  soldiers  were  quartered,  were 
mostly  built  of  logs,  and  Avere  what  are  known  as  double 
log  cabins.  That  is,  two  cabins  built  closely  together, 
-R-ith  a  roof  extending  over  the  vacant  space  between,  the 
latter  forming  a  kind  of  court  useful  for  the  storing  of 
numerous  articles.  There  were  some  twenty-five  of  these 
buildings  or  barracks.  The  flag-staff  of  the  fort  was  near 
the  corner  of  Second  and  Market  streets  as  noAV  laid  out. 
The  fort  buildings  facing  along  the  Des  Moines  lUver  to- 
wards the  north  and  along  the  Eaccoon  River  to  the  west, 
the  towering  flag-staff  stood  about  mid-way  between  the 
sides  of  the  triangle.  This  staff  or  pole  was  cut  down  not 
long  after  the  s(ddiers  left. 

\\'hile  the  troops  were  here  no  white  person  was 
allowed  to  settle  in  the  town  or  county,  without  special 
permission  from  the  commandant  of  the  post,  and  they  had 
generally  some  connection  with  the  troops  or  with  the 
licensed  traders.  Hence  at  first,  the  civilians  or  settlers 
were  very  few  in  number.  In  fact,  outside  of  the  soldiers, 
those  in  and  about  the  future  city  can  be  easily  enumer- 
ated. There  were  Major  Beach,  the  Indian  agent,  and  his 
interpreter,  Joseph  Smart;  the  Indian  traders,  G.  W.  and 
W.  G.  Ewing,  and  their  few  clerks,  among  them  being 
Benjamin  Bryant;  the  fur  traders,  Phelps  &  Co.,  and  their 
few  clerks;  J.  B.  Scott,  W.  A.  Scott,  Alexander  Turner  and 


136       ANNALl^  OF  POhK  COrXTY 

William  Lamb,  who  had  cfiiiti-acted  to  furnish  corn,  hay, 
etc.,  foi'the  jiarrisou;  Chaides  Woi'thiuj^tou  and  one  Baker, 
government  blacksmiths;  Joseph  M.  Thrift  Avas  the  tailor 
and  James  Drake  and  John  vSturdevant,  the  gunsmiths. 
There  were  also  Ivobert  A.  Kinsey,  the  sutler  for  the 
troops,  and  the  surgeon,  Dr.  (h'iffin.  Tlie  troops,  number- 
ing about  one  hundred,  more  or  less,  and  a  few  of  the 
above  named,  were  in  or  near  the  fort  on  the  west  side, 
while  the  agency,  the  farmers  and  others  were  located  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Des  Moines  River,  while  the  gardens 
of  the  troops  were  south  of  the  IJaccoon.  Such  was  Fort 
Des  Moines  in  184.3.  South  and  east  of  it,  some  seventy- 
liA^e  miles  on  the  river,  Avas  Eddj'ville,  which  was  settled 
in  June  of  that  year,  and  had  at  the  close  of  the  year 
probably  one  dozen  families.  Ottumwa  was  founded 
about  the  same  time  and  had  at  the  end  of  the  year  more 
civilized  inhabitants  than  Fort  Des  Moines.  There  may 
have  been  a  few  settlers  in  or  about  Red  Rock,  but  from 
the  Raccoon  Forks  to  Eddyville  it  was  an  unoccupied 
country,  while  there  were  no  settlers  whatever  to  the 
north. 

This  was  the  condition  of  Des  Moines  and  of  the  county 
of  Polk  in  1843,  and  this  continued  virtually  to  be  the  con- 
dition of  the  town  and  county  until  the  summer  and  fall 
of  1845. 

Peter  Newcomer  came  with  the  troops  to  the  Fort,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1843  obtained  permission  of  Captain 
Allen  to  take  and  improve  a  claim,  wliicli  he  finally  lo- 
cated on  the  river  at  Newcomei-'s  Point,  a  few  miles  east. 
He,  in  consideration  of  this  privilege,  built  a  bridge  across 
Four  Mile  Creek,  which  was  needed  by  the  garrison, 
Henry  B.  Mitchell  and  Thomas  Mitchell,  brothers,  in 
April,  1844,  made  a  claim,  by  permission,  on  Camp  Creek, 


AXn   THE  f'/TY  OF  DIJS  MOiyiJS.  187 

and  coiiiineiiced  a  settlement.  In  .Vpril,  1X4."),  John  !>. 
Savior  settle<l  on  tlie  east  side  of  the  rivei-,  near  tlie  ](res- 
eiit  site  of  Saylorville,  made  a  (daim,  and  had  a  beef  and 
hav  contract  for  fnrnisliinji  tlie  tr(>()])s.  He  nunh'  the  first 
setf lenient  in  the  J)es  Moines  valley  north  of  the  city.  An 
unmarried  man  by  the  name  of  (1.  I>.  (Mark,  in  1844,  was 
permitted  to  make  a  idaim  in  what  is  now  Allen  township, 
and  there  bnilt  two  cabins.  He  was  drowned  a  year  or 
two  after^\ard  in  the  ri\  er,  near  XeAVconu^r's  Point.  Isaac 
Cooper,  a  former  well  known  citizen,  settled  on  Four  ^lile 
in-Anynst,  1845.  John  I>.  Parmelee  settled  near  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Carlisle,  now  in  Warren  county,  in  1843,  and 
in  connection  Avitli  Captain  Allen,  operated  the  first  saw 
mill,  and  in  the  following  year  the  first  grist  mill,  in  this 
section.  Dr.  Tlnnnas  K.  Brooks  came  in  1845,  a  short  time 
previous  to  the  removal  of  the  troops.  William  F.  Ayers 
was  also  here  at  that  time.  William  Mason,  afterward 
for  many  years  a  citizen  of  Warren  county,  made  shingles 
for  the  Fort  buildings,  and  afterwards  assisted  in  erecting 
the  Parmelee  mill. 

October  11,  1845,  was  the  date  fixed  when  the  Indian 
occupancy  of  these  lands  Avas  to  expire,  and  the  fame  of 
their  beauty,  extent  and  fertility  bad  spread  east  and 
south  into  other  states,  and  many  liomediunters  made 
their  arrangements  for  settling  upon  an<l  secxiring  for 
their  own  use  a  portion  of  these  ricdi  lands.  For  a  few 
months  previous  to  this  date  the  strict  military  rules  ana 
regulations  had  been  rightfully  relaxed,  and  there  were 
hundreds  of  men  from  the  outside  i)rospecting  through 
the  county  and  making  note  of  choice  locations.  How- 
ever, as  the  final  day  approached,  the  excitement  became 
intense.  All  those  so  deeply  interested  proceeded  to  or 
near  tlie  place  where  their  selection  had  been  made  so  as 


138  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

to  be  ready  to  mark  out  their  claim  at  the  earliest  possible 
moment.  Under  the  law  each  man  could  claim  any 
amount  of  land  not  exceeding  one-half  section,  or  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres,  and  could  enter  the  same  at 
the  United  States  land  office  when  surveyed  and  offered  for 
sale  for  .$1.25  per  acre  in  gold  or  silver,  or  with  military 
bounty  land  warrants.  H.  B.  Turrill  in  his  brief  work 
entitled  "Historical  Eeminiscences  of  Des  Moines,"  says 
of  this  time: 

"Long  before  the  expiration  of  the  Indian  title  the  set- 
tlers around  the  Fort  had  made  arrangements  with  each 
other,  and  the  valuable  tracts  were  already  considered 
claims.  Some  claims  were  even  measured  and  staked  off, 
but  this  was  of  no  validity,  and  done  only  for  convenience 
or  to  facilitate  such  subsequent  survey  as  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  establish  and  identify  it.  So  eager  were  the 
settlers,  who  had  previously  remained  only  at  the  suffer- 
ance of  the  general  government,  to  have  homes  near  the 
Fort,  that  during  the  fore  ])art  of  the  night  preceding- 
October  11,  1815,  men  were  stationed  in  all  directions 
around  with  instructions  to  begin  the  measurement  of 
claims  as  soon  as  midnight  arrived. 

"Precisely  at  midnight  the  loud  report  of  a  musket,  fired 
at  the  agency  house,  announced  that  the  empire  of  the 
red  man  had  ended  forever  and  that  of  his  master  race  had 
begun.  Answering  reports  rang  out  upon  the  night  air 
in  quick  succession  from  every  hill  top  and  in  every  valley,, 
till  the  signal  was  conveyed  for  miles  around,  and  alii 
understood  that  civilization  had  now  commenced  her  reign 
in  central  Iowa.  The  moon  was  slowly  sinking  in  the 
west  and  its  beams  afforded  a  feeble  and  uncertain  light 
for  tlie  measurement  of  claims  in  which  so  many  were 
engaged.  Ere  long  the  landscape  was  shrouded  in  dark- 
ness, save  the  wild  and  fitful  glaring  of  the  torches  carried 
by  the  claim-makers.  Before  the  night  had  entirely  worn 
away  the  rough  surveys  were  finished  and  the  Indian  lands 
had  found  new  tenants.  Throughout  the  country  thou- 
sands of  aci-es  were  laid  off  in  claims  before  dawn.     Set- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  189 

tiers  ri;shed  in  by  hundreds,  and  the  region  so  lately  tran- 
quil and  silent  felt  the  impulse  of  its  change  and  became 
vocal  with  the  sounds  of  industry  and  enterprise." 

Thus,  October  11,  1845,  may  be  fixed  as  the  date  of  com- 
mencement of  the  civil  life  of  the  county.  New  settlers 
commenced  arriving  freely  and  taking  up  lauds  for  their 
homes,  new  settlements  were  commenced  in  different  por- 
tions of  the  county,  and  soon  followed  civil  officials,  law 
and  order.  In  six  mouths  after  the  military  rule  and 
Indian  occupancy  had  ceased  the  countj-  of  Polk  was  duly 
and  legall3r  organized. 

The  act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature  creating  Polk 
county  and  fixing  its  boundaries  was  approved  January 
17,  1.S4G.  The  territory  comprising  the  new  county  had 
been  fully  opened  to  white  settlement  only  some  three 
months  prior  to  this  date,  October,  1845,  and  only  about 
two  and  one-half  years  after  the  establishment  of  Fort 
Des  Moines.  Polk  county,  different  from  most  of  the 
other  new  counties  in  the  state,  was  not  attached  for  a 
time  to  any  other  county,  though  for  a  time  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  Mahaska  county  extended  over  a  portion  of  the 
territory  from  which  it  was  carved.  It  served  no  period 
of  tutelage  or  probation,  but  at  once  sprang  into  a  state 
of  independance  and  self-reliance.  It  has  been  well  said: 
"It  gave  i^romise  from  the  first  of  its  future  prominence. 
Its  geographical  location,  physical  features,  and  the  char- 
acter (if  its  first  settlers,  all  prophesied  its  future  great- 
ness and  its  ultimate  selection  as  the  capital  or  head 
county  of  a  great  and  prosperous  state." 

This  county  organization  was  made  by  an  election  held 
April  6,  1846,  and  on  April  13  the 'first  board  of  county 
commissioners  met  and  organized,  Benjamin  Saylor  and 
W.  H.  Meachem  being  the  commissioners  present.     Eri 


140  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

W.  Fonts,  tlie  |hird  member  of  the  board,  was  present 
oil  1lie  second  day.  Perry  L.  (L'rossnian  Avas  county  clerk, 
William  McKay,  clerk  of  the  board;  William  F.  Ayers, 
county  treasure^;  Thomas  McMillin,  rec<n-der  of  deeds; 
A.  I).  Jones,  county  surveyor,  and  James  Phillips,  cor- 
oner. Thomas  Mitchell  was  the  or;j;aniziui.i  sheriff,  and 
was  duly  elected,  at  the  first  election,  sheriff  for  a  full 
term. 

This  was  iuApril,  1.840,  some  six  months  after  the  lapse 
of  the  Indian  title  and  the  opening  of  the  lands  to  settlers. 
At  the  first  election  there  were  only  three  voting  precincts 
in  the  county:  Fort  Des  Moines,  at  Thomas  Mitidiell's 
house  on  Camp  Creek,  and  at  the  Allen  &  Parmelee  mill 
on  Middle  liiver,  now  in  Warren  county.  There  is  no  rec- 
ord of  number  of  votes  jjolled  at  this  first  election,  but  it 
must  have  been  very  small,  although  the  population  of 
the  town  and  county  combined  in  184G  was  placed  at 
1,301. 

The  General  Government  having  given  the  fort  reserva- 
tion to  the  county,  the  latter  also  came  into  possession  of 
all  the  buildings  erected  and  occupied  previously  by  the 
troops,  and  many  of  these  Avere  occupied  as  homes  by  the 
first  settlers  of  the  town,  a  few  of  them  being  utilized  by 
the  county  officers.  NeAV  buildings,  mostly  one-story 
frames,  were  ]'a])idly  erected,  ami  places  f(jr  business  and 
homes  for  the  newconu'rs  Avere  (piickly  provided.  As  was 
natural,  foi'  several  years  business  centered  around  the 
old  fort  buildings  at  "The  Point,"  and  along  the  loAver 
parts  of  First,  Second  and  Third  streets,  ami  it  Avas  eight 
or  ten  years  before  "stores"  and  other  places  of  l)usiness 
AA^ere  opened  (ui  Gourt  avenue  and  Walnut  street.  After 
the  first  rush  at  the  opening  the  increase  of  ]io])ulation 
was  not  as  ra]»id  as  might  have  been  expected,  as  from 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  I>ES    ]f(>fXES.  141 

18J:(J  to  1847  a  .i;ain  of  less  than  six  liiuidred  appears  to 
have  been  made  in  the  jtopuhitiou  of  the  eounty.  Then  it 
became  move  rapid,  ami  in  1850,  less  than  five  yeai's  after 
tlie  Indians  luu'i  left,  the  total  jiopnlation  of  the  county 
had  jnmjied  from  1,301  to  4,513. 

A.  ]>.  Jones,  Avho  ])]atted  as  a  sur\'eyor  the  original 
town  of  Fort  l)es  Moini^s,  in  his  reminiscences  before  the 
Early  Settlers"  Association,  gi\-es  the  names  of  the  prin- 
cipal citizens  of  the  new  town  in  An<;nst,  184().  They 
were : 

Ezra  Kathbnn,  father,  two  young  ladies  and  two  young 
men;  1).  Bolenberger  and  wife,  W.  W.  (lapp  and  wife, 
James  Campbell,  wife  and  two  or  three  children;  Mr. 
Thorp  and  several  children,  Mr.  Morris,  wife  and  children, 
Sam  Vanalter,  wife  and  children;  B.  T.  Hoxie,  wife  and 
children;  Martin  Tuclcer,  Avife  and  several  children;  Col- 
onel Thomas  Baker,  wife  and  several  children;  Mr.  Ca- 
vee,  wife  and  two  children;  William  Wai'd  and  wife. 
Perry  Wear  and  wife,  William  F.  Ayers,  wife  and  chil- 
dren; Addison  Michael,  wife  and  child;  Colonel  John 
Rose,  wife  and  children;  Mr.  Crowe  and  wife.  Perry  L. 
Crossman,  wife  and  child;  Joseph  Thrift  and  family;  John 
Ehle,  wife  and  child;  Mr.  Busick,  wife  and  children.  The 
following  names  of  young  ladies  are  given:  Misses  Mary 
Thorp  and  sister,  Melissa  Hoxie,  Letitia  Tucker,  Miss 
Kirkbide  and  Jemima  Scott.  Of  the  unmarried  gentlemen 
there  were:  George  A.  Michael,  Dr.  Kirkbride,  Thomas 
McMullen,  P.  M.  Casady,  L.  McHenry,  Louis  Whitten, 
Major  William  'McKay  and  Jonathan  and  Levi  Rath- 
bun. 

During  the  ])eriod,  from  1845  to  1850,  the  town  of  Fort 
Des  Moines  continued  to  increase  in  iiopulation,  but  not 
with  the  rapidity  of  after  years.    In  some  respects  it  was 


142  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  slow  growth  during  these  five  years.  The  town  was  not 
then  incorporated,  thongh  the  town  had  been  officially 
declared  the  county  seat  in  1846,  and  in  June  of  the  same 
year  A.  I).  Jf»nes,  county  surveyor,  had  been  ordered  to 
plat  the  town.  The  grounds  occupied  by  and  reserved  as 
the  military  post,  had  by  act  of  Congress  been  granted 
to  the  county  for  the  purpose  of  a  county  seat,  and  one 
hundred  and  forty-three  and  one-third  acres  entered  in  the 
names  of  the  county  commissioners  under  the  pre-emp- 
tion laws  of  the  liuited  States.  Surveyor  Jones  com- 
pleted the  platting  of  the  original  town,  and  on  July  8, 
1846,  B.  Saylor  and  W.  H.  Meachem,  county  commision- 
ers,  executed  a  deed  of  dedication  of  the  streets,  alleys, 
public  grounds,  etc.,  and  made  an  official  filing  of  the 
original  plat.  It  was  ordered  that  the  lots  be  sold  at  pub- 
lic auction  on  Juh^  15,  1846,  and  that  notice  of  this  sale 
be  published  in  the  Iowa  City  Reporter,  Burlington 
Ilawkeye  and  Keosauf|ua  Democrat.  Then  Des  Moines 
had  no  newspaper,  and  now  it  has  more  population,  ranch 
more,  than  all  three  of  the  cities  mentioned,  and  news- 
papers by  the  score.  These  lots  were  sold  on  the  following 
terms:  "One-sixth  cash  in  hand,  the  balance  in  three 
equal  installments,  in  six,  twelve  and  eighteen  months.'" 
The  sale  was'  well  attended  for  that  day,  but  only  a  com- 
paratively small  portion  of  the  lots  Avere  then  sold.  Lots 
were  then  and  afterAvardsi:>urchased for  less  than  one  hnn- 
dr(-d  dollars,  ^Ahich  have  since  sold  for  nmu}'  thousands 
of  dollars.  The  lots  not  sold  at  public  sale  were  subse- 
ipiently  all  sold  by  the  county  to  private  purchasers',  and 
in  a  year  or  two  were  all  disjiosed  of.  The  lots  lying 
toAvards  "The  Point"  on  Second  Street,  commanded  the 
highest  ])rice,  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  Second  and  Market 
bringing  .|106.  The  high  priced  Walnut  street  lots  of 
today  were  then  about  the  lowest  in  price. 


AND   TJIE  CITY  OF  DEf<  MOINES.  US 

The  first  "grocery"  permits  granted  by  the  board  of 
commissioners  were  to  W.  W.  Clapp  and  Addison  Mich- 
ael, who  paid  twenty-five  dollars  a  year  for  the  privilege 
of  selling  intoxicating  liquors.  They  were  among  the 
first  of  the  dealers  in  groceries,  dry  goods,  etc.  Benjamin 
T.  IToxie  was  also  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  to  open 
a  general  store  for  the  sale  of  goods.  James  Campbell 
was  also  one  of  the  first,  with  a  general  store,  and  also 
sold  licinors.  For  a  number  of  years  he  "\^'as  a  leading  mer 
chant,  and  is  now  a  well  known  resident  of  tlie  city.  Chap- 
man &  Thompson,  general  store;  B.  F.  Allen  and  Sam  Y. 
Keene,  general  store;  William  Krauss,  clothing,  etc. ;  A. 
Xewton,  general  store;  L.  D.  Winchester,  drugs;  D.  P.  W. 
Day,  dry  goods,  etc.;  Jesse  Dicks,  hardware;  Charles 
Good,  drugs;  W.  W.  Moore,  drugs,  and  afterwards  gen- 
eral store;  John  Tyler,  Peter  Myers,  and  Wiley  C.  Moore, 
clerks  and  dealers;  C.  D.  Reinking,  furniture;  William 
Deford,  blacksmith;  William  F.  Ayers  and  Joseph  M. 
Thrift,  tailors;  Martin  Monshun,  livery,  hack  line  and 
mail  carrier. 

In  Januarj^,  1S47,  the  board  of  commissioners  decided 
upon  building  a  court  house  for  the  county  and  asked  for 
plans  for  the  same,  but  not  until  the  following  October 
were  plans  adopted.  October  7,  it  was  ordered  that  a 
court  house  be  built  upon  lot  7,  in  block  7,  in  the  original 
town  of  Fort  Des  Moines.  This  is  where  the  Wabash  and 
Des  Moines  Union  railroad  depot  now  stands,  south  of  the 
present  court  house.  It  was  ordered:  "vSaid  house  shall 
be  twentj'-  four  feet  by  thirty-six  feet,  two  stories  high." 
Plans  Avere  ordered  drawn  for  this  by  John  C.  Jones. 

Subsequently,  November,  1847,  this  plan  was  rejected, 
and  another  adopted,  providing  for  a  temporary  court 
house.     "The  size  of  said  court  house  shall  be  26x52  feet. 


144  AXXALH  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  foundation  to  be  of  stoue,  extending  eighteen  inches 
belo'O'  and  twelve  inches  above  tlie  surface  of  the  ground; 
wall  to  be  made  of  l»rick  and  to  be  tAvo  stories  liigh;  loAver 
oi-  basement  story  to  be  nine  feet  high,  and  the  thickness 
of  the  wall  in  the  lower  story  to  be  eighteen  inches;  upper 
story  to  be  eight  feet  high,  and  the  thitdvuess  of  the  wall 
in  said  story  to  be  hfteen  inches."  And  Louis  Whitten 
\>'as  "allnwod"  to  i>rocnre  a  draft  and  specitications  of  the 
foregoing  plan,  and  it  A\as  oi-dored  that  a  contract  be  let 
at  tlie  follo'\\-iug  January  term.  January  *>,  1S48,  there 
appeared  tliree  bids;  \\'.  A.  Scott, -f  4,9!t9.99;  W.  W.Jones 
and  W.  II.  dose,  |2,!)00;  John  Saylor,  .f  1,950.50.  Some 
alterations  were  mad''  in  the  plans  and  the  c<intract  was 
let  to  John  Saylor  for  $2,050.  Saylor  commenced  upon 
his  contract,  which  was  to  enclose  the  building  in  one  year 
and  com]ilete  the  same  in  1849.  But  it  appears  that  he 
did  not  fully  comply  with  his  contract,  as  it  was  not  com- 
pleted in  January,  1850,  and  the  board  released  him  and 
contracted  with  Samuel  Oray,  ])lasterer,  aiul  John  (\ 
Jones,  car])euter,  to  complete  the  A\'ork.  The  court  house 
appears  to  have  been  tinished  in  1850,  and  after  being  in 
tise  some  eight  or  ten  years  for  county  and  other  purposes, 
was  abandoned,  and  in  1868  was  sold  to  the  trustees  of 
the  Christian  cliurth.  It  was  afterwards  sold  by  the 
(  hurch  and  a  i)ortion  of  it  is  m)w  used  as  a  railroad  depot. 

The  Star,  the  hrst  news])aper,  made  its  appearance  in 
1849,  and  was  soon  followed  by  the  ( razette.  To  show  the 
improvements  made  during  these  five  years,  the  (Tazette 
of  Jantiary,  1850,  gives  a  list  of  all  the  grist  and  saw  mills 
in  I'olk  county  at  that  time,  as  follows: 

Hi<dvman's  saw  mill  on  Beaver  Creek-,  nine  miles  above, 
with  a  capacity  of  about  10,000  feet  of  lumber  per  day. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  145 

Stutsman's  saw  mill,  on  Big  Creek,  fifteen  miles  up  the 
Des  Moines  Iviver,  capacitj'^  2,500  feet  per  day. 

Gilpin's  saw  mill,  eight  miles  up  the  river,  1,000  feet 
per  clay. 

Thompson's  saw  mill,  on  Four  Mile  Creek,  1,000  feet 
per  (lay. 

Napier's  saw  mill,  on  Four  Mile  Creek,  with  a  caf)acity 
of  2,000  feet  per  day,  and  also  had  a  run  of  burs  for  grind- 
ing wheat  and  corn. 

Keeny's  saw  mill,  on  Xorth  River,  six  miles  frcjm  the 
mouth,  2,500  feet  of  lumber  per  day,  and  also  a  run  of  burs 
for  grinding  corn.  There  was  also  another  saw  mill  a 
few  miles  from  Keeny's,  with  a  capacity  of  2,500  feet  per 
day. 

Wright  &  Stump,  saw  mill  in  Dallas  county^,  twelve 
miles  up  Raccoon  River,  capacity  2,000  feet  per  day. 

B.  F.  Jesse,  saw  mill  on  Walnut  Creek,  capacity  2,000 
feet  per  day.  ^ 

Snodgrass,  saw  mill  on  Beaver  Creek,  six  miles  from 
town,  capacity  2,500  feet  per  day. 

The  first  mill  in  the  limits  of  the  citj',  was  perhaps, 
one  built  by  W.  H.  Meacham.  It  was  a  circular  saw, 
propelled  by  horse  power,  and  could  run  about  1,500  feet 
of  lumber  per  day. 

About  1850  B.  F.  Allen  and  C.  C.  Van  built  a  steam  mill 
within  the  present  corporate  limits,  and  shortly  after, 
Dean  &  Cole  erected  a  steam  grist  and  saw  mill  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  river,  l)etT\een  Locust  and  Grand  avenue. 
This  was  completed  in  1850,  and  was  in  many  respects 
superior  to  any  previously  built  in  the  county.  It  sup- 
plied for  a  number  of  years,  flour  and  meal  for  most  of  the 
country  around,  and  in  a  year  or  two  the  mill  was  further 

9 


146  ANNAL^^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

improved,  and  devoted  exclusively  to  the  mauiifacture  of 
floiir  and  meal.  About  1855-6  it  passed  into  the  control 
of  Sheperd,  Perrior  &  Bennett,  who  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
years  thereafter  ran  the  mill  with  much  success. 

Grist  and  saw  mills  were  then  most  important  auxilia- 
ries in  building  up  town  and  county.  Flour  and  meal  were 
needed  for  food,  and  the  lumber  was  required  for  the  erec- 
tion of  dwellings,  store  rooms,  barns,  stables,  bridges,  etc., 
and  without  these  mills  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  town 
and  county  woiild  have  been  greatly  retarded.  Then 
there  was  little  shipping  in  of  pine  and  other  lumber  and 
the  cost  of  building  was  heavy.  Without  the  use  of  native 
lumber  building  would  have  stopped.  Then  there  was 
thrice  the  amount  of  native  lumber  used  comparatively 
with  the  present  day,  when  railroads  and  other  changes 
have  brought  lumber  of  all  kinds  from  a  distance  to  be 
used  in  the  construction  of  buildings  and  for  other  pur- 
poses. 

Another  very  important  matter  occurred  during  this 
five  years.  The  settlers  were  at  last  enabled  to  secure 
titles  from  the  United  States  to  the  lands  which  they  had 
theretofore  held  only  as  aliens.  April  8,  1848,  at  a  meet- 
ing held  in  Fort  Des  Moines,  a  Claim  club  was  organized 
for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  settlers  in  hold- 
ing their  claims,  and  also  to  aid  them  in  duly 
entering  the  same  at  the  United  States  land  oftice 
at  Iowa  City  where  these  lands  were  offered  at 
public  sale,  and  made  subject  thereafter  to  pri- 
vate entry.  The  public  lands  in  Polk  county  were  all  sur- 
veyed in  1847,  and  opened  to  entry  in  October,  1848.  R. 
L.  Tidrick  was  appointed  the  agent  of  the  settlers  to 
attend  the  land  sales  and  bid  off  the  various  tracts  of  land 
claimed  by  the  settlers  of  the  county.     He  went  to  Iowa 


AiA^Z)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  147 

City  in  October,  1848,  accompanied  by  a  nnmber  of  deter- 
mined men  selected  from  among  the  settlers,  and  there 
purchased  all  the  lands  claimed  for  the  settlers,  with  very 
little  trouble.  There  were  more  than  one  hundred  mem- 
bers of  the  Polk  County  club  vitallj^  interested  in  secur- 
ing their  respective  homes  and  land.  After  the  public 
sale,  entries  were  rapidly  made  of  other  lands  in  the 
county.  More  details  of  this  club  and  the  original  entry 
uf  land  are  given  in  another  chapter  of  this  worl^. 

The  first  term  of  the  district  court  ever  held  in  the 
county  commenced  April  6,  1816,  Hon.  Joseph  Williams, 
territorial  judge,  presiding,  and  thiis  the  courts  were 
opened  and  continued  open  for  the  protection  of  the  peo- 
ple and  their  rights.  The  county  organization  had  been 
perfected  previously  to  the  holding  of  courts,  and  in  a  few 
years  the  incorporation  of  the  town  folloAved.  Until 
incorporated  the  township  officers  exercised  their  powers 
the  same  as  in  other  townships,  and  the  county  commis- 
sioners exercised  more  or  less  control  over  affairs. 

A.  D.  Jones,  who  first  platted  the  town  of  Fort  Des 
Moines,  writing  to  the  Early  Settlers'  Association  in  1868, 
gives  some  very  interesting  details  of  Fort  Des  Moines  and 
Polk  county.  Mr.  Jones  arrived  in  the  town  on  February 
13,  1846,  and  on  the  next  day  attended  a  'political  mass 
meeting  and  was  nominated  for  the  office  of  county  sur- 
veyor and  also  acted  as  secretary  of  the  meeting.  In 
those  days  the  new-comer  did  not  have  to  wait  long  before 
he  was  eligible  for  office.  The  facts  were,  they  were  all 
new  settlers.  At  that  time  the  contest  was  between  the 
town  of  Brooklyn,  on  the  east  side  near  the  present  limits 
of  the  city,  and  Fort  Des  Moines,  as  to  which  should  be  the 
county  seat.  The  fight  was  a  warm  one,  as  all  these  fights 
are  apt  to  be,  and  finally  to  decide  the  matter  the  General 


148  '      ANNAL>y  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Assemblj  appointed  Thomas  M.  Hughes,  of  Johusou,  M. 
Z.  Williams,  (if  Mahaska,  and  Giles  M.  Pinneo,  of  Scott 
connty,  to  make  the  location.  It  may  seem  strange  to 
us  of  this  day,  but  the  fact  was  there  Avas  doubt  for  a  time 
as  to  which  of  the  competing  towns  would  be  the  winner. 
The  commissioners  were  slow  in  organizing  and  getting 
to  work,  and  local  excitement  ran  high.  It  is  mentioned 
as  a  historical  fact  that  Dr.  Fagan,  Thos.  Mitchell  and  two 
others  went  to  Iowa  Cit}'  (then  no  pleasant  journey  in  the 
winter  time),  to  lobby  in  the  General  Assembly,  and  by 
their  efforts  secured  the  passage  of  an  act  transferring 
the  four  northern  townships  of  Warren  coimty  to  Polk 
county.  This  threw  Fort  Des  Moines  more  in  tlie  center 
of  the  county,  added  to  her  friends  and  helped  secure 
finally  the  county  seat.  Thf)se  townships  were  a  few 
years  later  returned  to  Warren  connty,  where  they  really 
belonged.  They  were  only  borrftwed  for  a  little  time  on 
a  special  occasion.  This  county  seat  trouble  was  finally 
and  let  us  all  hope,  forever  settled  by  the  action  of  the 
commissioners  who  selected  Fort  Des  Moines  as  the 
place.  After  a  little  grumbling  this  action  of  the  com- 
missioners was  cheerfully  acquiesced  in  by  all  the  inter- 
ested parties,  and  Brooklyn  disappeared  with  many 
another  once  ambitious  but  now  dead  and  forgotten  town 
of  Iowa.  The  commissioners  traveled  over  ,the  county 
for  more  than  one  week  looking  at  proposed  county  seats, 
among  others  taking  a  look  at  Uncle  Jerry  (Jhurch's  new 
town  of  Dudley,  some  two  miles  east  of  the  present  town 
of  Carlisle,  in  Warren  county,  but,  much  to  Uncle  Jerry's 
chagrin,  ])ronounced  it  too  low  and  subject  to  overtlow. 
However,  when  a  year  or  two  later  the  waters  of  the  Des 
Moines  covered  all  his  town  site  he  was  forced  to  admit 
the  commissioners  were  not  without  good  judgment.     On 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE^^  MOINES.  149 

May  25,  1846,  the  people  of  Fort  Des  Moines  aud  their 
friends  had  a  grand  jollification  over  the  action  of  the 
commissioners,  firing  log  and  other  guns,  giving  a  big  din- 
ner, and  closing  with  speeches,  music  and  dancing.  They 
were  happy;  Fort  Des  Moines  was  the  county  seat  of  Polk 
county! 

Mr.  Jones  states:  "March  1,  1846,  the  first  marriage 
was  solemnized  between  John  Beard  and  Mary  Jane  Wel- 
man,  by  Jle\.  Mr.  Post.  The  license  was  procured  fr(jm 
Marion  County." 

A.  D.  Jones'  opponent  for  county  surveyor  got  more 
votes  than  he  did  on  the  face  of  the  returns,  but  Joues 
contested  and  secured  the  office,  aud  by  virtue  of  it  com- 
menced the  survey  of  the  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines  on 
June  4.  1846. 

Among  the  items  of  interest  given  by  Mr.  Jones  in  his 
letter  are  the  following: 

"Martin  Tucker  started  the  first  hotel.  The  first 
preacher  of  Polk  county  was  Ezra  llathbun,  Methodist, 
and  about  the  smartest  preacher  we  ever  had  in  the 
county.  Besides  that  he  was  a  gentleman,  and  not  to 
disparage  others  of  his  profession,  he  was  every  way  their 
superior. 

"On  Jnne  10,  1846,  the  first  marriage  license  in  the 
county  was  issued  to  Benjamin  Bryant  and  Barbara  Elvira 
Birge. 

"We  celebrated  the  Fourth  of  July,  1846,  with  Tom 
Baker,  orator;  Major  McKay,  reader  of  Declaration  of 
Independence;  Messrs.  Winchester,  France  and  iricott, 
marshals,  and  myself  acting  as  president  of  the  day. 
Toasts  were  read  and  cheered.  About  two  hnndred  peo- 
ple were  in  attendance.  The  day  was  very  warm.  Din- 
ner, one  dollar  per  couple.  A  dance  was  hehl  at  night. 
Take  the  day  through  it  was  a  pleasant  and  jolly  gath- 
ering. 

"The    lawyers  in  town   July  23,   1846,    were:     Thos. 


150  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Baker,  W.  D.  Frazee,  P.  M.  Casadj',  L.  D.  Winchester  and 
William  McKay.  Phj'siciaus:  Dr.  Fagan,  a  graduate 
of  St.  Louis,  aud  Dr.  Kirkbride. 

"One  store,  assessed  at  $1,500,  kept  by  B.  T.  Hoxie,  one 
dry  goods  and  grocery  store,  by  A.  Michael,  a  grocery  and 
provision  store,  by  W.  W.  Clapp,  a  grocery  (saloon)  and 
place  of  amusement,  by  J.  Campbell,  a  tavern  by  M. 
Tucker,  an  apothecary  shop,  by  L.  D.  Winchester,  a  turner 
and  chair  factory,  by  Mr.  Van  Matlang,  wagon  maker 
and  carpenter,  D.  Solenberger,  millwright,  John  Ehle, 
and  W.  F.  Ayers,  tailor,  A.  Michael,  justice  of  the  peace, 
and  Jesse  I\.  Miller,  constable.  Methodist  church  with 
two  ministers,  Ezra  Eathbun  aud  father,  and  a,  Baptist 
church. 

"July  23, 181G,  I  made  it  my  business  to  take  the  census. 
There  were  eleven  young  ladies  and  thirteen  young  gen- 
tlemen, who  were  proper  subjects  for  matrimonv- 

"A  very  perceptible  difference  formerly  was  noticed  in 
reference  to  the  waters  of  the  Des  Moines  and  'Coon  rivers, 
the  former  being  much  the  warmer  at  the  same  hour." 

On  the  original  site  of  Des  Moines  Avere  several  mounds, 
the  principal  ones  being  where  W.  W.  Moore's  buildings 
and  Wonderland  Museum  now  stand,  corner  f>f  Fourth 
and  Walnut  streets,  and  also  on  the  court  house  square. 
It  is  claimed  by  some  that  they  were  i)rehistoric  work, 
and  the  Indians  knew  nothing  of  their  origin.  A.  D. 
Jones,  the  surveyor,  however,  claims  they  were  nothing 
but  the  debris  and  accumulations  around  the  fallen  resi- 
dences of  Indians  formerly  inhabiting  this  region.  He 
contends  they  were  not  graves,  though  it  is  claimed  the 
early  settlers  found  in  them  human  bones  and  other  relics. 
W.  W.  Moore  l)ouglit  the  bhxdc  mentioned  in  1852  for  .f  (300, 
and  lived  with  his  family  for  several  years  in  a  neat 
frame  cottage  perched  high  above  the  present  grade.  He 
yet  owns  most  of  the  block  which  is  now  Avorth  much  more 
than  one  hundred  times  what  he  paid  for  it  something 
over  forty  years  ago. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  151 

W.  W.  Moore  says  the  first  Sunday  after  he  arrived 
in  Fort  Des  Moines  there  was  a  horse  race,  attended  by 
many  pef>ple,  and  stores  were  open  as  usuah  He  dis- 
played goods  in  front  of  Lyon  &  Allen's  store  the  same 
as  npon  other  days.  The  original  Indian  race  track  ran 
diagonally  from  abont  where  the  Kirkwood  Honse  stands 
towards  and  Avest  of  the  conrt  honse  sqnare,  passing  over 
the  ground  where  the  Methodist  church  once  stood,  and 
where  now  is  the  large  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  building. 
There  were  many  exciting  races  over  the  track  in  the 
early  days.  Later  there  was  a  race  track  further  west,  aaid 
in  1855  Dr.  James  Campbell  and  others  arranged  a  race 
track  on  the  bottom  south  of  "Coon  River.  These  were 
generally  running  races,  a  single  dash  of  one-quarter  of 
a  mile,  and  mone^'  was  often  freely  staked  upon  them  in 
considerable  amounts.  Watches  and  other  personal 
property  were  also  frequently  staked  upon  the  results, 
and  in  a  few  instances  it  is  said  town  lots,  then  not  as  val- 
uable as  now,  were  wagered  ou  a  horse  race.  Foot  races 
were  also  common.  The  Indians  were  very  fond  of  rac- 
ing, and  always  had  ponies  they  would  run,  and  many  of 
them  were  inveterate  gamesters.  They  were  generally 
what  was  termed  "square  gamblers,"  and  paid  their 
losses  Avithout  grumbling,  though  they  not  unfrequently 
werewinners  from  the  Avliites.  The  latter  were  also  fond  of 
die  sport  and  excitement  and  races  were  of  frequent  oc- 
currence. Later  on,  in  1855,  shortly  after  his  arrival  here, 
the  Avriter  Avas  induced  to  Avager  .|40  on  tAvo  foot  races, 
and  quickly  lost  it  all.  The  Avinning  runner  in  one  of 
these  races  has  recently  been  running*  as  a  canvasser  for 
this  History.  The  writer  not  long  afterwards  had  the  sat- 
isfaction of  defeating  an  Indian  in  a  foot  race  and  thus 
recouped  a  portion  of  the  money  he  had  lost. 


152  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  lirst  drug  store  was  opened  by  Dr.  F.  C.  Grimmell, 
who,  Avith  his  wife  and  five  children,  came  from  Perry 
county,  Ohio.  From  their  old  to  their  new  home  they  came 
OA^erland  with  teams,  and  brought  not  only  household 
goods,  but  also  a  stock  of  drugs,  arriving  in  Fort  Des 
Moines  on  October  15,  1846.  The  only  vacant  house  they 
could  find  for  immediate  use  was  the  old  square  house  of 
the  garrison,  two  rooms  about  fourteen  feet  square,  with 
small  ircju-barred  windows.  Two  sides  of  the  rooms 
were  filled  with  the  drugs,  etc.,  and  the  remainder  occu- 
pied by  the  famil}'  and  goods.  In  the  spring  of  1847  Dr. 
Grimmell  made  a  claim  on  eighty  acres  of  land  lying  uorth 
from  Grand  avenue  to  School  street,  east  to  Fourth  and 
west  to  Eighth  street.  At  that  time  this  valuable  tract 
was  covered  with  oak  grubs  and  hazel  brush,  and  in  places 
it  was  difficult  for  a  man  to  pass  through  it.  The  same 
spring  the  Doctor  erected  a  log  cabin  where  tlie  large 
Catholic  church  now  stands,  and  a  stable  on  the  lot  where 
n((w  reside  the  Sisters  of  Charity.  Shortly  after  he 
erected  a  frame  dwelling  in  front  of  the  log  cabin,  and 
was  much  delayed  in  finishing  the  same  because  of  the 
scarcity  of  finishing  lumber  and  lime.  In  this  building  in 
June,  1848,  the  Doctor's  daughter,  Augusta,  was  married 
to  P.  M.  Casady,  and  in  this  same  house  some  years  after, 
Cliarles  L.  Kahler,  our  well  known  business  man,  was  also 
married.  In  1850-7  Dr.  Grimmell  erected  the  fine  brick 
mansion  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  on  the  large  lot  on  the  east 
side  of  Sixth  avenue,  between  Chestnut  and  Park  streets. 
It  was  at  the  time,  and  for  several  years  after,  the  largest 
and  best  residence  in  the  city.  Dr.  F.  C.  Grimmell  died, 
much  lamented  by  the  many  who  knew  him,  in  February, 
1862.  Subsequently  Gen.  J.  M.  Tuttle  purchased  this 
residence  and  Avith  his  family  lived  in  it  for  a  number  of 
years. 


HON.    PHINEAS   M.   CASSADY. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE,S  MOIXE^S.  153 

From  1845  to  1850  farms  were  beint;-  rapidly  opened 
and  settlements  made  in  different  portions  of  tlie  county. 
And  as  was  to  be  expected,  many  towns  sprung  up,  some 
of  which  have  lived  and  enjoyed  various  degrees  of  pros- 
perity up  to  this  day,  while  others  have  entirely  disap- 
peared and  are  now  only  a  memory  of  the  past,  Saylor- 
ville  was  laid  out  August  10,  1850,  by  John  Baylor,  and 
James  Ewing  built  the  first  frame  house  there.  Polk  City 
was  platted  in  November,  1850,  by  George  Beebe,  who 
built  another  mill,  opened  up  a  stock  of  dry  goods  and 
groceries,  sold  lots  and  generally  pushed  the  town.  John 
Houser  laid  out  the  rival  town  of  Montacute  a  few  miles 
south,  and  had  there  a  general  store,  post  office,  etc.,  but 
in  a  few  years  the  town  practically  ceased  to  exist.  The 
town  of  Coiydon,  on  the  river,  was  started  later,  in  1853, 
and  flourished  moderately  for  a  time.  In  the  latter  part  of 
1849  Dr.  A.  Y.  Hull  and  his  associates  became  interested  in 
the  town  of  Lafayette,  previously  started  by  Charles 
Freely,  on  the  Des  Moines  River,  in  Camp  township. 
There  was  a  public  sale  of  lots  January  12,  1850,  they 
selling  at  a  low  price  with  the  understanding  the  pur- 
chaser would  build  upon  the  same.  The  result  was  a 
number  of  houses,  generally  small,  were  soon  erected  in 
the  town.  The  settlement  of  the  town  actually  com- 
menced in  1848,  though  the  public  sale  of  lots  was  not  had 
until  two  years  later.  The  town  of  Adelphi,  a  fe^v  miles 
above,  Avas  also  named  and  settled  at  a  later  date,  by  Val- 
erius Young,  in  1850.  Jerry  Church's  town  of  Dudley, 
in  Allen  township,  was  also  located  by  him  at  an  early  day 
and  he  had  high  hopes  of  its  future  prosperity,  but  these 
were  all  drowned  out  by  the  floods  of  1851  and  the  high 
waters  of  subsequent  years.  Other  towns  may  have  died 
natural  deaths,  but  the  floods  swept  Uncle  Jerry's  away. 


154  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

By  the  bei;iuiiiiig  of  1850  farms  Avere  opened  in  every 
portion  of  the  county,  though  these  settlements  were  then 
frequently  some  miles  apart,  and  there  were  in  the  county 
broad  stretches  of  prairie  Avhere  not  a  single  house  C(nild 
be  seen.  In  those  days  the  new  settler  thought  he  must 
settle,  if  possible,  in  or  near  timber,  and  because  of  this 
the  rich  open  prairie  lands,  now  the  best,  were  then 
avoided.  A  large  portion  of  these  prairie  lands  were 
then  unenteieil  and  remained  unsold  by  the  Government. 
In  fact  it  wa-i  nearly  ten  years  thereafter  before  all  the 
available  government  lands  in. the  county  were  entered 
either  for  settlement  or  speculation. 

During  the  '4(ls  the  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines  was  small, 
but  it  was  growing,  and  its  citizens,  as  much  as  to-day,, 
were  alive  to  its  future  possibilities.  These  possibilities 
were  by  many  of  them  regarded  as  probabilities,  and  they 
endeavored  to  bring  them  into  the  field  of  certainties. 
It  was  generally  understood  that  Iowa  City  was  only  to 
be  the  temporary  capital  of  the  state,  and  that  it  would 
in  tinu'  be  removed  farther  west  to  a  more  central  loca- 
tion. In  1848-0  the  General  Assembly  had  appointed  a 
commission  to  select  the  capital,  and  this  commission  had 
chosen  a  location  on  the  prairie  divide  between  the  waters 
of  the  Des  Moines  and  tr^knuk  rivers,  near  the  present  town 
of  Monroe,  Jasper  county.  There  was  not  even  a  settle- 
ment within  four  miles  of  the  location  chosen.  But  a  sec- 
tion of  land  was  laid  out  in  lots  for  a  future  city,  and  many 
of  them  sold  at  good  prices.  The  selection  was  ridiculed, 
the  commissioners  cliarged  with  being  fo(dish  or  corrupt, 
and  the  General  Asseuibly  would  not  approve.  That  ])ro- 
ject  was  a  dead  failure.  But  even  in  the  '40s,  as  pre- 
viously stated,  the  citizens  and  friends  of  Fort  Des  Moines 
were  at  work  and  then  started  the  project  of  removal 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE&  MOTNES.  155 

which  only  a  few  .years  later  resulted  in  making  Des 
Moines  the  permanent  capital  of  the  state  of  Iowa.  Then 
there  was  no  "divisive  strife" — they  all  worlced  harmoni- 
ously together  for  the  common  good. 

During  these  first  years  tliere  were  no  bridges  over  the 
rivers,  but  ^V.  A.  Scott  maintained  boat  ferries  over  both 
the  Des  Moines  and  liaccoon  rivers,  and  these  accommo- 
dated the  public  when  the  waters  were  too  high  for  safe 
fording. 

In  glancing  over  a  copy  of  the  Iowa  Star,  printed  in 
November,  1849,  we  find  in  its  advertising  columns  the 
names  of  the  following  business  and  professional  men 
then  in  Fort  Des  Moines: 

Lawyers:  John  M.  Perry,  Lewis  Whitten — Perry  & 
Whitten;  P.  M.  Casady,  P.  L.  Tidrick— Casady  &  Tidrick; 
Aemilius  T.  Kejmolds,  Barlow  Granger,  C.  P.  Jones;  also 
the  cards  of  Lysander  W.  Babbitt,  attorney  at  Knoxville, 
and  William  T.  Smith,  attorney  at  Oskaloosa.  The  lat- 
ter is  now  a  well-known  resident  of  Des  Moines. 

Physicians:     E.  T.  Col  left,  I).  V.  Cole,  J.  M.  Vaughn. 

Dry  goods  and  groceries:  Lyon  &  Allen,  E.  Wise  &  Co., 
James  Campbell,  P.  W.  Sypher,  and  the  German  store, 
clothing  and  dry  goods  of  Saner  >t  Co.,  and  D.  V.  Cole  & 
Co.,  advertise  the  opening  of  a  new  drug  store. 

Miscellaneous:  Barlow  Granger,  general  land  agent; 
A.  B.  Fuller,  blacksmith;  J.  H.  Posegate,  gunsmith; 
Philip  Johns,  boot  and  shoe  maker;  John  Butler,  fashion- 
able tailor;  Elias  Feller,  boot  and  shoe  maker. 

The  card  of  Curtis  Bates,  attorney  at  Iowa  City,  also 
appears.  He  soon  after  became  one  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Des  Moines.  The  same  paper  also  contains  a 
notice  of  the  first  sale  of  lots,  December  10,  in  Indianola, 


156  anxal;>!  of  polk  county 

the  new  county  seat  of  Warren  coimtj'.  An  advertise- 
ment of  George  B.  Warden  &  Co.,  dealers  in  dry  goods 
and  groceries  at  Adel,  also  appears.  The  only  hotel  card 
of  tlie  town  appearing  is  that  of  the  Marvin  House,  corner 
of  Third  and  Walnut  sti'eets,  kept  by  Benjamin  Luce  and 
William  T.  Marvin.  B.  F.  Allen  gives  notice  that  he  has 
lost  a  promissory  note  for  .fl,000,  signed  by  T.  McMul- 
liu,  and  Andrew  J.  Stevens,  secretary,  publislies  a  school 
notice.  A  somewhat  lengthy  notice  is  given  of  a  railroad 
meeting  held  at  Winterset,  and  which  urged  the  building 
of  Avhat  is  now  the  Rock  Island  railroad.  Evidently  it 
was  then  hoped  the  main  line  of  this  road  would  pass 
through  or  near  the  then  new  town  of  Winterset. 

The  Star  in  this  issue  gives  an  illustxatiou  of  how  at 
that  early  day  they  all  labored  together  in  building  up 
their  town  and  county.  They  allowed  no  petty  jealous- 
ies or  selfish  schemes  to  stand  in  the  way.  The  Star  was 
to  have  a  comi^etitor  or  rival  in  its  held,  another  news- 
paper, the  Gazette,  was  to  be  established  here  by  Lampson 
P.  Sherman,  and  Col.  Barlow  Granger  kindly  and 
courteously  gave  it  a  welcome,  saying: 

"We  shall  welcome  the  Gazette  and  hope  the  publisher 
will  realize  his  most  sanguine  expectations.  It  tells  well 
for  the  prosperity  of  this  town — only  a  three-year-old — 
that  two  papers  can  be  established  with  even  a  Inipe  of 
being  sustained.  A  little  liberality  from  the  different 
parties  towards  each  other  and  both  papers  can  be  Avell 
kept  up  and  assist  in  making  knoAvu  our  superior  ad- 
vantages." 

One  J.  P>.  Newhall  published,  in  the  year  named,  in 
Chicago,  a.  book  entitled,  "A  (Himpse  of  Iowa  in  ISKi."  In 
this  work  he  places  the  population  of  Polk  county  at 
1,301,  but  adds:  "It  is  believed  now  (July,  1S4G),  the  pop- 
ulation will  reach  1,000.     Number  of  perscms  paying  ])oll 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  157 

tax  this  spriuy,  354.     Voters  in  April,  190."     Of  tlie  town 
of  Fort  Des  Moiues  tlie  boolv  says: 

"Tlie  dragoons  left  ou  the  Sth  and  10th  of  March,  1840, 
and  after  they  left  the  permanent  settlers  consisted  of 
four  families,  making  all  together  abont  twenty  souls.  It 
is  thought  there  would  have  been  more  had  there  been 
accommodations  for  them." 

The  book  then  giA'es  the  following: 

"For-t  Des  Moines  Directory:  Dry  goods  and  groceries, 
B.  T.  Hoxie,  A.  Michael;  hotel,  Des  Moines  House,  Martin 
Tucker;  lawyers,  Col.  Baker,  W.  D.  Frazee,  William  Mc- 
Kay; jihysicians,  Dottors  Fagan  and  Kirkbride;  churches, 
two  regularly  organized,  Methodist  and  Baptist,  and  one 
resident  minister.  Key.  E.  Rathbun;  two  groceries,  one 
carpenter  shop,  one  wagon  maker,  one  blacksmith,  one 
cabinet  maker,  one  plasterer,  bricklayer,  etc.'' 

How  would  this  brief  directory  compare  with  the  large 
and  voluminous  Des  Moines  Business  Directory  of  fifty 
years  later— 1896? 

LAND  SURVEYS. 

While  to  some  the  government  plan  of  land  surveys 
is  familiar,  yet  by  many  it  is  not  fully  understood,  and 
this  brief  explanation  which  we  find  in  a  former  history, 
may  not  be  out  of  place  in  this  volume. 

The  government  system  of  land  surveys  provides  for  the 
division  of  the  countrj'  into  small  square  portions  of  uni- 
form size,  varying  from  that  sha])e  only  when  large  rivers 
or  lakes  make  it  necessary.  To  begin  such  a  division  of 
lands  there  must  be  some  fixed  points  to  measure  from. 
The  first  lines  started  from  such  points  are  of  two  kinds: 
Principal  meridian,  running  north  and  south,  and  base 
lines,  running  east  and  west.  The  first  lines  were  com- 
mence<l  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  country  which  was  first 
settled,  and  the  first  line  established  was  called  the  First 


158  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Pr'incipal  meridian.  As  tlie  surveys  were  exteuded 
west  otiier  principal  meridians  were  establislied.  The 
laud  surveys  of  Polk  county  and  nearly  all  of  Iowa  are 
reckoned  from  the  Fifth  Principal  meridian.  The  point 
which  fixes  the  location  is  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas 
River.  It  was  due  north  through  Missouri  and  a  portion 
of  eastern  Iowa  and  strikes  the  Mississippi  River  again  at 
the  dividing  line  between  Dubuque  and  Clayton  counties. 
At  a  distance  of  six  miles  west  of  this  is  run  another  line, 
and  the  land  between  these  two  is  called  range  one  west. 
Another  parallel  line  is  run  six  miles  further  west,  and  is 
called  range  two  west,  and  so  on  are  these  ranges  number- 
ed until  we  come  to  Polk  county,  the  east  line  of  which  is 
range  twenty-two  west. 

The  point  which  fixes  the  location  of  the  base  line  is 
the  mouth  of  the  St.  Francis  River,  in  Arkansas.  This  line 
runs  east  and  west.  Six  miles  north  of  it  extends  an- 
other parallel  line,  and  the  land  between  the  tAvo  lines  is 
designated  township  one  north.  This  is  continued,  a  par- 
allel line  everj^  six  miles,  until  we  come  to  the  seventy- 
seventh,  numbering  from  the  base  line,  which  forms  the 
southern  boundary  of  Polk  county.  Six  miles  north  of  it 
extends  the  sevent,y-eighth,  and  the  land  between  the  two 
is  called  township  seventy-eight  north.  It  will  be  observ- 
ed the  meridian  and  base  or  township  lines  cross  each 
other  every  six  miles.  These  six  miles  square  parcels  are 
called  congressional  townships  and  are  unchangeable. 
The  civil  townships  are  different,  as  they  can  be  and  fre- 
quently are  changed  by  the  county  authorities. 

In  surveying  what  are  called  wild  or  unsurveyed  lands 
the  first  work  of  the  surveyors  is  to  establish  the  township 
lines,  after  which  each  township  is  divided  into  thirty-six 
sections,  each  generally  containing  640  acres,  though  they 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  2I0INES.  159 

may  overrun  or  fall  short  of  this  by  corrections  made  on 
the  north  and  west  lines  of  a  township,  or  because  of  rivers 
or  lakes.  This  work  is  under  the  supervision  of  the  sur- 
veyor general  of  the  district,  while  the  work  in  the  field  is 
done  by  deputy  surveyors  and  often  by  contract.  A  sur- 
veying party  generally  consisted  of  about  seven  persons. 
One  chief  in  charge  of  the  instruments,  two  chain  beareiis, 
one  stake  driver,  one  flagman  and  oue  cook.  They  gener- 
ally worked  every  day  regardless  of  the  weather  and  slept 
at  uight  in  their  tent.  They  occasionally  had  some  rough 
exi:)erieuces,  but  generally  managed  to  extract  some  en- 
joyment while  at  their  work.  Hon.  Ira  Cook,  formerly 
mayor  and  for  many  years  a  prominent  citizen  of  Des 
Moines,  was  for  some  time  with  a  surveying  party  near 
by  and  west  and  north  of  Polk  couuty.  The  surveys  of 
Polk  county  were  all  made  in  1S47,  from  June  to  Novem- 
ber. 

The  congressional  townships  in  Polk  county  are 
townships  78,  79,  80,  81,  of  ranges  22,  23,  24,  25  and  a  frac- 
tion of  township  77,  range  22. 

FIRST  LAND   ENTRIES. 

At  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of  the  county  the 
lands  had  not  yet  been  fully  surveyed  by  the  officers  of  the 
General  Government,  and  of  course  were  not  subject  to 
entry.  In  fact  the  survej's  of  the  county  were  not  com- 
pleted until  in  November,  1847,  and  were  not  open  to  en- 
try until  late  in  the  following  jeav,  1848.  There  were  but 
one  or  two  entries  made  in  1847,  so  that  practicalh^  it  was 
not  until  1848  could  the  early  settlers  secure  a  title  to  their 
lands,  which  up  to  that  time  they  held  simply  as  "claims."' 
Sometime  previous  to  the  United  States  government  sale 
of  these  lands  at  Iowa  City  speculators  from  the  east  were 
scouring   the    country    and    noting    the    most    valuable 


160  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

tracts.  This  would  have  been  all  right  in  itself  if  they  had 
contined  their  atteutious  to  the  wholly  unoccupied  land, 
but  they  cast  their  covetous  eyes  upon  lauds  which  were 
then  occupied  and  being  improved  by  the  actual  settlers 
at  the  first  public  sale.  This  would  have  been  an  outrage 
under  color  of  hiAV  upon  those  settlers  who  had  endured  so 
many  of  the  hardships  of  a  new  country  to  secure  to  them- 
selves and  families  farms  and  homes. 

Mr.  Turrell,  in  his  history,  the  first  published,  gives  the 
account  in  full  which  we  here  republish: 

"!So  highly  incensed  did  the  people  become  at  the  idea  of 
speculators  overbidding  them  at  the  land  sales,  that  they 
viewed  every  stranger  with  distrust,  lest  his  errand 
among  them  should  be  to  note  the  numbers  of  some  choice 
tracts,  and  make  them  his  own  by  giving  prices  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  claimant.  A  unity  of  feeling  on  this  sub- 
ject filled  the  entire  country.  They  were  determined  to 
save  their  claims  despite  any  efforts  or  intervention  to  the 
contrary,  and,  if  possible,  their  intention  was  to  pay  no 
uiore  than  the  lowest  government  price.  Strangers  pass- 
ing through  the  country  had  to  be  careful  not  to  meddle 
with  the  lands  claimed,  otherAvise  than  honestly  buying 
them  from  the  possessors.  If  the  object  was  thought  to 
be  different,  if  they  were  suspected  of  being  engaged  in 
any  scheme  for  the  unjust  deprival  of  any  settler  of  Avhat 
were  considered  his  unquestionable  rights,  they  at  once 
incurred  the  hostile  feeling  of  every  inhabitant,  and  were 
not  safe  until  they  had  entirely  left  the  country. 

"It  soon  became  evident  that  some  regular  organization 
was  needed  among  the  settlers  the  better  to  control  any 
outbreaks  of  popular  rage,  and  cause  non-residents  to  pay 
due  respect  to  the  claims  which  had  been  made,  as  also 
to  prevent  difticulties  among  the  settlers  themselves,  the 
dishonest  of  whom  did  not  scruple  to  take  advantage  of 
a  neighbor's  temporary-  absence,  sickness  or  remoteness 
from  aid,  and  'jump  his  (daim,"  that  is,  take  and  hold  pos- 
session of  it  ri  I't  (iniiis,  depriving  him  totally  of  his  rights 
in  the  premises.  The  settlers,  or  citizens  as  thej  nmy  now 
more  proi)erly  be  called,  of  Polk  county,  held  a  meeting 
to  consider  the  ]iroper  course  to  pursue,  and  iis  the  docu- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  161 

ment  which  reports  their  proceedings  is  particularly  in- 
teresting, we  give  it  entire.  Through  the  kindness  of 
Benj.  Bryant,  Esq.,  in  whose  possession  it  has  been  pre- 
served, a  copy  of  it  has  been  procured  for  this  work : 

"  'At  a  public  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Polk  county, 
Iowa,  held  on  the  8th  day  of  April,  1848,  at  Fort  Des 
Moines,  W.  H.  Meachem  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  L.  D. 
Winchester  elected  secretary  of  the  meeting. 

"  'The  object  of  the  meeting  was  then  stated  by  the 
chairman  to  be  to  adopt  measures  for  the  security  and  pro- 
tection of  the  citizens  of  said  county  in  their  claims 
against  speculators,  and  all  persons  who  may  be  disposed 
wrongfully  to  deprive  settlers  of  their  claims  by  preemp- 
tion or  otherwise. 

"  'Dr.  Brooks  being  called  upon,  made  a  speech  appro- 
priate to  the  occasion,  as  also  did  Mr.  Myers. 

"  'On  motion  of  the  secretary,  the  following  gentlemen 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  resolutions  expres- 
sive of  the  sense  of  the  meeting,  to  wit:  Winchester, 
Mitchell,  Scott,  Sypher  and  Saylor. 

"  'The  committee  reported  the  following  resolutions: 

1.  Resolved,  That  we  will  protect  all  persons  who  do  or  may  hold 
claims,  against  the  interference  of  any  person  or  persons,  who  shall 
attempt  to  deprive  such  claim-holders  of  their  claims  by  pre-emptions  or 
otherwise. 

2.  Resolved,  That  we  will,  in  all  cases,  discountenance  the  speculator 
or  other  peraon  who  shall  thus  attempt  any  innovation  upon  the  homes 
of  the  rightful  settlers;  that  we  will  not  hold  any  fellowship  with  such 
person,  and  that  he  be  regarded  a  nuisance  in  the  community. 

3.  Resolved,  That  no  person  shall  be  allowed  to  pre-empt  or  purchase 
in  any  form  from  the  government,  any  land  which  shall  be  held  as  a 
claim,  unless  he  shall  first  obtain  the  consent  of  the  claimant. 

4.  Resolved,  That  the  filing  of  an  intention  to  pre-empt,  contrary  to 
the  rights  of  the  settler,  be  regarded  as  an  attempt  to  wrongfully  deprive 
the  citizen  of  his  home  and  his  claim. 

5.  Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed,  and  that  it  shall 
be  their  duty  to  inquire  into  and  adjust  all  difficulties  and  contentions, 
in  cases  where  claims  are  in  dispute. 

6.  Resolved,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  committee  to  notify 
any  person  who  shall  pre-empt  or  attempt  to  do  so,  by  filing  his  inten- 
tions to  pre-empt,  the  claim  of  any  other  person,  to  leave  the  vicinity 
and  the  county;  and  that  they  have  authority  to  enforce  a  compliance 
with  said  notice. 

7.  Resolved,  That  we  will  sustain  and  uphold  such  committee  in  their 
decisions,  and  in  the  discharge  of  all  their  duties  as  defined  in  the  fore- 
going resolutions. 

8.  Resolved,  That  all  persons  be  invited  to  sign  the  foregoing  resolu- 
tions, and  that  the  signers  pledge  themselves  to  be  governed  by,  and  to 
aid  in  sustaining  the  same. 


162  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

"  'The  foregoing  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted. 

"  'On  motion  the  following  named  gentlemen  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  adjust  claims:  J.  B.  Scott,  John 
Saylor,  P.  B.  Fagan,  Thomas  Mitchell  and  Thomas  Hen- 
derson. 

"  'On  motion,  the  meeting  adjourned. 

"  'W.  H.  Meachem,  Chairman. 
"'L.  D.  Winchester,  Secretary.'" 

The  resolutions  were  signed  by  the  following  named 
persons: 

W.  H.  Meachem,  J.  B.  Scott,  P.  B.  Fagan,  T.  Henderson, 
T.  Crabtree,  W.  A.  Scott,  W.  Wear,  John  Myers,  T.  McCall, 
J.  Thompson,  Wm.  Bradford,  N.  Ball,  J.  Bundruin,  Joseph 
Deford,  J.  M.  Kirkbride,  John  Saylor,  John  Hayes,  J.  H. 
Finch,  P.  Newcomer,  Dayton  Harris,  John  Bennett,  D.  S. 
Oockerham,  Benj.  Bennett,  J.  T.  Thompson,  N.  Beeves, 
Wm.  Cooper,  John  McMahan,  Wm.  Hughes,  A.  L.  Dean, 
P.  Wear,  E.  Keeler,  James  Anderson,  J.  Church,  H. 
Everly,  C.  B.  Myers,  D.  L.  Jewett,  David  Norri^!,  Wm. 
Busic,  Jr.,  Charles  Kurvey,  R.  A.  Harban,  J.  D.  McGloth- 
lin,  Wm.  Lower,  Jacob  Baycus,  Solomon  Bales,  Geo. 
Daily,  L.  Garrett,  A.  N.  Hayes,  G.  W.  Lacy,  George  Knoop, 
Asa  Flemming,  Thos.  Gilpin,  John  Miller,  D.  S.  Bowman, 
Charles  Murrow,  Robt.  Hopkins,  Joseph  Keeney,  James 
Phillips,  L.  D.  Winchester,  John  Saylor,  T.  Mitchell, 
Benj.  Saylor,  H.  D.  Hendricks,  T.  Campbell,  G.  Maginniss, 
J.  C.  Jones,  J.  Frederick,  It.  W.  Sypher,  Saml.  Kellogg, 
Wm.  Garrett,  W.  F.  Ayers,  John  S.  Dean,  Eli  Keeler, 
George  Oglevie,  Wm.  Kuren,  T.  K.  Brooks,  Joseph  Myers, 
J.  Tribee,  J.  G.  Tuttle,  B.  Perkins,  Jacob  Winter,  D. 
Haworth,  S.  W.  McCall,  Montgomery  McCall,  A.  W.  Hob- 
son,  B.  F.  Frederick,  Wm.  Busic,  Sr.,  E.  Compton,  John 
Wildy,  J.  Harris,  H.  Huntington,  John  Baird,  W.  B.  Binte, 

B.  J.  Saylor,  George  Krysher,  0.  Stutsman,  D.  S.  Marts, 

C.  S.  Evans,  David  Miller,  James  McRoberts,  Franklin 
Nagle. 

"Several  other  meetings  followed  this  first  one  through- 
out the  summer  of  1848,  and  the  last  one  was  held  during 
the  same  year  just  a  short  time  before  the  land  sales  be- 
gan at  Iowa  City.  This  meeting  was  an  immense  affair, 
its  chief  object  being  to  elect  a  bidder  to  attend  the  sales. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  163 

"R.  L.  Tidrick  was  elected  bidder,  and  a  platoon  of  men 
were  selected  from  the  club  whose  duty  it  was  to  thor- 
oughly arm  themselves  and  accompany  the  bidder  in  the 
capacity  of  an  escort  Mr.  Tidrick  and  his  bodyguard 
attended  the  sales,  and  such  a  formidable  array  did  they 
present  that  the  rights  of  settlers  were  not  interfered 
with.  The  claims  were  ultimately  secured  at  the  mini- 
mum price  of  |1.25  per  acre,  and  the  matter  was  as  a  gen- 
eral thing  finally  adjusted  amicably." 

There  were,  however,  a  few  instances  in  which  difficul- 
ties sprung  up  that  were  not  so  amicably  adjusted.  We 
reproduce  two  incidents  of  this  character  as  related  by 
Mr.  Turrell  in  his  reminiscences. 

"In  the  spring  of  1849  occurred  what  was  called  the 
Flemming  and  Perkins  difficulties  which,  arising  from  a 
subject  particularly  relating  to  the  settlers,  threatened 
for  a  time  to  prove  very  serious.  The  difficulty  at  first 
sprung  from  a  contention  about  land.  Asa  Flemming 
had  made  a  claim  a  few  miles  below  Des  Moines,  and  B. 
Perkins,  a  neighbor,  endeavored  to  preempt  it,  and  had 
actually  filed  his  intention  to  that  effect.  Perkins'  fraud- 
ulent scheme  being  discovered  caused  great  excitement 
in  the  vicinity,  and  many  and  dire  were  the  imprecations 
invoked  upon  his  head.  It  was  also  rumored  that  one 
Holland  had  been  a  partner  of  Perkins  in  the  movement, 
and  was  to  furnish  the  money  with  which  to  obtain  the 
patent  from  the  United  States,  but  the  truth  of  this  report 
was  never  fully  substantiated. 

"Perkins  and  Flemming  were  both  members  of  the 
claim  club,  whose  rules  and  regulations  have  already  been 
given,  and  this  circumstance  proving  fully  the  perfidious 
character  of  the  former,  enlisted  an  additional  hatred 
against  him.  Non-residents  and  strangersi,  the  settlers 
expected  would  encroach  upon  their  rights.  Such  they 
were  vigorously  watching,  and  were  prepared  to  counter- 
act and  resist  any  innovations  from  such  sources,  but  that 
one  of  their  own  citizens — one  who  was  a  member  of  an 
organization  for  the  mutual  protection  of  all — ^who  had 
bound  himself  to  abide  by  the  club  laws,  and  whose  in- 
terests if  jeopardized  would  have  been  amply  guarded 
from  danger  would  prove  recreant  to  every  sentiment  of 
integrity,  justice  and  honor,  was  unthought  of,  unexpect- 


164  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

ed,  and  therefore  the  more  condemned  and  detested.  Un- 
der the  circumstances  Flemming  easily  succeeded  in  ef- 
fecting a  combination  of  the  settlers  residing  near  him  for 
the  protection  of  his  claim,  and  to  administer  exemplary 
punishment  to  Perkins.  The  members  of  the  claim  club 
were  all  ready  to  assist,  for  the  interests  of  one  were  the 
interests  of  the  whole  community.  If  Perkins  should  suc- 
ceed in  his  plans  others  would  follow  his  example;  a 
claim  would  soon  be  of  no  value,  and  a  general  disturb- 
ance arise  throughout  the  whole  country. 

"Mr.  Perkins  being  found  one  day  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
claim  in  dispute,  the  settlers,  led  by  Flemming,  resolved 
to  wreak  their  vengeance  upon  him,  and  armed  and  equip- 
ped themselves  for  that  purpose.  Perkins,  however,  be- 
came aware  of  their  plans  before  they  could  secure  him, 
and  on  their  approach  'stood  not  upon  the  order  of  his 
going,'  but  mounted  a  horse  and  fled  at  once.  Several 
shots  were  fired  at  him  without  effect,  and  the  terrified 
fugitive  flying  for  his  life, 

'Stayed  not  for  brake,  and  he  stopped  not  for  stone,' 

until  he  arrived  at  Des  Moines.  With  a  horse  covered 
with  sweat  and  trembling  with  fatigue,  himself  with- 
out a  hat  or  coat,  and  almost  frantic  with  the  delusion 
that  his  pursuers  were  close  upon  him,  he  reached  the 
Raccoon  ferrj',  and  eagerly  besought  the  ferryman,  Alex. 
Scott,  to  lose  not  a  moment  in  crossing  him  over  the  ferry 
into  town,  where  he  hoped  to  find  a  secure  asylum  from  his 
bloodthirsty  enemies. 

"  'Safely  ensconced  in  Fort  Des  Moines,  Perkins  in  a  few 
days  recovered  from  his  recent  fright,  and  growing  valor- 
ous at  the  abuse  of  his  foes,  and  the  distance  from  danger, 
contrary  to  the  advice  of  his  friends,  swore  out  a  warrant 
for  the  arrest  of  Flemming,  whom  only  he  could  identify, 
charging  him  with  shooting  with  intent  to  kill.  Flem- 
ming was  subsequently  arrested  by  George  Michael,  a 
constable,  and  brought  before  Benj.  Luce,  Esq.,  for  exami- 
nation. Luce's  office  was  in  a  building  formerly  a  part 
of  the  fort,  situated  near  the  point.  Its  site  is  at  present 
occupied  by  a  German  grocei'j^ 

While  Flemming  was  upon  his  trial  a  mob  of  his 


a  i 


AIVD  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  165 

friends,  armed  to  the  teeth,  surrounded  and  broke  into  the 
office,  carrying  away  the  prisoner  by  main  force  and  bid- 
ding defiance  to  the  authorities.  Eesistance  to  this  mob 
was  not  for  a  moment  thought  of.  Probably  the  unfavor- 
able opinion  entertained  of  Perkins  by  the  citizens  of 
Fort  Des  Moines  led  them  to  look  more  leniently  upon  so 
dangerous  a  proceeding;  but  it  is  more  likely  that  the 
absence  of  force  on  the  side  of  the  law  and  the  sudden- 
ness of  the  attack  rendered  any  opposition  unavailing, 
and,  therefore,  was  not  attempted.  Flemming,  rescued 
from  the  bonds  of  the  law,  was  triumphantly  escorted  to 
his  home  with  every  demonstration  of  success  and  exulta- 
tion. 

"  'He  was  afterwards  re-arrested,  and  again  did  the  mob 
endeavor  to  rescue  him,  but  their  presence  was  expected. 
When  some  eighty  of  tliese  were  seen  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Kaccoon  River,  brandishing  their  weapons  and  loudly 
calling  for  the  ferryboat  to  take  them  over,  the  good  peo- 
ple of  Des  Moines  grew  nervous  with  excitement,  and 
nothing  less  than  a  battle  was  expected.  James  Phillips, 
then  coroner,  but  in  the  delirium  of  the  exciting  crisis, 
and  doubtless  over-stimulated  by  a  few  extra  potations 
of  brandy,  styling  himself  a  major  in  the  army  of  the 
United  States,  proclaimed  martial  law  in  the  town,  and 
went  around  to  all  the  stores,  commanding  the  proprietors 
to  lock  up  their  houses  in  order  to  save  their  goods  from 
pillage,  arm  themselves  and  be  ready  to  act  under  orders. 
Many  of  them  did  so.  A  large  crowd  collected  at  the 
'Point,'  where  the  band  of  insurgents  could  be  plainly 
seen,  endeavoring  to  gain  passage  over  the  stream,  and 
could  be  heard  uttering  loud  threats  against  every  power, 
judicial,  executive  and  military  in  Fort  Des  Moines. 

"  'But  by  the  coolness  and  intrepidity  of  Alex.  Scott, 
the  ferryman,  their  riotous  project  was  completely  frus- 
trated. He  calmly  and  firmly  refused  to  take  them  over 
unless  they  unarmed  themselves.  They  stormed,  cursed, 
threatened,  but  not  an  inch  would  he  let  the  boat  go  until 
they  stacked  their  arms,  and  laid  aside  every  offensive 
weapon.  Unmoved  by  their  threats  and  unprovoked  by 
their  maledictions,  Scott  resolutely  adhered  to  his  pur- 
pose, and  finally  the  mob  sullenly  stacked  their  arms,  and 


166  ANNAL8  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

then,  and  not  till  then,  were  they  ferried  across  the  Rac- 
coon. 

"  'Armed  intervention  was  no  longer  practicable,  and 
Flemming  was  examined,  the  charge  found  true  and  he 
was  obliged  to  give  bonds  for  his  appearance  at  the  next 
term  of  the  district  court  However,  he  finally  escaped, 
as  the  grand  jury  failed  to  indict  him.  Perkins  found  his 
conduct,  in  reference  to  pre-empting  Flemming's  land, 
so  universally  condemned,  and  himself  an  object  of 
such  general  detestation,  that  he  was  glad  to  ex- 
ecute to  Flemming  a  bond,  in  which  it  was  stip- 
ulated that  the  latter  should  have  a  warranty 
deed  for  the  claim  in  dispute,  as  soon  as  a  patent 
could  be  procured  from  the  Government,  upon  paying  to 
Perkins  the  sum  of  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  an 
acre.  The  execution  of  this  bond  ended  all  persecution, 
suits  and  riots  in  the  case,  but  Perkins  was  but  little  es- 
teemed ever  afterward.' " 


CHAPTER  IX. 

TOWN  AND   COUNTY   FROM   1850   TO   1855. 

DURING  the  five  years  to  which  this  chapter  will  be  de- 
voted— 1850-5 — the  growth  of  the  county  and  town 
was  continuous  and  rapid,  especially  in  the  latter 
portion  of  this  period.  At  a  local  election  in  1850  for  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  there  were  185  votes  polled  in  the  township 
of  Des  Moines,  of  which  L.  D.  Winchester  received  99,  and 
Samuel  Gray  86.  The  vote  of  the  entire  county  for  that 
year  is  not  given,  though  the  entire  population  of  the 
county,  as  given  in  the  federal  census  of  that  year  was 
4,513.  It  will  be  seen  the  population  of  the  county  was 
then  many  times  larger  than  that  of  the  town,  and  it 
was  a  number  of  years  later  when  the  city  surpassed 
in  population  that  of  the  county  outside  thereof.  In  1852 
there  were  1,232  votes  polled  in  the  county,  of  which  only 
244  were  cast  in  the  town.  The  population  of  the  town 
was  then  placed  at  502,  but  this  may  have  been  a  mistake. 
The  general  rule  is  to  multiply  the  number  of  votes  by  five 
to  estimate  population,  and  this  would  give  the  town  a  pop- 
ulation of  more  than  1,000  in  1852.  Yet  it  is  the  entire 
vote  of  Des  Moines  township  which  is  thus  counted,  and  it 
covered  then  a  large  amount  of  territory  outside  the  limits 
of  the  town,  and  hence  502  may  be  the  correct  figures  for 
the  actual  population  of  the  town  at  that  time. 

The  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines  came  into  existence  in 
1851.  September  6,  of  that  year  "William  Kraus  and  fifty- 
two  other  citizens  of  Fort  Des  Moines,"  so  runs  the  record, 
petitioned  Hon.  F.  B.  Burbridge,  then  county  judge,  pray- 


168  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ing  that  the  inhabitants  of  said  town  may  become  incorpo- 
rated according  to  the  provisions  of  the  Code  of  1850.  This 
was  granted  and  an  ordermade  for  a  special  election  to  be 
held  at  the  court  house  on  Monday,  September  22,  1851, 
for  the  purpose  of  voting  for  or  against  incorporation. 
Charles  C.  Van,  Thomas  McMullin  and  J.  E.  Jewett  were 
appointed  judges,  and  William  T.  Marvin  and  Lamp  P. 
Sherman  clerks.     The  election  resulted : 

For  incorporation 42 

Against  incorporation 1 

Then  an  election  was  ordered  to  be  held  on  Saturday, 
September  27,  for  the  choice  of  three  persons  to  prepare  a 
charter  for  the  town,  and  the  following  persons  were  voted 
for: 

P.  M.   Casady 16 

L.  P.  Sherman 9 

Thompson   Bird 6 

Byron  Rice 5 

R.  W.  Sypher 4 

Curtis  Bates 4 

C.  C.  Van 2 

J.  E.  Jewett 2 

Messrs.  Casady,  Sherman  and  Bird  were  declared  to  be 
the  committee,  and  on  October  11,  1851,  they  reported  to 
the  county  judge  that  they  had  prepared  articles  of  incor- 
poration, and  had  named  three  different  boundaries.  The 
county  judge  then  ordered  an  election  on  October  18,  to 
decide  upon  the  boundaries.  At  this  election  the  charter 
was  adopted  and  the  boundaries  of  the  new  town  fixed  as 
surveyed  by  A.  D.  Jones,  in  June,  1846.  C.  C.  Van,  W.  T. 
Marvin  and  J.  M.  Griffiths  were  the  judges,  and  Byron 
Rice  and  L.  P.  Sherman  the  clerks  of  this  election.  In  1853 
the  General  Assembly,  by  special  act,  gave  the  town  a  new 
charter,  which  continued  in  force  until  1857. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  169 

At  the  session  of  the  General  Assembly,  January,  1855, 
an  act  was  passed  making  Des  Moines  the  future  capital  of 
the  state.  For  several  years  the  friends  of  Des  Moines  had 
been  working  to  this  end,  and  for  years  they  had  faith  in 
the  ultimate  realization  of  their  hopes.  The  final  passage 
of  the  act  was  a  great  triumph,  and  great  was  the  rejoicing 
over  the  victory.  It  at  once  gave  what  is  now  termed  a 
"boom"  to  the  town,  and  its  future  greatness  as  a  city  was 
then  assured.  It  being  made  the  future  capital  of  the  state 
immediately  attracted  to  it  the  attention  of  enterprising 
people  all  over  the  country,  and  this  drew  to  it  citizens  and 
capital.  While  Des  Moines,  because  of  its  advantageous 
and  central  location,  in  a  rich  and  fertile  country,  would 
have  in  time  grown  into  a  great  and  populous  city  without 
the  capital  can  be  written  as  a  fact,  yet  it  is  also  a  fact  that 
it  being  named  in  1855  as  the  state  capital,  made  perma- 
nent in  the  constitution  of  1857,  gave  no  inconsiderable  im- 
petus to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  leading  city  of 
Iowa.  More  concerning  the  capital  will  be  found  in  an- 
other chapter. 

For  a  few  years  of  the  early  '50s  the  attraction  of  the  gold 
fields  of  California  carried  many  of  the  early  settlers  away 
from  the  county,  but  in  a  year  or  two  most  of  these  re- 
turned, content  to  settle  down  permanently  in  this,  the  best 
country  they  had  found.  The  large  emigration  during  the 
raging  of  the  gold  fever  also  made  a  home  demand  for  the 
flour,  grain,  meat,  etc.,  produced  in  the  county,  and  thus 
brought  considerable  financial  help  to  the  early  farmers 
and  business  men.  So,  upon  the  whole,  that  California 
•emigration,  while  doing  some  harm,  at  the  same  time 
was  productive  of  much  good,  and  the  balance  was  prob- 
ably upon  the  whole  favorable  to  Iowa.  For  it  is  a  fact 
that  not  a  few  of  the  subsequent  citizens  of  Des  Moines 


170  ANNALS  OF  POLK  GOUNTT 

and  Polk  county  were  attracted  here  afterward  by  what 
they  saw  of  the  town  and  county  while  passing  through 
on  their  way  to  California. 

The  noted  floods  of  1851,  the  greatest  known  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  county,  also  temporarily  retarded  the  growth 
of  the  town  and  county.  This  flood  is  famous  in  the  early 
annals.  The  rain  commenced  about  the  middle  of  May, 
1851,  and  continued  for  weeks — some  of  the  early  settlers 
claiming  the  Biblical  forty  days  were  more  than  equalled. 
The  Star  of  that  date  said: 

"Neither  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitants,  nor  the 
natives,  nor  any  traditionary  accounts  from  the  Indians, 
furnish  any  evidence  of  such  a  flood.  The  'Coon  and  Des 
Moines  are  higher  by  several  feet  than  in  the  spring  of 
1849,  which  was  the  greatest  rise  in  known  history.  The 
Des  Moines  is  now  twenty-two  and  a  half  feet  above  low 
water  mark." 

The  water  in  the  river  ^as  said  to  have  been  as  much 
as  three  miles  wide  in  places;  hundreds  of  acres  of  tilled 
lands  were  overflowed;  cattle,  sheep  and  swine  were 
swept  away  and  drowned,  fences  and  even  dwelling 
houses  were  swept  away,  and  a  large  portion  of  the  town 
was  under  water,  and  it  is  said  the  current  from  the  Eac- 
coon  River  swept  across  the  lower  portion  of  Court  ave- 
nue. Walnut  and  other  streets,  and  emptied  into  the  Des 
Moines  River  near  the  mouth  of  Bird's  Run. 

East  Des  Moines  was  overflowed  entirely  up  to  the  sec- 
ond bank,  and  the  swollen  waters  covered  all  the  bottoms 
and  swept  around  the  hill  upon  which  the  capitol  now 
stands. 

In  the  county  most  of  the  few  bridges  then  built  were 
swept  away  and  the  roads  rendered  almost  impassable; 
nearly  all  the  mills  were  forced  into  idleness,  with  the  re- 


AND  THE  OITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  171 

suit  that  flour  and  meal  became  verj'  difficult  to  obtain  for 
weeks,  and  many  of  the  settlers  were  forced  to  go  back  to 
pounded  corn,  hominy  and  "samp,"  in  lieu  of  other  bread- 
stuffs.  Jerry  Church's  town  of  Dudley,  some  miles  below 
the  Fort,  was  entirely  covered  by  water,  and  it  is  reliably 
stated  that  Jerry  himself  mounted  upon  the  roof  of  his  own 
house  and  played  the  fiddle  in  philosophical  content  while 
he  looked  out  upon  the  raging  waters  surrounding  him. 
Lafayette,  Dr.  A.  Y.  Hull's  new  town,  a  few  miles  below, 
was  also  overflowed  and  the  inhabitants  forced  to  flee  for 
safety  to  higher  ground.  Ottumwa,  Eddyville  and  the 
other  towns  along  the  river  were  in  the  same  overflowed 
and  injured  condition.  Oskaloosa  being  away  from  the 
river  and  upon  the  "divide,"  was  in  a  better  condition, 
and  the  newspaper  published  there  boasted:  "Oskaloosa 
is  the  only  dry  town  in  central  Iowa." 

Fortunately,  while  the  loss  and  damage  to  public  and 
private  property  was  heavy,  the  loss  of  life  was  small. 
The  only  death  by  drowning  was  that  of  a  young  black- 
smith, by  the  name  of  Youngerman.  While  in  a  skiff  en- 
deavoring to  save  some  logs,  with  some  companions,  the 
boat  was  overturned  and  Youngerman  was  swept  away 
and  drowned.  He  was  an  excellent  young  man  and  his 
untimely  death  was  much  lamented  by  many  friends. 
The  high  water  in  time  passed  away  and  the  damage  was 
soon  mostly  repaired,  but  the  injury  and  loss  were  much 
felt  during  the  year  by  the  citizens  of  the  town  and  the 
scattered  settlers  of  the  county. 

Another  help  came  to  the  new  town  in  1853.  This  was 
the  establishment  of  a  United  States  District  land  office 
here.  This  was  opened  for  business  in  June,  1853.  The 
great  rush  for  government  lands  in  Iowa  was  then  com- 
mencing, and  the  location  of  the  land  office  here  naturally 


172  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

brought  to  the  town  thousands  of  strangers  and  new  set- 
tlers. The  latter  wanted  lands  upon  which  to  settle  and 
make  farms  and  homes  for  themselves,  while  speculators, 
land  agents,  and  men  with  and  without  money,  came  here 
intent  upon  gaining  wealth  from  the  expected  rapid  rise 
in  value  of  these  lands,  which  could  then  be  acquired  at  the 
low  price  of  |1.25  per  acre  in  cash,  or  located  with  bounty 
land  warrants  at  a  less  price.  The  lands  embraced  in  this 
United  States  land  district  were  the  best  in  the  state,  and 
after  the  opening  of  the  government  office  here  they  were 
eagerly  sought  after  and  thousands  of  entries  were  made. 
The  great  rush  was  over  here  by  1856,  when  the  extensive 
grants  made  of  lands  in  the  state  for  the  construction  of 
railroads  suspended  to  a  great  extent  the  further  entry  of 
these  government  lands.  But  for  a  time  it  made  Des  Moines 
the  trading  center  for  the  purchase  and  disposal  of  lands 
in  central,  northern  and  western  Iowa.  Then  could  be 
found  land  agents  and  dealers  in  land  warrants  thickly 
scattered  along  the  principal  business  streets  and  office 
room  was  in  demand  in  every  newly  erected  building.  True, 
at  that  time,  most  of  these  buildings  were  one  and  two- 
story  frames,  often  roughly  and  hastily  constructed,  but  in 
these  much  business  was  transacted.  At  that  time  the 
Government  received  nothing  but  gold  and  silver  in  pay- 
ment for  all  cash  entries  of  land,  and  consequently  in  the 
rude  offices  of  those  days  there  were  frequently  many 
thousands  of  dollars,  in  gold  and  silver,  together  with 
considerable  currency.  There  were  few  safes  and  none 
of  the  vaults  of  the  present  day.  And  yet,  notwithstand- 
ing this  large  amount  of  money,  kept,  apparently,  in  such 
an  unsafe  manner,  with  the  town  constantly  filled  with 
travelers  and  strangers,  the  robberies  and  stealings  were 
very  few  and  small  in  amount     This  fact  has  been  often 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  173 

noted  and  commented  upon,  and  it  speaks  well  for  the 
character  of  the  men  here  at  that  early  day.  At  this  time 
were  large  amounts  of  money  kept  and  handled  in  the 
same  manner  as  then  robberies  would  be  frequent  and 
large.  Crime  advances  with  as  rapid  strides  as  does 
material  growth  and  prosperity.  In  another  chapter  a 
more  full  account  of  the  operations  of  the  United  States 
land  office  are  given  from  the  government  records  at 
Washington. 

Prior  to  1855  the  only  brick  house  in  the  town,  except  the 
court  house,  was  a  one-story  brick  dwelling'  erected  by  L. 
D.  Winchester,  on  the  corner  of  Court  avenue  and  Fourth 
streets,  where  the  Valley  bank  is  now  located.  About  1854 
this  was  purchased  by  Captain  F.  R.  West,  and  there  he 
made  his  hospitable  and  pleasant  home  for  a  number  of 
years.  A  year  or  two  later  Benjamin  F.  Allen,  who  had 
recently  married  Arethusa,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Captain 
West,  built  a  two-story  dwelling  on  Court  avenue,  on  the 
lots  now  occupied  by  the  Aborn  House.  This,  when  first 
erected,  was  considered  the  finest  dwelling  in  the  town,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  made  it  famous  in  those  early  days  for 
good  cheer  and  a  hospitable  welcome  to  the  best  society  cf 
the  time. 

During  these  years  the  main  business  houses  continued 
on  Second  street,  and  "The  Point"  was  not  forsaken.  The 
postoffice  was  on  Second  street,  across  the  alley  south  of 
where  the  Shamrock  House  now  stands,  and  nearly  all 
the  stores,  groceries,  law  offices,  etc.,  were  on  Second 
street,  south  of  Court  avenue.  There  were  then  no  brick 
blocks,  but  on  this  part  of  Second  were  several  two-story 
frames,  among  them  one  on  the  corner  of  Market,  with  a 
double  front;  one-half  block  above  this  was  the  one  oc- 
cupied near  the  close  of  this  period  by  B.  F.  Allen's  bank; 


174  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

another  north  of  Vine  street,  occupied  below  by  Sheets 
&  Lovejoy's  general  store,  and  above  by  the  Masons,  Good 
Templars,  etc.,  as  a  lodge  room.  There  was  also  a  two- 
story  frame  on  Elm  street,  fronting  the  public  grounds 
at  the  Point,  first  occupied  as  a  general  store  by  Wise  & 
Co.,  and  afterwards  as  the  home  of  the  Star  and  States- 
man. In  the  upper  room  of  this  building  the  Know  Noth- 
ing Lodge  for  a  time  held  its  meetings.  Charles  Good 
owned  the  lots  at  the  south  end  of  Second  street  and 
had  his  drug  store  on  the  corner  one  and  lived  with  his  fam- 
ily in  the  other  frame  building.  The  old  Tucker,  Harter 
or  Astor  House,  on  Market  square,  was  a  two-story  build- 
ing, as  was  the  Marvin  or  Everett  House,  near  the  corner 
of  Third  and  Walnut  streets.  Therewas  also  a  two-story  log 
and  frame  building  on  the  north  side  of  Court  avenue  be- 
tween Second  and  Third,  occupied  by  Dr.  Wm.  Baker;  and 
Conrad  Stutsman  had  partly  completed  a  large  two  or 
three-story  frame  on  the  corner  of  Walnut  and  Front 
streets,  afterwards  so  well  known  as  the  Des  Moines  House. 
These  were  about  all  the  two-story  buildings,  and  all 
frame,  then  in  the  town. 

And  in  the  latter  part  of  this  period  the  east  side  of  the 
tiver  began  to  have  aspirations  for  town  or  city  life.  As 
far  back  as  1849  Scott  and  Dean  had  laid  off  lots  along  the 
bottom  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  this  was  followed 
by  an  additon,  which  is  now  in  the  very  heart  of  the  busi- 
ness portion  of  the  East  Side,  by  Joseph  M.  and  Harry  H. 
Griffiths.  And  these  were  rapidly  followed  by  W.  A.  Scott, 
Lyons  and  others  making  further  additions  thereto.  And 
as  soon  as  the  bill  was  passed  re-locating  the  state  capital 
here  those  interested  made  a  strong  push  to  secure  the  loca- 
tion of  the  capitol  building  upon  that  side  of  the  river.  They 
were  pushing  and  energetic  men,  had  a  large  number  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  M0INE8.  175 

lots  at  their  disposal,  and  they  shrewdly  sought  to  and 
were  successful  in  making  many  of  the  influential  politi- 
cians and  business  men  of  the  state  personally  and  pecun- 
iarily interested  in  East  Side  property.  Among  the  early 
proprietors  and  rustlers  for  the  East  Side  were:  W.  Alex 
Scott,  John  S.  Dean,  Dr.  T.  K.  Brooks,  Joseph  M.  Griffiths, 
Harry  H.  Griffiths,  James  A.  Williamson,  Harrison  Lyon, 
Alfred  M.  Lyon,  Dr.  Alexander  Shaw,  Col.  T.  A.  Walker, 
E.  W.  Clarke,  Isaac  Brandt,  Will  Tomlinson,  and  a  number 
of  others. 

They  had  this  advantage:  Theirs  was  virtually  a  new 
enterprise  and  they  had  everything  to  gain.  They  were, 
therefore,  more  united  than  were  the  residents  of  the  orig- 
inal town,  worked  better  together  and  were  more  liberal 
in  the  offer  of  inducement.  And,  as  before  stated,  they  had 
associated  or  interested  with  them  many  influential  men 
throughout  the  state.  This  interest  or  influence  proved  a 
great  help  to  them  when  it  came  to  a  definite  location  of 
the  eapitol  grounds.  They  were  finally  successful  in  1856, 
and  the  present  grounds  were  then  definitely  located.  This 
was  a  great  victory  for  the  East  Side,  which  had  been  rap- 
idly built  up  during  1855-6,  but  did  not  become  a  part  of  the 
city  of  Des  Moines  until  1857.  This  matter  of  the  eapitol 
location  is  written  of  in  another  chapter. 

J.  M.  Dixon,  for  years  one  of  the  editors  of  the  State  Reg- 
ister, and  known  later  as  the  "blind  editor,"  in  his  "Cen- 
tennial History,"  thus  writes  of  his  first  impressions  of  Des 
Moines,  he  coming  here  in  1855 : 

"There  is  no  grander  site  in  the  country  on  which  to 
build  up  a  magnificent  city  than  the  one  which  was  chosen 
for  the  capital  of  Iowa.  Shrewd  and  sagacious  men  who 
had  the  ability  to  comprehend  the  great  natural  advan- 
tages of  this  site  and  who  had  the  ability  likewise,  to  pen- 


176  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

etrate  the  future,  anticipating  the  prospective  greatness 
of  our  city,  made  early  investments  here,  knowing  that  the 
time  would  surely  come  in  which  they  would  reap  a  rich 
harvest  of  prosperity.  Well  do  we  remember  the  impression 
made  upon  our  mind  when  for  the  first  time  we  stood  on 
Oapitol  Hill  and  looked  westward  over  the  luxuriant  land- 
scape in  the  midst  of  which  the  embryo  city  reposed  in  all 
its  positive  as  well  as  its  prophetic  beauty. 

"From  the  eminence  whereon  we  stood  our  eyes  were 
cast  downward  along  the  slope  of  the  hill,  the  surface  of 
which  was  dotted  by  foresttrees  and  occasional  residences. 
Further  on  we  saw  the  plain,  or  beautiful  valley,  stretch- 
ing away  from  the  base  of  the  hill  to  the  river,  covered  here 
and  there  with  unpretentious  buildings,  erected  by  the 
pioneers  of  the  capital  city.  In  the  center  of  the  valley, 
penetrating  it  from  north  to  south,  we  saw  the  River  Des 
Moines,  whose  limpid  and  placid  current  flashed  back  a 
myriad  rays  of  light  from  the  suu  which  was  smiling  in 
the  noonday  sky  as  though  conferring  its  benediction  on 
the  infant  city. 

"FolloAving  the  course  of  the  river  southward  we  saw 
its  fine  tributary  the  Raccoon,  moving  in  its  quiet  and  rip- 
pling flow  from  the  west,  and  bringing  its  mass  of  spark- 
ling water  as  a  tribute  of  respect  and  reverence  to  the  beau- 
tiful stream  with  v^rhich  it  became  blended. 

"Looking  beyond  the  Des  Moines  River  our  eyes  fell  upon 
the  old  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  nestling  in  the  valley,  and 
impressing  us  with  the  beauty  and  picturesqueness  of  the 
prospect.  Here,  near  the  river,  the  dwellings  and  business 
houses  became  more  numerous  and  more  ambitious;  and 
beyond  these  the  plain  which  extended  to  the  bluffs  was  not 
only  magnificent  in  itself,  but  was  large  enough  to  form 
the  site  of  a  vast  metropolis. 

"In  the  splendid  panorama  spread  out  before  our  de- 
lighted vision,  we  could  not  fail  to  survey  with  pleasure 
the  bold  and  romantic  heights,  which  on  both  sides  of  the 
two  rivers  encompassed  the  valley,  seeming  to  come  down 
from  their  tree-crowned  eminences  to  do  honor  to  the 
young  city  which  was  destined  in  time  to  become  the 
metropolis  of  Iowa.  Now,  then,  if  the  reader  has  followed 
us  in  our  description  so  as  to  comprehend  the  beautiful 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  177 

scenery  of  this  locality,  with  its  spacious  valley,  separated 
by  the  rivers,  and  its  cordon  of  wooded  heights  standing 
around  it  like  invincible  sentinels,  watching  through  the 
years  its  progress  and  security,  he  will  agree  with  us  in  the 
declaration  that  there  is  no  city  amid  the  landscapes  of 
earth  on  which  natiire  in  her  benevolence  has  lavished 
more  kindness  than  our  beloved  Des  Moines." 

GOLD  EXCITEMENT. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  was  not  without 
its  effect  on  Polk  county  and  Iowa.  One  of  the  main 
trails  or  roads  of  the  thousands  of  gold-seekers  was 
across  the  new  state  of  Iowa,  and  this  town  and  county  was 
on  the  most  traveled  of  these  routes.  This  gold  fever  had 
its  beginning  in  1849,  but  it  was  not  until  1850  and  later 
that  it  raged  with  such  extreme  violence.  The  discoveries 
first  made  and  the  exaggerated  stories  concerning  the  same 
were  talked  over  not  only  in  the  east  but  also  in  the  cabins 
dotting  the  prairies  and  nesting  in  the  timbers  of  Iowa. 
Here  at  that  time,  as  often  to  many  since,  money  was 
scarce  and  difficult  to  obtain.  Naturally  under  these  cir- 
cumstances the  tales  of  gold  gathered  in  bountiful  pro- 
fusion from  along  the  streams  and  gulches  of  California 
caused  much  excitement  among  the  hardy  pioneers  of  Polk 
county.  They  were  the  very  men  to  be  attracted  by  these 
golden  visions,  and  they  were  better  adapted  than  most 
others  for  this  search  for  wealth  under  the  then  great  and 
almost  insurmountable  difficulties  surrounding  a  journey 
of  thousands  of  miles  through  a  barren  and  almost  unex- 
plored country  to  reach  the  far  distant  Pacific  coast.  They 
had  experiences  in  roughing  it — knew  what  it  was  to  strike 
out  into  and  make  new  roads — had  experienced  the  dan- 
gers and  hardships  pertaining  to  the  settlement  of  a  new 
country.     Under  these  circumstances  it  is  not  surprising 


178  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

that  many  of  the  early  settlers  of  Polk  county  joined  in  the 
rush  for  the  gold  fields  of  California. 

The  great  rush  toward  California  was  commenced  in 
1850,  and  early  in  that  year  the  emigrants,  or  rather  gold, 
seekers,  commenced  pouring  across  the  state,  one  of  the 
main  lines  passing  directly  through  Polk  county  and  Des 
Moines.  They  came  in  wagons,  drawn  by  horses,  mules 
and  oxen,  even  hand  carts  were  used,  and  not  a  few  started 
on  their  long  journey  on  horseback  and  also  on  foot.  For 
a  time  it  was  a  craze,  leading  too  often  to  disaster  and 
death.  Polk  county  furnished  its  quota  to  this  rush  of  reck- 
less seekers  after  gold,  and  many  families  in  this  county 
Avere  bereft  by  it  of  its  head  for  a  year  or  two  or  too  fre- 
quently forever.  The  scenes  at  the  time  along  the  line  in 
this  vicinity  is  thus  described  by  a  keen  observer: 

"It  seemed  that  Bedlam  itself  had  been  let  loose.  A 
oontinuous  line  of  wagons  stretched  away  to  the  west  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  If  a  wagon  was  detained  by 
being  broken  down  or  by  reason  of  a  sick  horse  or  ox,  it 
was  dropped  out  of  line  and  the  gap  closed  up  immediate- 
ly. If  a  poor  mortal  should  sicken  and  die  the  corpse  was 
buried  hurriedly  by  the  wayside,  without  coffln  or  burial 
service.  Wlien  night  came  on  the  line  of  wagons  was 
turned  aside  and  their  proprietors  would  go  into  camp. 
Very  often  the  sound  of  revelry  would  then  begin  around 
the  camp-fires  thickly  set  on  every  hand,  and  whisky, 
cards  and  curses  would  follow  in  their  course.  These 
poor,  deluded  votaries  of  mammon  scattered  the  dreadful 
scourge  of  smallpox  everywhere  they  came  in  contact 
with  the  settlers.  Game  cards  and  broken  and  empty 
bottles  were  strewn  all  along  their  line  of  travel." 

The  Des  Moines  newspapers  of  those  days  from  time 
to  time  gave  accounts  of  the  gold  hunters  as  they  passed 
through  the  county.  For  the  week  ending  Wednesday, 
April  17, 1850,  the  Gazette  notes  the  passage  of  252  wagons 
and  675  persons.     Of  the  teams  about  50  were  oxen,  aver- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  179 

aging  three  yoke  to  a  wagon,  and  205  horse  teams,  averag- 
ing 3^  to  a  wagon,  making  717  horses.  For  the  week  end- 
ing April  24  there  were  199  teams  and  540  men,  making  a 
total  of  690  teams  and  1,797  persons.  The  next  three 
weeks  in  May  there  were  359  teams  and  1,006  persons,  mak- 
ing a  total  before  the  end  of  May  of  1,049  teams,  2,813  per- 
sons, and  over  3,000  horses  and  oxen.  And  many  hundreds 
more  followed  after  them.  A  Des  Moines  poet  of  that 
early  day  MTites  in  the  Journal : 

"Oh,  California  gold  mines,  what  a  fearful  curse  thej-'ve  brought. 

With    what    heartrending    sorrows    lias    that   search    for   dross    been 

fraught. 
How  many  tearful  partings  and  how  many  lives  untold 
Have  been  laid  upon  the  altar  of  this  raging  thirst  for  g*ld." 

Again,  some  ten  years  later,  in  1858-60,  there  was  the 
excitement  over  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Colorado,  when 
"Pike's  Peak  or  Bust"  became  a  familiar  motto  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Polk  county,  a  large  proportion  of  the  emigration 
of  those  years  passing  through  Des  Moines.  Hundreds  of 
the  citizens  of  the  county  caught  the  fever  and  joined  in 
this  second  march  of  civilization  across  the  western  plains. 
Made  up  of  such  material  as  the  early  settlers  the  nomadic 
instinct  was  strong  in  them,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that 
many  joined  in  the  first  great  rush  to  California  and  later 
wereprominentamongthegold  seekers  and  early  pioneers 
of  Colorado  and  the  Black  Hills.  Hundreds  also  in  early 
days  were  attracted  to  Kansas  and  later  on  to  the  Dakotas 
and  to  Oregon  and  Washington  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
Many  of  them  returned,  for  it  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  no 
man  or  woman  ever  lived  for  a  year  or  two  in  this  city  or 
county  without  forming  a  strong  attachment  to  the  same, 
as  is  proven  by  the  fact  that  hundreds  and  thousands  in  the 
past  fifty  years  have  left  with  the  firm  intention  of  never 
returning  here  to  live,  but  sooner  or  later  returned  to  the 


180  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

loved  home  of  their  adoption  and  here  made  their  perma- 
nent life  settlement.  No  better  compliment  than  this 
could  he  paid  to  Des  Moines  and  Polk  county. 

Former  citizens  of  Polk  county  can  be  found  scattered 
all  over  the  country,  from  Boston  to  San  Francisco,  from 
New  Hampshire  to  Florida.  They  are  leading  men  in  New 
York,  Brooklyn,  Washington,  Chicago,  St.  Louis,  and  the 
large  and  small  cities  of  the  south  and  west.  Go  into  what 
town  or  city  you  may  in  this  broad  country  and  there  you 
will  almost  surely  find  one  or  more  men  and  women  who 
formerly  resided  near  the  Raccoon  Fork  of  the  Des  Moines 
River,  and  all  will  speak  affectionately  of  their  former  home. 
They  may  have  left  the  city  and  county  but  their  warm 
affection  remains.  This  universal  and  strong  attachment 
for  the  place  has  been  so  often  remarked  and  commented 
upon  that  it  is  but  right  it  should  be  noted  down  and  duly 
recorded  in  this  History  of  Polk  County  and  Des  Moines. 
It  was  the  loved  countiy  of  the  red  men  of  the  past,  and  is 
to-day  the  loved  home  of  their  white  and  black  successors. 

STAGES,    ETC. 

The  first  need  of  every  newly  settled  country  is  lines  of 
communication  with  the  older  sections,  from  which  must 
be  brought  not  only  their  supplies,  but  also  many  of  their 
future  fellow  citizens.  There  are  always  to  be  found  enter- 
prising citizens  ready  to  carry  United  States  mails  and 
passengers  in  all  the  new  settlements  of  the  west.  Fort  Des 
Moines  had  scarcely  secured  a  place  upon  the  map  before 
lines  of  hacks  and  stages  were  projected  in  that  direction. 
The  order  of  evolution  on  all  mail  routes  is  well  understood 
by  those  who  have  had  any  experience  in  the  west.  First, 
it  is  the  mail  carrier  on  horseback  through  the  country. 
Then  comes  the  two-horse  hack,  with  limited  accommoda- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  181 

tions  for  passengers.  Then  follows  the  more  elegant  and 
roomy  four-horse  coach.  Then  comes  the  railroad,  with  its 
mail  cars  and  passenger  coaches,  to  soon  evolute  into  dis- 
tributing postofflces  on  wheels,  fine  passenger  coaches 
and  Pullman  or  Wagner  sleeping  and  dining  cars, 
adapted  for  the  most  luxurious  traveling,  free  to 
all  who  have  the  price — or  a  free  pass.  The  change 
in  the  modes  of  traveling  have  been  as  rapid  as 
has  been  the  growth  and  population  and  wealth  of  Iowa, 
and  especially  of  Polk  county.  Men  now  living  in  Des 
Moines,  and  men,  too,  who  do  not  consider  themselves  to 
be  fairly  counted  in  the  ranks  of  the  aged,  have  in  their 
journeys  to  and  from  their  homes  in  this  city,  used  all 
these  various  modes  of  conA'^eyance.  They  have  tried  them 
all.  They  have  jolted  for  miles  in  hacks  and  stages,  and 
perhaps  had  their  share  of  carrying  a  rail  with  which  to 
pry  a  stalled  hack  or  stage  coach  out  of  the  mud,  and  have 
traveled  in  all  the  coaches  of  various  kinds  provided  by 
railroad  companies.  These  are  all  within  their  own  per- 
sonal knowledge  and  experience,  and  tells  the  story  of  the 
rapid  progress  made  in  means  and  methods  of  travel  in 
Iowa. 

The  humble  wagon  or  hack,  as  before  stated,  made  an 
early  appearance  in  Des  Moines.  One  of  the  first  mail 
contractors  to  run  a  hack  between  Des  Moines  and  Iowa 
City  was  a  gentleman  named  Monihan.  Others  soon  fol- 
lowed, and  other  lines  were  put  in  operation.  One  of  the 
early  carriers  was  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Meachum. 
He  was  subsequently  an  agent  of  the  United  States  Indian 
department,  and  was  with  General  Oanby  and  others  at 
that  fatal  interview  with  the  Modoc  Indians,  when  the 
General,  a  Methodist  preacher,  and  several  others  were  so 
ruthlessly  slaughtered.    Meachum  was  shot,  hacked  with 


182  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

knives  and  left  for  dead,  but  finally  recovered.  About  1850 
the  then  noted  firm  of  Frink  &  Walker  had  control  of  the 
principal  passsenger  lines  in  Iowa,  and  pushed  their  hacks 
and  teams  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Missouri.  In  1854 
they  sold  out  most  of  their  lines  to  the  Western  Stage 
Company,  which  company  held  the  field  until  finally  driven 
out  by  the  railroads. 

The  Western  Stage  companj'  was  practically  the  old 
and  noted  Ohio  Stage  company  under  a  new  name.  They 
had  operated  extensive  lines  of  coaches  in  Ohio,  Indiana 
and  Illinois,  and  being  pressed  west  hj  the  advancing  rail- 
road lines,  took  iDossession  of  most  of  Iowa,  and  held  it 
firmly  in  their  grasp  for  twenty  years  or  more.  The  men  at 
the  head  of  it  and  most  of  their  employes  had  years  of 
experience,  and  when  they  moved  into  Iowa  they  brought 
with  them  their  old  agents,  drivers  and  mechanics,  as  well 
as  their  coaches  and  stock.  Among  the i^rominent partners 
of  the  company  were  W.  H.  Sullivan,  of  Columbus,  O., 
president;  E.  S.  Alvord,  of  Indianapolis,  Inch;  Kimball  Por- 
ter, of  Iowa  City;  Messrs.  Shoemaker,  Talmadge  and 
Camjibell,  of  Ohio,  and  Col.  E.  F.  Hooker,  of  Des  Moines. 

The  first  headquarters  of  the  compan.y  in  Des  Moines 
was  at  the  Everett  House,  which  then  stood  on  the  east 
side  of  Third  street,  near  Walnut,  the  office  being  located 
there  July  1, 1854.  Not  long  after  the  office  was  moved  to  a 
building  on  the  h  t  immediately  south  of  the  Everett 
House,  where  Har bach's  furniture  building  was  subse- 
quently erected.  Here  the  office  remained  for  many  years. 
The  extensive  barns  and  shops  of  the  company  were  located 
near  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Vine  streets,  on  or  near 
where  Getchell's  lumber  yards  have  been  for  many  years. 
Col.  E.  F.  Hooker,  so  well  known  to  so  many  of  our  early 
and  later  citizens,  was  the  general  superintendent,  and  for 


AI^D  THE  CITY  OF  DEB  MOINES.  183 

several  years  resided  in  a  frame  building  near  the  stage 
office.  He  afterwards  purchased  and  removed  his  family 
to  a,  for  that  day,  fine  brick  residence  which  stood  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Savery  House.  The  first  agent  in  Des 
Moines  was  a  clever  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Smith.  He 
was  succeeded  in  a  year  or  two  by  W.  H.  McChesney,  who 
died  in  1858.  Mr.  Cooper  was  also  agent  for  a  time.  A. 
T.  Johnson,  so  long  a  most  popular  resident  of  tlie  city, 
then  became  the  agent  of  the  company,  and  remained  as 
such  until  the  company  withdrew  its  lines  from  this  place. 
Mr.  Johnson  then  establislied  the  first  omnibus  line  in  the 
city,  and  conducted  it  successfully  until  his  death  some 
twelve  or  fifteen  j'ears  ago.  He  was  a  good  man,  highly 
respected  by  all. 

Col.  E.  F.  Hooker  retired  from  the  superintendency  of 
the  companjr  in  1866,  and  was  succeeded  by  Richard  Louns- 
bery,  who  held  the  place  to  the  end.  He  was  a  popular 
and  much  esteemed  citizen,  who  had  been  with  the  stage 
company  for  many  years,  and  afterwards  engaged  in  busi- 
ness for  himself  in  this  city.  He  died  in  1878.  His  brother, 
George  Lounsberj^,  who  was  associated  with  Richard  in 
business,  is  yet  a  well  known  and  prosperous  citizen.  E. 
B.  Alvord,  T.  R.  Fletcher,  E.  W.  Sparhawk  and  E.  G.  Sears 
were  secretaries  of  the  Western  Stage  company  at  various 
times,  and  resided  in  Des  Moines.  Colonel  Hooker,  the 
first  general  superintendent,  soon  after  leaving  the  com- 
pany became  connected  with  the  Rock  Island  and  the 
Union  Pacific  railroad  companies,  and  continues  their 
trusted  agent.  While  his  railroad  duties  are  mostly  be- 
tween here  and  the  Pacific,  Colonel  Hooker  yet  considers 
Des  Moines  his  home,  being  much  attached  to  the  city  he 
so  much  aided  in  its  earlier  days,  and  here  he  has  hosts 
of  warm  and  devoted  friends. 


184  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

When  the  company  was  in  its  full  tide  of  business  its 
shops  and  stables  here  were  the  largest  in  the  state.  The 
shops  were  in  five  departments — wood-work,  iron-work, 
painting,  horse-shoeing  and  harness-making  and  repairing. 
These  were  all  under  the  control  of  A.  B.  Woodbury.  He 
remained  in  Des  Moines  as  one  of  its  best  citizens 
for  a  number  of  years  and  now  resides  in  New  York.  Con- 
nected with  the  company  were  other  well  known  citizens, 
among  thm  Charles  Rommell,  George  Weaver  and  others. 

The  company  did  an  immense  business  from  1854  until 
a  few  years  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  a  number  of  its 
leading  owners  and  officers  became  wealthy  men.  During 
the  war  the  company  transported  many  thousands  of  sol- 
diers to  and  fro  in  the  state.  Two  regiments  of  infantry, 
the  Twenty-third  and  Thirty-ninth,  were  organized  in  this 
city,  and  the  officers  and  men  were  transported  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  by  the  stage  company.  This  company  was 
a  great  factor  in  the  settlement  and  building  up  of  Iowa, 
especially  of  the  central  portion  of  the  state. 
It  ran  two  main  lines  across  the  state,  and  had  many  con- 
necting lines.  It  met  with  many  difficulties,  had  not  a  few 
reverses,  but  its  number  of  accidents  were  Yerj  small,  and 
upon  the  whole  it  was  ably  and  skilfully  managed.  Natu- 
rally, there  were  often  complaints,  and  in  this  connection 
the  writer  is  tempted  to  reprint  a  newspaper  article,  writ- 
ten and  published  by  himself  in  1858 : 

"We  notice  a  number  of  our  exchanges  are  raking  down 
the  Western  Stage  company  for  the  manner  in  which  they 
convey  passengers  over  their  lines.  A  little  reflection  will 
doubtless  show  to  those  who  are  censuring  the  stage  com- 
pany that  they  are  wrong  in  their  censure.  The  company, 
we  think,  deserves  the  praise  of  the  people  of  loAva  for  its 
indomitable  perseverance  in  plowing  through  snow, 
rain,  sleet  and  mud  for  the  past  eight  months,  imperiling 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  185 

the  lives  of  their  drivers  and  teams  in  crossing  swollen 
streams  to  accommodate  the  traveling  public  and  deliver 
the  mails  at  the  postoffices.  But  few  persons  would  en- 
dure the  privations  and  hardships  which  the  company  has 
passed  through  in  Iowa  for  the  past  eight  months  for 
■double  the  amount  they  receive.  We  believe  the  company 
has  done  more  to  forward  the  mails  and  passengers  than 
the  public  could  reasonably  expect  at  their  hands,  taking 
into  consideration  the  awful  condition  of  the  roads.  A 
little  more  work  on  the  highways  and  a  little  more  patience 
on  the  part  of  passengers  would  be  a  good  thing  just  at  this 
time." 

The  last  coach  belonging  to  the  company  in  Des  Moines 
was  sold  to  James  Stevenson,  of  Omaha,  in  1874.  A.  T. 
Johnson  rode  on  the  driver's  seat  from  the  old  stage  barn 
to  the  railroad  depot,  and  as  he  left  the  old  coach  to  proceed 
on  its  journey  to  the  west,  he  bid  it  an  affectionate  farewell. 
With  it  disappeared  almost  the  last  relic  of  the  once  flour- 
ishing and  powerful  Western  Stage  company.  It  had  had 
its  day  of  glory  and  usefulness,  and  must  disappear  for- 
ever. In  its  place  was  the  steam  and  iron  and  power  and 
comfort  of  the  railroad  train.  Good-bye  to  the  old  coaches 
and  coaching  days. 


CHAPTER  X. 

1855    TO    i860. 

THE  building  fever  took  possession  of  the  citizens  of 
the  town  in  1855  and  continued  to  rage  for  two  or 
three  years  after  that  date  before  a  temporary  lull 
occurred.  Dr.  James  Campbell,  yet  a  resident  of  the  city, 
claims  with  evidence  of  right  the  honor  of  being  the  first 
to  erect  a  brick  business  house  in  the  future  city.  This 
was  a  substantial  three-story  brick  building  af'ThePoint," 
on  the  northwest  corner  of  First  and  Elm  streets,  built  in 
1855.  This  building  was  for  several  years  occupied  as  a  gro- 
cery store,  and  was  finally  destroyed  some  years  ago.  The 
first  brick  block  was  the  "Exchange  Block,"  on  the  corner 
of  Third  and  Walnut.  This  also  was  erected  in  1855.  A. 
Newton,  W.  C.  Burton,  Byron  Rice,  Lovell  White  and  one 
or  two  other  enterprising  citizens  joined  together  in  this 
work  and  rapidly  pushed  it  to  completion.  Its  front  was 
132  feet  on  Walnut,  and  the  first  floor  was  divided  into 
six  store  rooms,  Avhile  the  two  upper  floors  were  arranged 
for  offices,  etc.  A.  Newton  had  a.  large  stock  of  goods  in 
the  east  room;  in  the  two  adjoining  were  also  dry  goods 
and  groceries,  then  followedthedrug  store  of  Dr.  Alexander 
Shaw,  the  banking  house  of  Greene,  Weare  &  Bice,  and 
Macklot,  Oorbin  &  White,  bankers  and  brokers,  occupied 
the  west  room.  On  the  second  floor  were  the  U.  S.  land 
office,  Des  Moines  River  company's  headquarters,  law 
offices,  and  justice  of  the  peace,  and  in  the  west  rooms  the 
finest  saloon  then  in  the  city.  Every  room  in  the  build- 
ing was  more  than  filled  and  in  1856-7  this  Exchange  block 
was  a  veritable  bee-hive  of  business  and  pleasure. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  D^>S'  JilOIXES.  187 

The  Sherman  building,  on  the  corner  of  Court  avenue 
and  Second  street,  was  erected  in  1856,  by  Hoyt  Sherman, 
P.  M.  Casady  and  E.  L.  Tidrick,  and  was  when  completed 
the  best  building  of  its  day  in  the  city.  The  corner  room 
on  the  first  floor  was  occupied  by  the  banking  house  of 
brahch  of  the  State  Bank  of  Iowa.  The  next  room  was  the 
Hoyt  Sherman  &  Co.;  and  aftenv'ards  by  the  Des  Moines 
postoffice  and  book  store  of  Wesley  Redhead,  and  the  east 
room  was  a  dry  goods  store  of  John  Tieruan.  Law  and 
land  offices  occupied  the  second  floor,  while  the  hall  on  the 
third  floor  was  used  for  public  entertainments  and  meet- 
ings, and  at  various  times  for  theatrical  and  concert  pur- 
poses. A  year  or  two  later  the  county  offices  were  mostly 
moved  into  the  building  and  the  hall  was  used  as  a  court 
room,  the  adjoining  i^oms  being  utilized  for  the  clerk's 
office  and  jury  rooms.  These  were  occupied  by  the  county 
until  in  the  '60s  the  present  court  house  was  ready  for 
occupancy.  Then  most  of  the  city  offices  and  council 
chamber  were  in  the  Sherman  building  for  a  number  of 
years.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  the  Sherman  building  was 
prominent  in  the  early  history  of  city  and  county. 

In  1856-7,  Captain  F.  E.  West  erected  on  the  corner  of 
Fourth  and  Court  avenue  what  is  now  so  well  known  as 
the  Eegister  building.  It  was  a  substantial  and  well  built 
double-front,  three-story  building,  and  the  first  to  move 
into  it  was  Will  Porter,  with  his  State  Journal  printing 
office,  which  occupied  the  third  floor.  The  corner  room 
on  the  first  floor  was  occupied  by  the  banking  house  of  B. 
F.  Allen,  and  so  occupied  until  his  unfortunate  failure 
some  fifteen  years  thereafter.  Keyes  &  Crawford  and  after- 
wards E.  A.  Knight  &  Co.,  occupied  the  east  room  and  part 
of  the  upper  floors  with  their  large  dry  goods  store,  and  in 
the  rear  of  Allen's  bank  was  located  the  U.  S.  land  office. 


188  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

For  a  time  the  present  Plymouth  Congregational  church 
used  a  room  on  the  second  floor  as  a  place  of  meeting  and 
the  other  rooms  were  used  as  law  and  land  offices. 

About  this  time  or  a  little  later,  Dr.  Wm.  Baker  &  Co. 
built  a  brick  three-story  building  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Court  avenue  and  Third  street,  to  be  occupied  by  their 
large  drug  store,  and  this  building  stands  to-day  substan- 
tially as  it  was  originally  built,  and  though  Dr.  Baker, 
one  of  the  pioneer  druggists  of  the  citj^,  has  been  dead  for 
several  years,  the  old  firm  name  is  yet  retained.  Soon  after 
this  was  erected,  Frank  M.  Mills  &  Co.  built  another  three- 
story  brick  immediately  east  of  the  Baker  building  and 
occupied  it  entirely  with  their  large  book  and  job  printing 
house,  which  ultimately  grew  to  be  the  largest  in  the  state 
and  fully  equal  to  the  best  in  Chicago  or  the  west 

In  1856,  Cook,  Sargent  &  Cook,  of  which  firm  Ira  Cook 
was  the  resident  member,  built  a  brick  building,  on  Wal- 
nut street,  next  to  the  alley  between  Third  and  Fourth 
streets.  This  was  occupied  by  this  banking  house  for  a 
few  years,  and  then  became  the  property  of  Carter  & 
Hussey,  printers  and  binders.  They  added  largely  to  the 
capacity  of  the  building  and  have  occupied  it  for  many 
years  with  their  large  establishment. 

The  commencement  of  the  erection  of  the  Savery  House 
in  18.56  aided  greatly  in  drawing  business  and  trade  from 
Second  street  to  Walnut  and  bringing  it  "up  town"  as  it 
was  then  termed.  James  C.  Savery  Avas  the  originator 
and  prime  mover  of  the  project,  and  without  his  indomita- 
ble energy  and  shrewdness  the  Savery  would  never  have 
been  built.  But  of  this  further  details  are  given  in  the 
chapter  on  hotels. 

One  of  the  first  brick  buildings  on  Walnut  street  was  a 
two-story  one,  built  by  Dr.  H.  C.  Grimmell,  near  the  south- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  189 

east  corner  of  Fifth,  and  occupied  by  him  with  a  drug  store 
on  the  first  and  a  physician's  office  on  the  second  floor. 
This  was  torn  down  a  few  years  after  being  built.  A 
small  brick  dwelling  where  the  Keinldng  block  now 
stands,  near  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Walnut,  was  among 
the  first  to  be  built  in  the  town.  D.  P.  W.  Day,  along 
in  1855-6,  built  a  small  brick  dwelling  house  in  what  was 
then  known  as  Jonathan  Lyon's  addition.  And  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  Kev.  Nash's  Baptist  church  built  a 
brick  house  for  their  use  in  1855-6  on  Mulberry  street 
north  of  the  present  court  house,  and  but  a  few  years  later 
the  Christian  church  put  up  the  brick  building  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Mulberry  and  Seventh  streets,  a  portion  of  which 
yet  remains  standing. 

The  years  1854-5-6  were  very  prosperous  years  for  both 
city  and  county.  The  immigration  into  both  was  heavy 
and  of  an  excellent  class  of  people.  New  farms  were 
being  opened  and  good  farm  dwellings  built  in  every  sec- 
tion of  the  county,  while  the  town  was  rapidly  increasing 
in  population  and  wealth.  All  was  bustle  and  activity; 
land  and  town  lots  were  in  active  demand  and  rapidly 
increasing  in  price.  The  town  soon  swelled  beyond  its 
first  limited  corporation  lines,  and  new  additions  were 
platted  on  every  side  and  these  lots  sold  with  astounding 
rapidity.  The  new  town  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  had  a 
remarkable  growth  during  these  three  years  and  became 
to  some  extent  a  rival  of  the  West  Side,  or  original  town. 
This,  together  with  the  location  of  the  capitol  on  the  Bast 
Side,  more  fully  alluded  to  in  the  chapter  on  the  capitol, 
brought  about  much  local  feeling  which,  for  a  time,  engen- 
dered the  animosities  common  to  such  local  rivalries.  In 
fact,  not  content  with  the  state  capitol,  many  of  the  East 
Side  people  had  hopes  of  ultimately  obtaining  the  county 


190  /INNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

capitol  or  court  house  for  their  side  of  the  river,  and  ' 
hence  many  of  them  were  bitterly  opposed  to  the  erection 
of  a  new  court  house  on  the  ground  originally  set  aside 
for  that  purpose  upon  the  West  Side.  To  placate  the  peo- 
ple of  the  East  Side  in  1857  the  county  judge  had  made 
the  new  township  of  Lee  on  that  side  of  the  river,  and  the 
Postofflce  authorities  at  Washington  were  induced  to  give 
them  the  post-office  of  East  Des  Moines.  This,  however, 
was  discontinued  in  a  year  or  two. 

In  the  winter  of  1856-7  some  of  the  best  citizens  on  each 
side  concluded  it  would  be  better  for  all  to  have  a  union 
of  these  somewhat  discordant  elements.  Accordingly  a 
new  charter  for  a  city  covering  the  territory  both  east  and 
west  was  carefully  prepared.  It  gave  the  West  Side 
^'ight  and  the  East  Side  six  aldermen,  and  had  other  pro- 
visions for  protecting  the  interests  of  the  East  Side  from 
the  majority  on  the  West  Side,  and  extended  the  bound- 
aries so  as  to  make  the  limits  extend  about  four  miles  east 
and  west  and  two  miles  north  and  south.  At  that  time 
not  a  few  regarded  these  limits  as  covering  entirely  too 
much  territory,  that  would  not  be  filled  for  scores  of  years. 
And  yet  in  a  comparatively  few  years  the  population  did 
spread  away  beyond  these  then  wide  limits  and  in  the  last 
few  years  the  corporation  boundaries  had  to  be  again 
much  more  widely  extended  to  bring  them  within  the  con- 
trol of  the  city. 

It  was  also  decided  by  thisnewchartertodropforeverthe 
name  of  "town  of  Fort  Des  Moines,"  and  adopt  in  lieu 
thereof  the  name  as  it  now  stands — "The  City  of  Des 
Moines."  This  charter  was  sent  to  Iowa  City,  passed 
the  General  Assembly,  was  approved  by  Governor  Grimes 
January  28,  and  took  effect  February  16,  1857.  The  first 
election  under  it  was  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  March, 
1857. 


AiYD  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  191 

The  financial  panic  and  troubles  of  1857  were  severely 
felt  in  Des  Moines  and  Polk  county,  as  they  were  all  over 
the  country.  A  check  was  at  once  placed  on  all  specula- 
tion in  lots  and  lands,  though  building  continued  in  the 
new  city  and  the  farms  of  the  county  were  continuously 
improved  and  many  new  ones  opened  up.  Yet,  compared 
with  former  prosperity  and  confidence, *to  use  the  common 
phrase,  "times  were  dull  and  money  scarce."  It  was  sev- 
eral years  before  "flush  times"  again  visited  the  city  and 
county,  and  yet  both  continued  to  grow  and  prosper.  There 
had  been  in  1855-6  too  much  inflation  in  western  lands 
and  enterprises,  and  this  was  one  of  the  causes  assigned 
for  the  financial  troubles  of  that  time,  and  this  check  was 
perhaps  needed  to  bring  all  back  to  a  proper  and  substan- 
tial level.  But  be  that  as  it  may  Des  Moines  had  natural 
and  acquired  advantages,  and  Polk  county  had  the  rich 
and  fertile  lands,  which  made  their  future  safe  after  these 
temporary  troubles  had  been  met  and  conquered.  And 
succeeding  years  showed  these  resources  were  a  safe  capi- 
tal to  rely  upon. 

Early  in  the  year  1857,  J.  B.  Bausman  &  Co  made  an 
excellent  map  of  Des  Moines  and  also  completed  a  census 
of  the  city  which  was  regarded  as  correct.  The  popula- 
tion as  then  given  was  as  follows: 

c 

INHABITANTS. 

East  Side  978 

West  Side 2,585 

Total  city  population 3,563 

It  will  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  to  know  the  business 
men  and  houses  of  that  day  and  we  copy  the  list  in  full  as 
then  given  by  Bausman  &  Co.,  early  in  the  year  1857. 


192  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Practicing  Attorneys — Finch,  Crocker  &  Mitchell,  Wil- 
liamson &  Gray,  Barlow  Granger,  John  A.  Grow,  Brown 
&  Elwood,  J.  E.  Jewett,  S.  Reynolds,  W.  J.  Gatling,  B.  P. 
Stanbury,  Madison  Yonng,  J.  C.  Graves,  F.  M.  Hubbell,  J. 
S.  Polk,  C.  W.  Nash.  Bates  &  Phillips,  Samuel  Elbert. 

Ambrotype  and  Photograph  Room — Reynolds  &  Rider. 

Architect — Dyer  H.  Young. 

Bankers — Hoyt  Sherman,  Greene,  Weare,  Rice  &  Co., 
Lovell  White,  A.  J.  Stevens,  B.  F.  Allen,  Cook,  Sargent  & 
Cook,  Leas  &  Harsh. 

Merchants — Including  wholesale  and  retail  dry  goods, 
groceries,  etc.,  Woodward  &  Hepburn,  Ten  Eyck  &  Hol- 
comb,  Lovejoy,  Thompson  &  Co.,  W.  W.  Moore,  N.  Jero- 
laman,  R.  W.  Sypher,  J.  W.  &  A.  J.  Dunkle,  Campbell, 
Jones  &  Co.,  Newton  &  Keene,  Chandler  &  Bell,  J.  H. 
Hatch,  Beekman  &  Prindar,  Omer  Tousey,  E.  H.  Hart, 
W.  W.  Francis,  Little,  Garrison  &  Co.,  A.  Mills  &  Co. 

Grocers,  Wholesale  and  Retail — Laird  Bros.  &  Co., 
Cavenor  &  Williamson,  W.  F.  Burgett,  H.  M.  Bush,  F.  W. 
Longworth,  J.  H.  Thode,  Journey  &  Wear,  McCormic  & 
Garretty,  Yerger  &  McKee,  Kappes  &  Reinig,  M.  Schot- 
tenfels,  John  McWilliams. 

Hardware  and  Stove  Dealers — Galbraith  &  Latshaw, 
E.  Sanford  &  Co.,  C.  P.  Luse  &  Co.,  Comstock  &  Co., 
Daniel  Lord  &  Co. 

Furniture — J.  M.  Reicheneker,  E.  Tarbell,  A.  Alex- 
ander. 

Clothing  and  Furnishing,  Wholesale  and  Retail — J.  & 
L  Kuhn,  Morris  &  Downer,  Strauss,  Simon  &  Billstein. 

Boot,  Shoe  and  Leather  Stores — Stacy  Johns  &  Co., 
Kuhn,  Morris  &  Co.,  Frank  M.  Mills,  James  F.  Kemp,  W. 
S.  Terry. 


AXn  THE  CITY  OF  DE^'<  2I0IXES.  193 

Drugfiists — G.  M.  Ilippee  &  Co.,  F.  C.  Grimmell,  W. 
Baker  &  Co.,  C.  Good. 

Jewelry — J.  N.  Newell,  T\\  P.  Andrews,  Joseph  Eogg,  O. 
II.  Baker. 

Newspapers — Htate  Journal,  Will  Porter,  Editor  and 
Proprietor;  State  IJegister,  John  Teesdale,  Editor  and 
Proprietor. 

As  before  stated  the  first  bridge  across  the  Des  Moines 
Piver  was  what  is  termed  a  "float  bridge."  This  was 
placed  in  snccessfnl  use  in  1855  near  what  is  now  Grand 
avejiue,  and  some  year  or  two  later  more  permanent 
bridges  were  built  at  Court  avenue  and  by  W.  A.  Scott  at 
Market  street.  These  were  wooden  bridges  and  at  that 
time  were  regarded  as  strong  and  durable  structures, 
though  both  broke  down  within  a  few  years.  These  were 
followed  by  a  wooden  bridge  over  the  Paccoon  River  at 
"Tlie  Pf.int." 

In  1S5S  came  the  agitaticm  over  the  erection  of  the  main 
portion  of  the  new  court  house.  For  local  and  other 
reasons  previousl}'  stated  the  commencement  of  this  much 
needed  building  was  violenth^  opposed,  especially  by 
many  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  Public  meetings  were 
held  and  the  excitement  for  a  time  ran  high.  All  kinds 
of  charges  were  made  and  bandied  about.  Hon.  Thomas 
H.  Napier,  then  the  county  judge,  stood  firm  during  all  the 
clamor  and  more  determined  the  building  should  be 
erected.  The  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  building  was 
let  to  Isaac  Cooper,  by  a  contract  dated  June  22,  1858. 
The  sum  to  be  paid  to  him  was  .|(i4,300.  On  May  23,  1859, 
a  ])roposition  was  submitted  to  the  voters  of  the  c(mnty 
to  issue  bonds  to  the  amount  of  i|f30,000  to  aid  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  new  court  house.  This  proposition  car- 
ried after  a  sharp  contest  by  the  decisive  vote  of  yt^as  1,017, 


194  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

nays  790.  This  was  a  virtual  endorsemeut  of  the  action  of 
the  county  judge,  and  work  proceeded  on  the  building, 
though  at  a  slow  rate,  owing  to  financial  and  other 
troubles,  and  the  building  was  not  ready  for  occupancy 
until  1862.  Further  details  about  the  court  house  of  the 
county  may  be  found  in  a  separate  chapter  under  that 
heading. 

The  first  brick  house  on  the  East  Side  was  erected  in 
1854-5  by  Dr.  T.  K.  Brooks,  at  the  head  of  what  was  then 
called  agncy  prairie,  not  far  from  the  old  agency  bxiild- 
ing.  Part  of  the  brick  was  floated  from  Coon  bottom 
during  the  flood  of  that  year,  and  the  biiilding  was  com- 
pleted that  fall,  and  for  several  years  was  the  hospitable 
residence  of  the  Doctor  and  his  estimable  wife  and  family. 
In  1855  W.  A.  Scott  built  a  residence  on  Market  street, 
East  Side,  and  then  and  later  several  other  brick  store 
rooms  and  other  buildings.  John  Slatten  also  about  that 
time  put  up  a  large  brick  opposite  Scott's  residence.  The 
first  large  brick  building  for  business  puri)oses  on  the 
East  Side  was  built  by  Joseph  M.  and  Harry  H.  Grifliths, 
on  Locust  street,  east  of  Fourth  street,  which  was  subse- 
quently remodeled  and  fitted  up  as  the  Jones  House,  and 
occujiied  as  a  hotel  for  a  number  of  years.  This  building, 
though  several  times  much  changed,  is  yet  standing.  One 
of  the  first  large  business  buildings  on  East  Fifth  street 
was  a  double  front  two-story  frame  built  by  Noah  D. 
Haskell  in  1856-7.  This  stood  about  half  way  between 
Walnut  and  Locust  streets,  on  the  east  side  of  Fifth. 
Opposite  was  a  two-story  frame  building  used  as  a  hotel, 
and  known  as  the  Cooley  House  and  later  as  the  Loper 
House.  On  the  East  Side,  morever,  a  number  of  business 
houses  and  a  large  number  of  dwellings,  some  of  the  latter 
large  and  costly,  were  erected  during  the  period  from 
1855  to  18G0. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  195 

The  temporary  capitol,  located  on  the  lot  south  of  the 
capitol  where  the  Soldier's  Monument  now  stands  in  all 
its  beauty,  was  built  in  1856  and  completed  the  follow- 
ing year.  It  was  a  three-storj^  brick  and  Avell  adajDted 
for  the  purposes  for  which  it  Avas  intended,  and  for  many 
years  was  occupied  by  the  state.  It  was  not,  however, 
built  by  the  state,  but  by  enterprising  citizens,  mostly  of 
the  East  Side.  Among  these  were  W.  A.  Scott,  Joseph 
M.  and  Harry  H.  Griffiths,  Dr.  T.  K.  Brooks,  James  A. 
Williamson,  Dr.  Alexander  Shaw,  Harrison  and  Alfred  M. 
Lyon  and  others.  Some  of  these  gentlemen  financially 
embarrassed  themselves  in  erecting  this  state  building. 
Subsequently  the  state  assumed  a  small  portion  of  the 
liabilities  incurred.  In  1857  the  state  archives,  etc.,  were 
removed  from  Iowa  City  to  Des  Moines  and  late  in  that 
year  all  the  state  offices  and  officers  were  located  in  the 
temporary  building.  Governor  Grimes  then  issued  a  pro- 
clamation stating  that  Des  Moines  was  the  state  capital 
and  directing  the  General  Assembly  to  there  meet  and 
hold  its  next  session. 

This  first  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  was  a  great 
event  for  Des  Moines.  The  accommodations  at  hotels  and 
boarding  houses  were  not  extensive,  but  the  citizens  hos- 
pitably came  to  the  rescue  and  private  houses  were  freely 
thrown  open  for  the  accommodation  of  members.  Among 
others  W.  A.  Scott  and  wife  opened  their  large  residence 
on  the  East  Side,  and  entertained  members  and  others  in 
a  most  lavish  manner  and  at  great  expense  to  them- 
selves. Others  did  the  same.  All  were  well  taken  care 
of,  and  it  was  a  common  saying  aftenvard  among  old 
members  that  they  were  never  entertained  so  royally  as 
at  the  first  session  of  the  General  Assembly  in  Des  Moines, 
which  convened  in  January,  1858.  It  was  something  new, 
and  the  citizens  of  Des  Moines  took  pride  in  showing  forth 


196  ANNALH  OF  POLK  VOUNTY 

their  liberal  bdspitalitv  and  geuerons  good  will.  While 
yet  hospitable  to  all,  years  have  made  them  more  familiar 
and  more  accustomed  to  the  visits  and  temporary  presence 
in  the  city  of  Iowa  legislators.  They  have  now  liad  them 
for  nearly  forty  years. 

During  the  years  embraced  Avithin  this  period  there 
were  more  steamboat  arrivals  at  the  port  of  Des  Moines 
than  during  any  other  period,  and  they  were  a  great  help 
to  the  merchants  in  I'eceiving  and  shipping  the  large 
amount  of  freight  necessary  for  their  large  and  rapidly 
expanding  trade.  As  a  general  rule  the  stage  of  water 
in  the  Des  Moines  IJiver  was  favorable  for  steaniDoat  navi- 
gation during  the  spring  and  early  summer  months  and 
boat  captains  and  owners  Avere  anxious  to  engage  in  this 
lucrative  trade.  It  is  stated  on  good  authority  that  at 
one  time  during  this  period  as  many  as  six  steamboats 
were  in  one  day  lying  at  the  port,  near  the  junction  of 
the  Des  Moines  and  Kaccoon  rivers,  receiving  and  dis- 
charging freight  and  passengers.  More  of  steamboats 
and  river  navigation  will  be  found  in  another  chapter. 

In  the  spring  of  1857,  a  few  days  after  the  Spirit  Lake 
massacre,  there  was  much  excitement  in  Des  Moines  and 
north  of  this  point,  over  the  report  that  the  Sioux  Indians 
were  marching  in  this  direction,  with  the  intention  of  mak- 
ing a  raid  upcni  the  new  ca])ital.  In  those  days  there  were 
no  telegraphs  or  railroads  in  this  portion  of  the  state,  and 
the  mail  facilities  were  slow  and  uncertain.  When  these 
reports  came  in,  how  and  from  where  not  clearly  stated, 
there  naturally  was  much  alarm.  The  able-bodied  men 
were  at  once  called  out  by  Mayor  A^'.  H.  Mc Henry,  and 
placed  under  the  command  of  Captain  John  V.  Booth,  a 
West  Point  graduate,  who  had  served  in  the  regular  army. 
All  kinds  of  arnis  were  hunted  and  hasty  preparations 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE>S  2IOINES.  197 

made  for  defense.  To  ascertain  soniethin<^  as  to  the 
truths  of  these  reports  W.  A.  Scott,  Jeff.  S.  Polk,  Brax.  D. 
Thomas  and  others  volunteered  as  scouts  and  immediately 
started  north  towards  Boonsboro.  They  made  a  rapid 
ride  and  found  there  was  little  or  no  basis  for  the  reports 
and  that  It  was  doubtful  if  a  single  Sioux  warrior  was 
then  within  the  borders  of  the  state  of  Iowa.  They 
returned  home  and  reported,  and  the  excitement  at  once 
subsided.  This  was  the  last  Indian  scare  here,  though 
there  were  several  more  of  them  in  the  northwestern 
counties  during  the  jears  of  the  civil  war. 

In  May,  1857,  owing  to  the  heavy  immigration  of  the 
previous  .year  and  the  lateness  of  the  spring,  corn,  wheat, 
potatoes,  etc.,  became  very  scarce  and  high  in  price.  In 
that  month  it  is  reported  prices  ran  as  high  as,  corn  two 
dollars  per  bushel,  potatoes  three  dollars,  and  flour  |6.75 
per  hundred.  The  supply  grown  the  previous  year  was 
almost  completely  exhausted. 

In  November,  1S.56,  the  ITnited  States  Express  company 
established  an  office  in  Des  Moines,  and  has  continued  the 
same  contiuuousl}'  up  to  this  time,  their  business  in  the 
city  steadily  increasing  with  the  groAvth  of  the  city.  Dur- 
ing the  first  ten  years  they  utilized  stage  coaches  and 
wagons,  where  thej'^  now  use  the  railroads.  William  H. 
Quick  was  then  in  the  employ  of  this  company,  was  local 
agent  in  Des  Moines,  and  for  many  years  he  has  been 
superintendent  of  the  division,  with  headquarters  in  this 
city.  The  popular  local  agent,  E.  L.  Smith,  has  also  filled 
this  p(jsitiou  since  18()5,  having  been  with  the  company 
from  the  time  it  first  opened  lines  in  Iowa. 

The  total  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Polk  count}' 
for  1,S5(),  was  -14, 057,  693,  and  this  was  an  increase  in  three 
years  of  over  three  millions  of  dollars. 


198  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  spring-  and  summer  of  1858  were  very  wet  and  back- 
ward, there  being  much  rain  in  May,  June  and  July,  delay- 
ing planting  and  in  many  instances  drowning  out  what 
had  been  planted,  and  altogether  causing  much  delay  and 
loss  to  the  farmers,  who  at  the  same  .time  were  suffering 
under  the  financial  troubles  which  had  recently  come 
u])on  tiiem.  The  roads  were  for  months  in  a  horrible  con- 
dition, and  it  was  with  much  difficulty  the  stages  could  get 
through  with  mails  and  passengers.  There  being  no  rail- 
roads tlieu  in  central  Iowa  it  was  with  much  difficulty  and 
at  heavy  expense  that  goods  could  be  hauled  along  the 
miry  roads.  Even  when  the  harvest  time  came,  in  many 
fields,  o-w'ing  to  the  softness  of  the  ground,  reapers  and 
other  machines  could  not  be  used.  Taken  as  a  whole  the 
year  1858  was  a  bad  one  for  the  farmers,  and  also  as  a 
matter  of  course  a  bad  one  for  all  the  other  people  of  the 
state.  While  not  as  bad  as  the  floods  of  1851  yet  there 
were  in  1858  many  more  people  in  Iowa  to  suffer  from  the 
excessive  amount  of  rain  which  fell  during  the  latter  year. 

In  1859  broke  out  what  was  then  termed  "The  Pike's 
Peak  craze."  This  continued  for  two  or  three  years  and 
drew  hundreds  from  the  city  and  county,  who  started  for 
Colorado  in  a  search  for  gold  and  silver.  Many  of  these 
returned,  some  in  a  few  months  and  others  in  a  few  years, 
and  again  settled  down  here,  but  many  of  them  remained 
and  became  permanent  citizens  of  Colorado  or  of  other 
western  territories.  This  large  Colorado  or  western  emi- 
gration was  a  heavy  draft  upon  Iowa,  and  Polk  county 
and  Des  Moines  suffered  their  full  share  therefrom.  Kan- 
sas and  Nebraska  also  drew  heavily  upon  Iowa  during  the 
latter  por-tion  of  the  50s,  taking  from  the  latter  many 
good  and  enterprising  citizens,  and  thereby  much  retard- 
ing the  growth  and  prosperity  of  this  state,  and  especially 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  199 

of  this  city  and  county.  Yet  the  gains  were  much  greater 
than  the  losses  from  these  sources  and  the  city  and  county 
continued  to  grow  in  wealth  and  population  in  spite  of  the 
hundreds,  running  up  into  thousands,  attracted  as  stated, 
to  other  states  and  territories.  And  it  has  been  often 
remarked  that  during  the  past  fifty  years  so  many  men 
have  left  tlie  city  and  county,  determined  to  stay  awaj^, 
but  in  the  course  of  a  j'ear  or  more  have  returned  to 
again  take  up  their  abode  here.  They  could  not  remain 
away  with  satisfaction  to  themselves  and  families.  Des 
Moines  and  Polk  county  almost  invariably  win  the  lasting 
affections  of  those  who  reside  within  their  borders  for  any 
leng-th  of  time. 

Money,  or  its  representative  in  bank  bills,  had  an  import- 
ant part  to  play  in  the  business  affairs  of  the  people  here 
during  the  years  previous  to  and  immediately  following 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  Under  the  first  constitution 
no  banks  of  issue  were  permitted  to  be  ei^tablished  in  the 
state,  and  hence  the  bank  bills  of  other  states  and  terri- 
tories were  thrown  into  Iowa,  and  formed  the  larger  por- 
tion of  the  circulating  medium  used  in  the  transaction 
of  business.  Bankers  and  others  in  Iowa  became  iter- 
ested  in  or  owned  charters  of  banks  of  issue  outside  of  the 
state,  and  brought  their  notes  here  for  crculation  among 
the  people  of  this  state.  The  territory  of  Nebraska  at  this 
time  was  a  new  and  fertile  field  for  the  organization  of 
banks,  nominally  located  in  that  territory,  but  really  con- 
trolled, owned  and  operated  by  Iowa  men,  who  circulated 
the  notes  of  these  banks  in  this  state.  The  principal  one 
among  these  many  banks  was  the  "Bank  of  Nebraska," 
nominally  located  at  Omaha,  but  controlled  and  oper- 
ated through  the  banking  house  of  B.  F.  Allen  in  Des 
Moines.     For  several  years  these  notes  were  in  general 


200  AMNALH  OF  FOLK  VOFNTY 

firculation  in  this  city  and  county  and  tlirougliout  central 
Iowa.  No  special  reliance  was  placed  upon  the  bank 
itself,  but  tlie  notes  were  sustained  and  kei)t  afloat  by 
and  through  the  endorsement  of  B.  F.  Allen  and  his  bank- 
ing house  in  Des  Moines,  he  and  his  banlv  at  tliat  time  hav- 
ing the  almost  unlimited  confidence  of  the  people  in  this 
l^ortion  of  the  state.  Hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars 
of  these  Bank  of  Nebraska  notes  were  placed  in  circula- 
tion and  it  is  only  justice  to  state  they  were  all  finally 
redeemed  by  Mr.  Allen  without  loss  to  the  people. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Des  Moines  was  Andrew  J. 
Stevens.  He  came  from  New  York  where  he  had  read  law 
in  the  office  of  Hon.  William  H.  Seward,  and  was  a  bright, 
intelligent  man,  and  was  elected  state  auditor  in  1854. 
He  resigned  this  office  in  185.5,  engaged  in  the  business 
of  buying  and  selling  lands,  etc.,  and  finally  became  a 
banker  under  the  name  of  A.  J.  Stevens  &  (V).  He  pur- 
chased (jr  had  under  his  centred  tlie  "Agricultural  Bank  of 
Tennessee,"  and  nominally  located  in  and  operated  under 
the  laws  of  that  state.  Manj^  thousands  of  dollars  of  these 
iiot(*s  were  brought  here  and  placed  in  circuhition  by  A.  J. 
Stevens.  The  people  knew  little  and  cared  less  about 
the  solvency'  of  the  bank  itself.  They  relied  wholly  upon 
the  responsibility  of  Stevens  Avho  placed  them  in  circula- 
tion and  redeemed  them  with  current  notes  at  his  banking 
house  in  Des  Moines.  In  this  city  and  cf)unty  and  in  the 
adjacent  country  many  thousands  of  dollars  of  these  notes 
were  thus  circulated  and  a  large  business  was  transacted 
for  several  years  at  tlie  banking  house  of  A.  J.  Stevens  t!t 
Co.  But  when  the  panic  of  1857  came  this  banking  house 
was  forced  to  succumb  to  the  pressure.  Its  failure  made 
the  notes  of  the  "Agricultural  Bank  of  Tennessee"  entirely 
worthless,  and  the  loss  in  the  aggregate    was     heavy, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEi^  ilOIXEK.  201 

tlioujili  so  widely  scattered  that  individual  losses  were  not 
very  large.  There  was  mnch  excitement  over  the  failure, 
and  Stevens  left  the  city,  for  a  time,  althougli  many  sym- 
pathized with  him  and  charges  were  made  that  hi.s  down- 
fall was  mainly  due  to  the  jealousy  and  rivalry  of  other 
banks  and  bankers.  The  fact,  however,  became  apparent 
that  the  banking  house  of  A.  J.  Stevens  i!t  Co.,  like  unto  liis 
Tennessee  bank,  had  been  doing  too  much  business  (ui  too 
little  capital.  When  the  pinch  came  they  had  to  botli  go 
down  together. 

Under  the  new  constitution  of  tlie  state,  adopted  in  1857, 
the  State  Bank  of  Iowa  was  organized,  and  a  branch  of 
the  same  was  established  at  Des  Moines,  ccnnmencing 
business  on  January  1,  1859.  This  bank  was  located  in 
the  Sherman  block,  in  the  ro(jms  previously  occupied  by* 
the  banking  Iiouse  of  Hoyt  Sherman  &  Co.  The  lii'st  i)res- 
ident  of  the  bank  was  Captain  F.  If.  West,  and  Hoyt 
Sherman  was  cashier,  while  P.  M.  (Jasady,  K.  L.  Tidrick, 
B.  F.  Allen,  L.  P.  Sherman  and  others  Avere  directors  or 
interested  in  the  institution.  It  was  the  first  bank  issuing 
notes  in  Des  Moines,  and  was  conducted  on  safe,  conserva- 
tive lines,  and  during  its  entire  existence  its  notes  were 
alwaj's  at  par  and  always  promptl.y  redeemed  upon  pres- 
entation at  the  bank.  During  the  financial  troubles 
which  preceded  the  war,  when  banks  all  over  the  country 
were  closing  their  doors,  or  their  notes  could  only  be  cir- 
culated at  a  discount,  (jften  a  very  heavy  one,  the  notes  of 
the  State  Bank  of  Iowa  remained  at  par,  and  were  eagerly 
sought  for  as  safe  funds  to  hold.  This  bank  remained  in 
existence  for  some  six  j-ears,  when  the  national  system  of 
banking  having  been  devised  during  the  war  and  placed 
in  operation,  this  bank  was  finally  merged  into  the  Na- 
tional State  bank  in  May,  1865. 


202  AYXAL,^  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Those  doing-  business  about  1860  will  remember  the 
annoyance  and  losses  caused  by  the  banks  and  bank  notes 
of  those  days,  when  a  bank  note  detector  or  bulletin  had  to 
be  consulted  continuously  to  learn  whether  bank  notes 
presented  were  par,  at  a  discount,  or  entirely  worthless. 
The  merchant  as  well  as  his  customers  were  afraid  to  hold 
these  bank  notes  any  length  of  time  for  fear  they  would 
become  worthless  while  in  their  posession,  and  they  has- 
tened to  deposit  them  in  banks  or  j)aj  them  out  to  others. 
Many  debts  were  promptly  paid,  not  perhaps  through  a 
desire  to  get  out  of  debt  as  much  as  it  was  through  fear  the 
notes  would  become  of  less  or  no  value  while  in  the 
possession  of  the  debtor.  Gold  and  silver  a  man  might 
hold  on  to,  but  at  that  time  most  bank  notes  were  a  dan- 
gerous commodity,  unsafe  to  hold  for  any  length  of  time, 
and  to  be  passed  into  other  hands  as  quickly  as  possible. 
During  these  times,  however,  the  notes  of  the  State  bank 
stood  par  all  the  time  on  their  own  merits,  and  those  of 
the  Bank  of  Nebraska  were  kept  up  and  in  circulation 
here  through  the  name  and  influence  of  B.  F.  Allen. 

Here  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  cori'ect  a  somewhat 
prevalent  error.  Of  late  years  public  speakers  and  others 
have  told  in  moving  terms  of  the  losses  suffered  by  the 
people  who  held  the  notes  of  Iowa  banks.  These  losses  are 
purely  imaginary'.  There  may  have  been  some  such  losses 
iu  Iowa  Territorial  days,  but  under  the  first  constitution  of 
the  state  of  Iowa  no  banks  of  issue  were  permitted  in  the 
state.  Hence  as  no  Iowa  bank  could  issue  bank  notes  or 
currency,  there  were  none  issued,  and  consequently  there 
were  no  losses  on  this  account.  The  present  constitution 
of  Iowa  was  adopted  in  1857,  and  under  it  the  only  bank 
issuing  notes  created  under  it  were  the  State  bank  and 
branches.      These  Iowa  State  banks  issued  many  thou- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  203 

sauds  of  dollars  in  notes,  but  all  these  notes  were  promptly 
redeemed  when  presented  and  at  no  time  were  below  par 
in  the  state.  Hence  there  never  were  any  losses  to  the 
people  because  of  Iowa  bank  note  issues.  The  losses  the 
people  suffered  on  this  respect  came  from  banks  of  issue 
located  in  and  operating  under  the  laws  of  other  states 
and  territories. 

During  the  years  1857-8  the  city  council  of  Des  Moines 
for  the  first  and  last  time  in  its  history,  issued  what  was 
termed  "City  Script"  for  the  two-fold  purpose  of  paying- 
debts  and  at  the  same  time  furnishing  a  circulating  me- 
dium. After  much  discussion  this  plan  was  agreed  upon, 
and  to  carry  it  out  a  set  of  bank  notes  were  engraved  and 
printed,  being  Is,  2s,  3s  and  5s.  These  bills  made  a 
rather  handsome  appearance,  and  for  a  year  or  two  were 
in  more  or  less  general  circulation  in  the  city,  taken  for 
goods  at  the  stores,  etc.,  but  were  not  looked  upon  with 
much  favor  outside  of  the  city.  They  were  almost  purely 
a  local  currency,  and  while  answering  to  some  extent  the 
Ijurpose  for  which  they  were  issued,  never  became  verj- 
current  or  popular.  The}-  were  finallj'  withdrawn  from 
circulation,  without  much  loss  or  gaiu  to  the  city  or 
citizens. 

Those  five  years  marked  a  ]3eriod  of  much  growth  and 
prosperity  for  Des  Moines  and  Polk  countj^  and  in  those 
years  came  many  men  and  women  as  settlers  who  after- 
ward became  prominent  in  the  history  of  the  city  and 
county.  Take  the  rolls  of  the  Early  Settlers'  association 
and  it  will  be  found  that  more  of  its  members  became  res- 
ident during  these  five  years  than  during  any  other  period 
in  its  history.  The  financial  troubles  of  1857-8  could 
check  but  could  not  stop  the  growth  of  the  city  and  county, 
and  in  fact  the  pressure  of  hard  times  caused  many  in  town 


204 


ANXAL>^  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 


to  turn  their  attention  to  a^rieultural  pursuits  and  niauv 
of  them  not  only  became  for  the  time  being  farmers,  but 
remained  sncli,  and  not  a  few  of  them  became  the  most 
progressive  and  best  farmers  in  the  county.  In  1860  tlie 
population  of  the  county  was  11,(>25,  and  of  the  City  of 
Des  Moines,  3,9G5. 


OLII    STA'l'E    CAl'ITOL    AFTER    THE    FIRE. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

i860    TO    1865. 

Tlllt^  may  be  termed  the  war  period  of  the  city  and 
ronnty  as  it  Avas  of  tlie  entire  couuti-y.  As  tlie 
chapter  devoted  to  military  liistory  sliows,  the  call 
for  soldiers  and  the  hearty  and  liberal  resjionse  tliereto 
was  a  heavy  draft  upon  T)(>s  Moines  and  Polk  county.  It 
drew  from  the  active  jtursuits  of  civil  life  hundreds  of 
youuii  iiieu  and  placed  them  in  the  field  as  soldiers — as 
destr(jyers  rather  than  creators  of  wealth  and  prosjierity 
— and  yet  durini;"  these  five  years  of  almost  continuous 
destructive  war  the  county  and  city  steadily  increased 
in  both  population  and  wealth.  In  1860  the  population 
was:  county,  11,G25;  city,  3,905;  1803,  county,  12,925; 
city,  4,419;  1805,  county,  15,244;  city,  5,722.  Thus  it  will 
be  seen  there  was  a  steady  and  even  rajnd  gain  in  pctpula- 
tiou  durinsi'  the  entire  years  of  the  war,  in  spite  of  the 
heavy  drafts  made  for  soldiers  in  the  field. 

One  cause  of  this  was  no  doubt  that  the  locaticm  of  city 
and  county  were  far  away  from  the  scene  of  active  hostili- 
ties. It  was  some  100  miles  to  the  northern  boundary 
of  Missouri,  and  save  only  in  one  or  two  instances  were 
there  any  alarms  as  to  apprehended  fighting  or  trouble 
within  the  limits  of  city  and  county.  Of  one  of  these 
we  may  as  well  make  a  note  here.  One  of  the  noted  lead- 
ers of  a  band  of  rebel  guerrillas  or  busliwuackers  in  Mis- 
souri was  one  Bill  Anderson  who  frequently  in  the  war 
period  appeared  in  northern  Missoul'i  and  sometimes  ])er- 
haps  came  near  to  but  it  is  not  certain  that  he  ever  crossed 


20(]  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  Iowa  line.  In  1864  in  some  way  a  wild  rumor  was 
started  that  the  noted  Bill,  with  a  formidable  band  had 
crossed  the  Iowa  line,  and  was  headed  straight  for  the 
capital  of  Iowa,  intent  upon  pillage  and  slaughter".  This 
alarm  started  in  the  southern  tier  of  counties  and  soon 
spread  to  this  county  and  city.  And  while  some  may  have 
laughed,  others  were  much  alarmed,  and  a  few  may  have 
begun  to  pray.  The  city  was  virtually  defenseless  so  far 
as  any  organized  force  was  concerned,  and  as  messengers 
and  rumors  kept  coming  in  that  the  redoutable  Bill  was 
approaching  the  alarm  became  general.  B.  F.  Allen  and 
some  of  the  other  bankers  took  the  precaution  to  place 
their  current  funds  beyond  the  reach  of  Bill  and  his  gang. 
There  were  two  pieces  of  artillery  in  town  and  they  were 
placed  in  charge  of  a  volunteer  company,  six  horses  has- 
tily procured  and  hitched  to  each,  and  the  two  guns  taken 
with  some  difficulty  to  the  state  capitol,  there  to  make  a 
stand.  Captain  H.  H.  Griffith,  Col.  James  A.  Williamson 
and  other  officers  who  happened  to  be  home  on  furlough, 
assumed  direction  of  the  defense  and  hasty  preparations 
were  made  to  give  the  Missouri  Bill  a  hostile  reception. 
But  much  to  the  relief  of  all  it  was  in  a  short  time  learned 
that  the  bold  invader  was  a  hundred  miles  or  more  away, 
and  was  at  that  time  more  intent  upon  saving  himself  and 
band  from  capture  by  the  Union  soldiers  than  he  Avas  on 
capturing  Des  Moines  or  any  other  city  or  town  in  Iowa. 
This  little  war  excitement  soon  passed  away  and  the  ordi- 
nary pursuits  of  civil  life  Avere  quickly  resumed  in  this 
city  and  county. 

When  the  great  civil  war  commenced  there  was  natur- 
ally stagnation  and  dullness  in  all  kinds  of  business,  biit 
as  it  progressed  money  became  more  plenty,  prices 
advanced,  and  labor  was  in  demand.     The  result  was  that 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  207 

in  many  ways  the  people  here  and  elsewhere  in  the  coun- 
try during  the  later  years  of  the  war  period  enjoyed  what 
irt  called  "good"  or  "flush  times."  Not  only  did  new  people 
come  in  with  the  intention  of  becoming  permanent  citi- 
zens, but  many  new  business  enterprises  were  initiated, 
new  buildings  projected  and  built,  new  farms  opened,  and 
on  every  hand  were  seen  the  evidences  of  growth  and  pros- 
perity. Both  town  and  county  rapidly  improved  during 
the  closing  years  of  this  wai\  It  may  seem  strange  that 
this  should  be  the  case  when  the  greatest  civil  war  of  mod- 
ern times  was  wasting  thousands  of  lives  and  hundreds 
of  millions  of  property,  and  yet  it  is  a  fact  known  to  all 
who  were  then  residents  of  this  county.  That  war  may 
have  been  a  great  injury  to  other  states  and  people  but  it 
certainly  did  greatly  help  Iowa  and  add  largely  to  her 
wealth  and  population. 

During  this  period  of  1860-5  there  were  many  material 
improvements  made  in  the  city  and  county.  The  then 
new  court  house  was  completed  and  occupied  by  the 
county  offices.  The  Savery  House  was  finished  and  duly 
opened  as  the  leading  hotel  of  the  city  and  state.  A 
large  number  of  business  houses,  many  of  them  large  and 
substantial  brick  structures,  were  erected,  as  were  scores 
of  ncAV  dwelling  houses,  not  a  few  of  which  were  large 
and  handsome  homes  for  the  more  enterprising  citizens. 
Many  of  the  necessaries  as  well  as  the  luxuries  of  life  had 
largelj'  risen  in  price  and  the  cost  of  living  had  been  mate- 
rially increased,  but  wages  had  more  than  correspondingly 
increased  in  amount  and  demand,  and  hence  the  mechanic 
or  laboring  man  enjoyed  the  same  prosperity  as  did  the 
merchant,  the  trader  or  the  speculator.  Eeal  estate,  the 
lots  in  town  and  the  farming  lauds  in  the  country,  also 
rapidly  advanced  in  value  during  this  war  period.     The 


208  ANNALH  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

East  Side  as  well  as  the  West  Side  of  the  city  felt  this 
boom  and  competed  with  each  other  in  improvement  and 
business.  And  during  these  times  the  man  who  wanted 
work  found  little  if  any  difticulty  in  procuring  all  he 
desired  at  a  liberal  rate  of  remuneration.  So  the  close 
of  this  war  period  found  Des  Moines  and  Polk  county 
growing  and  prosperous. 

During  the  later  years  of  the  war  Des  Moines  was  made 
the  headquarters  of  the  Fifth  (Congressional  district,  for 
the  (-ni-ollment  of  persons  liable  to  military  service,  and 
their  drafting  into  the  army  and  also  for  the  enlistment 
of  volunteers.  The  district  then  embraced  twenty-three 
counties,  extending  to  the  Missouri  Kiver  on  the  west  and 
the  state  line  on  the  south,  including  nearly  all  of  south 
Avest(n'n  Iowa.  8.  (\  BroAvnell,  then  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Des  Moines  and  one  of  the  first  dentists  located  here, 
\'\  as  a])pointed  ca])tain  and  V.  S.  proA'ost  marshal.  Dr.  J. 
I',  h^'inley,  of  Decatur  county,  surgeon,  and  t'ol.  Cornish 
and  aftenvards  (V)l.  Hedges,  of  Fremont  county,  enrolling 
commissioners.  These  gentlemen  constituted  the  U.  S. 
enrolling  board,  and  had  their  rooms  in  the  Turner  build- 
ing on  Court  avenue  next  to  the  alley  east  of  the  liegister 
ottice.  During  portions  of  18()4:-5  this  was  a  very  busy 
place.  In  anticipation  of  the  draft  the  wards  of  the  city 
and  the  townships  of  the  county  made  heroic  efforts  to  till 
their  (juotas  and  thus  escape  the  draft.  Money  Avas 
freely  subsci-ibed  and  expended  and  many  other  induce- 
ments held  out  to  volunteers.  The  entire  city,  Avith  the 
exception  of  the  First  Avard,  finally  ]uanage<l  to  fill  the 
required  number  and  thus  esca]ied,  as  did  a  number  of  the 
counti'y  townships.  Hut  tlie  First  Avard  and  a  number 
of  the  townships  had  to,  as  it  Avas  then  termed,  "stand 
draft,"  and  this  was  the  cause  of  considerable  distress  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  209 

expense  to  the  drafted  men  and  their  families.  Those 
who  had  the  means  generally  hired  substitutes,  the  i^rices 
for  which  starting  at  about  |500  soon  increased  to  |1,000 
and  more.  Those  who  were  too  poor  to  hire  substitutes 
were  forced  to  enter  the  service,  and  a  few  of  the  drafted 
men  "took  to  the  brush" — that  is,  went  into  hiding  or  left 
the  country.  As  a  general  thing  the  families  of  the 
drafted  men  who  went  into  the  service  were  taken  care  of 
and  their  wants  supplied  to  some  extent  by  their  neigh- 
bors and  friends. 

For  days  and  weeks  after  the  draft  in  the  fall  of  ISGi 
men  from  all  over  the  district  were  dailj'  making  their 
appearance  at  the  headquarters  on  Court  avenue.  Many 
after  examination  by  Surgeon  Finlej'  were  found  to  be 
unfit  by  reason  of  physical  disability,  and  not  a  few 
rejoiced  because  of  this  which  at  another  time  thej'  would 
have  mourned  over.  Others  hunted  up  or  employed 
agents  to  hunt  up  substitutes,  and  at  times  the  demand 
for  the  latter  was  much  beyond  the  supply,  and  prices  ran 
as  high  as  |1,200  and  .f  1,.500  per  head  for  good  substitutes. 
Not  a  few  honorably  discharged  soldiers,  tempted  by  the 
money  paid,  re-enlisted  as  substitutes  and  again  went  to 
the  front.  During  the  excitement  of  the  time  many 
charges  were  naturally  made  against  the  U.  S.  enrolling- 
boards,  but  it  is  only  justice  to  say  by  one  who  was  per- 
sonally familiar  with  the  inside  history  of  the  Des  Moines 
board,  that  in  the  discharge  of  their  difficult  and  delicate 
duties  Messrs.  Brownell,  Finley  and  Hedges,  and  their 
deputies  and  clerks,  alwaj'S  endeavored  to  act  justly,  hon- 
estly and  with  liberality  to  all.  When  the  wheel  of  this 
serious  lottery  first  turned  a  number  of  prominent  gen- 
tlemen of  different  politics  were  invited  to  be  and  were 
present  to  closely  inspect  everything  pertaining  to  the 
draft,  and  they  all  certified  cheerfully  to  the  absolute 


210  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

fairness  and  impartiality  of  the  officers  in  charge.  A 
forced  draft  of  this  kind  is  not,  however,  a  pleasant  neces- 
sity, and  it  is  to  be  hoped  no  occasion  will  ever  again  arise 
for  its  employment  in  this  country  or  state  or  county.  As 
the  total  number  finally  drafted  in  Polk  county  was  only 
about  fifty  men,  this  county  came  more  nearly  voluntarily 
filling  its  quota  than  almost  any  other  county  in  the  state. 

When  it  became  known  there  was  almost  certainty  of 
a  military  draft  taking  place  in  Iowa,  a  number  of  able- 
bodied  men  concluded  Iowa  was  a  good  state  to  emigrate 
from,  and  as  there  were  no  drafts  anticipated  there  antl 
gold  discoveries  and  other  inducements  were  held  out, 
the  drift  of  emigration  set  strongly  towards  the  more 
western  territories.  Many  of  these  men  would  not  have 
gone  further  west  than  Iowa  if  there  had  been  no  draft  in 
prospect,  but  it  is  doubtless  true  that  not  a  few  were 
moved  to  emigration  by  fear  of  this  military  call,  and  left 
here  with  the  intention  of  returning  to  the  county  or  state 
after  all  clanger  was  over  in  this  reaard.  Governor  Stone 
was  aware  of  this,  and  in  February,  18G4,  issued  a  procla- 
mation in  which  he  placed  these  words :  "I  hereby  forbid 
all  citizens  of  Iowa  removing  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
state  before  the  10th  day  of  March  next."  Notwithstand- 
ing the  legal  doubts  as  to  the  Governor's  authority  to 
issue  such  an  order  some  efforts  were  made  to  enforce  it, 
but  these  efforts  were  in  the  main  as  futile  as  might  have 
been  expected.  Some  of  the  emigrants  were  put  to  more 
or  less  trouble,  and  a  few  stopped  on  their  journeys,  but 
the  large  majority  of  them  passed  on  their  way  regard- 
less of  the  Governor's  attempted  embargo. 

While  the  soldiers  were  in  the  field  the  citizens  of  the 
city  and  county  were  generally  generous  and  liberal  not 
only  to  the  soldiers,  but  also  to  their  families.     Several 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  211 

times  the  city  and  county,  in  their  corporate  capacities, 
voted  generous  sums  for  the  support  of  the  families  of  the 
sokliers  then  in  the  front,  and  public  opinion  hear-tilj^ 
endorsed  all  appropriations  made  for  these  purposes. 
But  it  was  the  people  in  their  individual  capacity  who 
deserve  the  most  praise  for  their  efforts  to  relieve  the  sol- 
diers' families.  They  not  only  made  liberal  donations 
in  money,  but  many  a  load  of  wood  or  coal  and  various 
family  supplies  were  freely  and  cheerfully  furnished  in 
town  and  county.  At  one  time  so  great  was  the  abun- 
dance of  articles  of  food,  clothing,  etc.,  sent  to  the  soldiers 
at  the  front  that  offlcers  and  men  wrote  back  thanking 
the  donors,  but  stating  they  were  receiving  more  than  they 
needed  or  could  be  made  good  use  of.  All  they  asked 
was  that  their  families  and  dependent  relatives  at  home 
should  be  properly  cared  for. 

In  the  city  concerts  and  many  entertainments  were 
given  for  the  benefit  of  soldiers'  families  and  these  gener- 
ally met  with  a  liberal  response  from  the  people.  Among 
these  was  the  "Old  Folks'  Goncerts,"which  not  only  gave 
much  enjoyment,  but  also  realized  considerable  money  for 
this  worthy  purpose.  Later  on  a  large  and  permanent 
organization  was  effected  for  the  relief  of  the  families  of 
soldiers.  This  association  had  among  its  offlcers  and 
members  many  of  the  prominent  men  and  women  of  the 
citj  and  county,  and  their  generous  and  systematic  work 
in  this  field  brought  relief  and  comfort  to  hundreds  of  fam- 
ilies. They  never  made  a  call  for  contributions  of  money 
and  goods  that  was  not  cheerfully  responded  to  by  the  men 
and  women  of  town  and  country.  A  great  festival  was 
given  for  the  relief  of  soldiers'  families  in  December,  1864, 
and  the  net  proceeds  of  this  amounted  to  the  goodly  sum 
of  14,245.28. 


212  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Nor  was  the  country  beliiud  the  town  in  this  good  worlc. 
Aid  and  otlier  societies  were  formed  in  nearly  every  town- 
ship in  the  county,  and  few  soldiers'  families  were  allowed 
to  suffer  from  waut.  In  every  neighborhood  there  was 
more  or  less  generous  rivalry  in  seeing  which  could  take 
the  better  care  of  the  families  of  those  who  were  then  at 
the  front  fighting  for  the  Union.  Necessarily  tliere  was 
more  or  less  i)rivatiou  and  some  suffering  among  these 
families,  but  the  people  of  both  city  and  county  deserve 
the  highest  praise  for  their  generosit.v  and  liberality  in 
those  days  of  war,  when  so  many  fathers,  husbands  and 
sons  marched  to  the  fnmt  and  never  returiu^d. 


.'  !      I:  .1     :'     ■    ; 


.    CHAPTER  XIL 

POLK   COUNTY    IN   THE    WAR. 

THE  part  taken  by  Des  Moines  and  Polk  county  in  the 
civil  war  is  most  creditable  and  deserving  of  extended 
mention.  At  the  outburst  of  the  war  in  April,  1801, 
tlie  city  and  county,  having  recovered  from  the  financial 
troubles  of  the  few  years  previous,  were  in  the  full  tide  of 
peace  and  prosperity.  Again  the  rush  of  immigration  had 
commenced,  and  city  and  county  were  being  rapidly  in- 
creased in  wealth  and  population.  All  were  full  of  hope 
in  the  spring  of  1861,  the  only  cloud  then  being  the  un- 
settled condition  of  affairs  at  Washington  about  the  time 
of  the  first  inauguration  of  President  Lincoln.  Some 
there  were  who  at  that  time  and  for  some  time  previously, 
had  feared  these  political  and  party  convulsions  might  end 
in  civil  war,  but  even  these  had  but  a  faint  perception 
of  the  bloodshed  which  was  to  follow.  The  great  mass  of 
of  the  people  of  town  and  country  had  no  fears  whatever. 
They  believed  these  political  troubles  would  soon  pass 
away,  as  had  previous  ones,  and  that  peace  would  be  pre- 
served between  the  States,  and  the  U'nion  maintained. 
Not  one  had  the  most  remote  idea  of  the  four  long  years 
of  bloody  and  destructive  war  which  were  to  follow. 

By  the  federal  census  of  1860  Polk  county  had  a  total 
population  of  11,925.  Of  these  it  is  estimated  about 
2,001  were  voters.  The  number  of  men  who  volunteered 
during  the  war,  and  were  credited  to  Polk  county,  were 
about  1,500.  This  was  over  ten  per  cent  of  the  total  popu- 
lation, and  considerably  over  fifty  per  cent  of  the  voters 


214  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

enumerated  in  1860.  Many  of  these  volunteers,  however, 
were  at  the  time  of  their  enlistment,  under  voting  age,  be- 
ing from  sixteen  to  twenty  years  old  at  the  time.  The  pop- 
ulation of  the  county  and  city  also  rapidly  increased  dur- 
ing the  years  of  the  war,  notwithstanding  the  heavy  drafts 
of  men  made  upon  them  during  these  four  yeai's,  and  the 
heavy  emigration  from  them  to  the  states  and  territories 
farther  west.  The  people  of  both  city  and  county  were 
eminently  patriotic.  They  were  all  Union  men.  Party 
lines  were  for  the  time  being  ignored  if  not  forgotten. 
All,  with  scarcely  an  exception,  were  for  the  preservation 
of  the  Union  at  all  hazards. 

Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon  April  12,  1861,  and  the  re- 
ceipt of  the  news  startled  and  excited  the  people  here  as  it 
did  in  all  the  States.  At  first  they  could  hardly  realize 
the  fact  that  the  National  flag  and  a  National  fort  had 
been  fired  on  by  rebel  citizens,  and  that  war  was  upon  us. 
Three  days  after  the  firing  upon  Fort  Sumter,  appeared 
the  proclamation  of  President  Lincoln,  calling  upon  the 
loyal  States  for  seventy-five  thousand  volunteer  soldiers 
to  aid  in  putting  down  this  rebellion  and  executing  the 
laws  of  the  United  States.  This  proclamation,  it  was  or- 
dained from  on  High,  was  to  be  followed  by  others  calling 
for  additional  hundreds  of  thousands  of  volunteer  soldiers. 
The  excitement  and  enthusiasm  elicited  by  this  first  call 
cannot  be  realized  or  understood  by  those  who  were  not 
living  in  this  county  at  that  time.  It  was  simply  wonder- 
ful. Apparently  war  and  military  affairs  had  of  late 
years,  in  a  series  of  years  of  profound  peace,  become  lost 
arts.  The  people's  thoughts  were  all  upon  more  peaceful 
pursuits,  yet  the  military  spirit  was  there;  it  was  inherent 
and  general ;  when  needed,  it  came  strong,  powerful  and 
intelligent. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  215 

Some  montlis  previous  to  this  the  question  of  organizing 
a  military  company  in  Des  Moines  had  been  agitated,  and 
to  carry  the  project  into  effect  a  meeting  was  held  in  the 
law  office  of  Casady,  Crocker  &  Polk.  The  writer  of  this 
historj^  presided  at  that  meeting.  A  plan  of  organization 
was  proposed  and  adopted,  and  the  Capital  Guards  were 
duly  organized.  The  officers  then  elected  were  as  follows : 
Captain,  Marcellus  M.  Crocker;  First  Lieutenant,  X.  L. 
Dykeman;  Second  Lieutenant,  Noah  W.  Mills;  Third  Lieu- 
tenant, Edgar  T.  Ensign.  Arrangements  had  been  started 
to  procure  uniforms,  drill  rooms,  etc.,  but  had  not  been 
completed  when  this  sudden  call  came  for  troops  for  actual 
service.  A  hasty  meeting  of  the  company  was  called,  and 
it  was  promptl}'  decided  to  tender  the  services  of  the  com- 
pany to  the  Governor  for  enlistment  under  the  first  call 
made  bj^  the  President  for  three  months'  men.  LTnder  this 
call,  the  first,  only  one  regiment  was  assigned  to  Iowa,  and 
such  was  the  zeal  and  promptness  of  other  companies  hav- 
ing better  facilities  than  Des  Moines  for  communicating 
with  Governor  Kirkwood  at  Iowa  City,  no  place  could  be 
found  for  the  Capital  Guards  in  the  First  Regiment.  This 
was  a  disappointment,  but  it  was  soon  relieved.  Slioi'tly 
after  came  the  second  call  from  the  president — this  time 
for  three  years  instead  of  three  months  men — and  the  Des 
Moines  company  was  given  a  place  in  the  First  Regiment 
of  Infantry  organized  under  the  first  three  j^ears'  call,  be- 
coming Company  D,  Second  Iowa  Infantry. 

The  Capital  Guards,  as  originally  organized,  became  the 
nucleus  around  which  the  new  company  was  formed.  A 
number  of  the  original  members  could  not  enlist  for  A^a- 
rious  causes,  but  their  places  were  promptlj^  filled,  and  the 
comjianjr  brought  up  to  the  maximum  number  by  the 
prompt  enlistment  of  scores  of  young  men,  the  very  flower 


216  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  the  young  city,  who  bravely  and  unselfishly  filled  the 
ranks  of  Des  Moines  and  Polk  county's  first  born  and  per- 
haps most  beloved  military  company.  A  purely  patriotic 
feeling  made  the  men  soldiers,  and  in  the  service  caused 
them  to  win  from  the  commanding  general  the  enconium: 
"The  bravest  of  the  brave."  Love  of  adventure  and  of 
change  may  have  had  some  influence,  ibut  at  that  time 
there  was  no  thought  of  pay,  or  any  money  consideration 
moving  them  to  their  action.  Few  of  them  knew  or  cared 
what  their  pay  or  subsequent  bounty  was  to  be.  They 
took  no  thought  of  these  matters.  They  enlisted  to  put 
down  rebellion  and  preserve  the  Union,  and  for  this  they 
were  willing  to  fight  and  if  needs  be  die,  as  many  of  them 
subsequently  did  on  southern  battle  fields. 

These  being  the  first  of  the  volunteers  to  leave  the 
county,  all  were  deeply  interested  in  their  departure.  A 
number  of  "war  meetings"  had  been  held  by  the  citizens 
since  the  "firing  on  of  Sumter,"  but  none  before  or  since 
surpassed  in  interest  the  meetings  held  at  the  departure  of 
these,  their  first  soldiers  of  the  war.  Company  D  de- 
parted for  Keokuk,  bearing  with  them  the  high  hopes  and 
best  love  of  all  the  men,  women  and  children  of  the  city 
and  county.  There  the  regiment  Avas  organized  and  duly 
mustered  into  the  service  of  their  country.  Captain 
Crocker  was  promoted  to  be  major  of  the  regiment,  and 
by  the  choice  of  a  majority  of  its  members,  Lieutenant 
Mills  became  captain  of  the  company.  Hon.  Samuel  11. 
Curtis,  a  member  of  Congress  from  this,  the  First  district, 
resigned  his  seat  to  become  colonel,  and  Captain  James  M. 
Tuttle,  then  in  command  of  a  Van  Buren  county  company, 
and  for  years  after  a  prominent  citizen  of  Des  Moines,  was 
chosen  lieutenant  colonel.  Colonel  Curtis  was  with  the 
regiment  but  a  short  time  when  he  was  promoted  briga- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  217 

dier  and  major  general,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Tuttle 
took  command  of  the  regiment  as  colonel. 

The  first  service  of  the  regiment  was  in  Missouri,  which 
state  had  by  the  war  been  thrown  into  a  terrible  state  of 
disorder.  Many  of  its  citizens  had  joined  the  fortunes  of 
the  confederacy,  which  had  the  sympathy  of  many  thous- 
ands of  others,  who  remained  at  their  homes.  On  the 
other  side  there  were  thousands  of  strong  and  determined 
Union  men,  who  did  not  swerve  in  their  allegiance.  The 
state  was  overrun  by  the  opposing  forces,  and  many  sec- 
tions were  cursed  by  swarms  of  guerillas  and  bushwhack- 
ers. For  many  months  the  Second  Iowa  was  engaged  in 
the  disagreeable  and  often  dangerous  work  of  compelling 
peace  in  this  much  troubled  state.  When  at  St.  Louis  in 
the  winter  of  1861-2,  the  regiment  hailed  with  delight  the 
order  sending  them  to  the  front  to  join  the  forces  of  Gen- 
eral Grant,  who  was  then  preparing  for  an  advance  upon 
the  enemj^'s  works  in  Kentucky.  Owing  to  the  injury  of 
some  property  in  the  St.  Louis  Medical  College  building, 
which  the  regiment  had  occupied,  General  Hallock  sent 
the  regiment  off  under  the  color  of  military  disgrace.  The 
officers  and  men  smarted  under  this,  by  them  deemed  un- 
just treatment,  but  their  vindication  was  to  come  early 
and  nobl3\ 

The  regiment  was  with  the  forces  iinder  General  Grant 
at  Fort  Donelson  on  February  14,  15,  1862,  and  had  par- 
ticipated in  the  marches  and  struggles  of  that  campaign. 
And  as  has  been  written  bj'  another:  "Here  the  regiment 
won  its  highest  renown,  when,  as  a  forlorn  hope,  it  made 
what  was  undoubtedly  the  most  gallant,  reckless  and  suc- 
cessful charge  of  the  whole  war.  Fighting  had  been  go- 
ing on  all  the  forenoon  of  the  fifteenth,  and  the  federal 
forces  had  been  losing  ground.     The  key  to  the  rebel  posi- 


218  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

tion  laj'  in  the  crest  of  a  steep  hill,  whose  sides  were  ob- 
structed b}'  a  dense  thicket.  In  front  of  the  earth  works 
at  the  crest,  about  one  hundred  yards  distant,  was  a  for- 
midable abatis,  to  pass  which  an  assaulting  column  must 
break  its  lines  and  move  by  the  flank  in  two  divisions. 
Between  the  abatis  and  earth  works  were  no  obstructions. 
These  works  must  be  taken  to  secure  federal  success.  The 
offer  of  this  charge  was  tendered  several  regiments,  but 
declined.  General  vSmith  finallj^  went  to  Colonel  Tuttle, 
commanding  the  Second  Iowa,  and  asked:  "Colonel,  will 
3'ou  take  those  works?''  The  colonel  promptly  replied: 
"(Teneral,  support  me  promptly,  and  in  twenty  minutes 
I  will  go  in." 

"He  and  his  regiment  went  in.  Dividing  the  regiment, 
he  with  the  left  wing  began  to  scale  the  hill  side.  The 
abatis  was  reached  by  slow  and  toilsome  tread,  and 
not  a  gun  was  fired,  but  scarcely  was  the  abatis 
passed  and  the  gallant  boys  brought  in  line  Avhen  the  con- 
centrated fire  of  three  regiments  belched  upon  them,  and 
at  the  first  fire  nearly  one-half  of  the  gallant  three  hun- 
dred went  down.  With  the  heroism  of  desperation  the 
fragment  of  three  hundred  closed  up  their  shattered  ranks 
and  charged  the  enemy.  Two  rebel  regiments  quailed 
and  fled.  A  Mississippi  regiment  remained,  but  the  other 
column  of  the  vSecond  rapidly  pushing  forward  compelled 
th(^  remaining  enemy  to  hastily  retreat.  The  key  of  the 
rebel  i)osition  was  taken.  The  result  was  the  next  day 
(•(muted  up:  Fifteen  thousand  prisoners,  a  large  quan- 
tity of  ordnance  stores  and  other  property  and  possession 
of  this  n^bel  stronghold.  The  commanding  general  and 
all  the  division  commanders  were  made  major  generals 
and  every  brigade  commander  a  brigadier  general.  The 
Second  Iowa  therefore  made  Grant,  Smith,  McClernand 
and  Wallace  major  generals,  and  Laumau  and  ten  others 
brigadiers.  It  broke  the  line  of  the  enemy's  defenses,  ex- 
tending from  Bowling  Green  to  Columbus;  forced  John- 
son to  evacuate  Bowling  Green;  captured  Buckner,  and 
frightened  Pillow  into  flight  from  D(melsou;  compelled 
Polk  to  evacuate  Columbus  on  the  Mississippi,  and  opened 


AiA^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOIXES.  219 

tlie  whole  country  south  of  the  Memphis  and  Charleston 
railroad!  What  marvel  that  it  was  given  the  post  of  hon- 
or in  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee!" 

In  the  charge  at  Donelson  two  young  soldiers  of  Com- 
pany D  were  killed.  They  Avere  Xatlian  W.  Doty  and 
Theodore  G.  Weeks.  They  were  well  known  and  popular 
young  men.  The  latter  was  a  son  of  Dr.  J.  F.  Weeks,  an 
old  and  prominent  citizen  who  was  at  one  time  receiver 
of  the  United  States  laud  office  at  this  place.  The  bodies 
of  these  two  j'oung  heroes  were  brought  home  and  given 
a  public  burial  which  will  be  ever  remembered  b.y  those 
present.  The  war  and  its  bloody  sacrifices  were  brought 
home  to  the  people.  These  were  the  first,  but  alas,  not 
the  last  of  military  burials  of  those  who  had  died  that 
the  nation  might  live.  During  the  following  three  years 
the  'bodies  of  many  dead  soldiers  were  brought  from 
southern  battlefields  and  hospitals  to  be  buried  in  tlie 
cemeteries  of  city  and  county  near  to  their  old  homes. 
Hardly  one  of  the  older  cemeteries  of  the  county  but  con 
tains  one  or  more  of  these  old  soldier  graves.  It  is  fitting 
they  should  be  ever  remembered,  and  annually  bedecked 
with  flowers  upon  every  recurring  Decoration  Day. 

The  scope  and  extent  of  this  history  will  not  permit  of 
a  full  military  history  of  the  dill'erent  regiments  to  which 
Polk  county  men  were  connected,  and  the  reader  must  be 
content  with  more  brief  summaries  of  the  same.  The 
Second  was  in  many  battles  during  the  long  years  of  serv- 
ice and  sustained  its  high  reputation  to  the  end.  It  was 
at  Shiloh,  April  6  and  7;  with  the  advance  on  Corinth, 
August  10  to  29;  battle  of  Corinth,  October  3  and  4.  In 
this  fight  the  Second  lost  two  of  its  commanders.  Colonels 
James  Baker  and  N.  W.  Mills,  the  latter  of  Des  Moines. 
Little  Bear  Creek,  Ala.,  November  28;  Town  Creek,  Ala., 
April,  1863;    Resaca,  Ga.,  May  13  and  15,  1SG3;    Borne 


220  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

<;rossing,  Ga.,  May  16,  1864;  Dallas,  Ga.,  May  27,  28,  29, 
1864;  Kenesaw  Mountain,  June  10  to  30;  Nick-a-jack 
Creek,  Ga.,  July  4;  at  Atlanta  July  20  to  August  27,  and 
in  the  ten-ible  tight  of  July  22;  Jonesboro,  Ga.,  August 
30;  Eden  Station,  December  10  to  20;  Savannah,  Ga., 
December  21;  Columbia,  S.  C,  iFebruary  15  and  16; 
Lynch's  Creek,  S.  C,  February  15;  Goldsboro,  N.  C,  March 
24  to  April  10,  1865;  and  was  in  the  triumphal  march 
through  the  city  of  Washington  at  the  close  of  the  wax, 
and  as  a  special  mark  of  honor  was  placed  in  front  and 
was  the  first  of  the  grand  old  Army  of  the  Tennessee  to 
enter  the  city. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service  at  Keokuk, 
May  27, 1801,  and  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  Jn\j  12, 
1865.  Under  the  calls  of  1861-2-  1268  men  were  enlisted 
in  the  regiment.  On  December  31,  1863,  the  strength  of 
the  regiment  in  officers  and  men  was  568.  By  special  orders 
of  May  21,  1864,  the  regiment  was  reorganized,  the  non- 
veterans  mustered  out,  and  the  veterans  consolidated  with 
the  veterans  of  the  Third  Iowa,  November  8,  1864,  as  the 
second  veterans.     The  casualties  during  the  war  Avere: 

Officers — Killed,  8;  died,  8;  discharged,  3;  Avounded,  27; 
resigned,  31.     Total,  74. 

Privates — Killed,  73;  died,  109;  discharged,  359;  wound- 
ed, 294.     Total,  880. 

Polk  county  was  represented  on  the  staff  as  follows: 
N.  W.  Mills,  colonel,  promoted  from  Company  D.,  Mar- 
cellus  M.  Crocker,  major;  promoted  to  lieutenant-colonel, 
(jeorge  L.  Godfrey  adjutant;  Edward  L.  Marsh,  sergeant- 
inajor;  Samuel  H.  Lunt,  sergeant-major;  Jared  Warner, 
commissary-sergeant;  John  Lynde,  commissary-sergeant; 
Ephraim  P.  Davis,  hospital-steward;   George  W.  Lyon, 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  221 

hospital-steward;   Wm.   D.   Christy,   quarter-master   ser- 
geant. 

COMPANY  D.* 

Marcelliis  M.  Crociier,  captain;  promoted  to  major,  May 
31,  1861;  to  lieutenant-colonel,  September  G,  ISGl;  to 
colonel,  Thirteenth  infantry,  October  30, 1861;  to  brigadier- 
general,  November  29,  1862. 

N.  L.  Dykeman,  first  lieutenant;  appointed  first  lieuten- 
ant in  regular  army,  July  4,  1861. 

Noah  W.  Mills,  second  lieutenant;  promoted  to  captain, 
June  1, 1801;  to  lieutenant-colonel  June  22, 1862;  to  colonel 
October  8, 1862;  wounded  at  Corinth,  October  4, 1862;  died 
of  wounds  at  Corinth,  October  12,  1862. 

Samuel  H.  Lunt,  first  sergeant;  promoted  to  sergeant- 
major,  June  13,  1861;  to  first  lieutenant,  July  31,  1861;  re- 
signed, December  5,  1861. 

Edgar  T.  Ensign  second  sergeant;  promoted  to  second 
lieutenant,  June  1,  1861;  to  first  lieutenant,  December  5, 
1861;  to  captain,  June  22,  1862;  to  major.  Ninth  cavalry, 
October  9,  1863 ;  wounded  at  Douelson,  February  18,  1862. 

Hiram  C.  Cook,  third  sergeant;  promoted  to  second  ser- 
geant, June  13,  1861;  died  of  congestion  of  brain  at  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  March  25,  1862,  effect  of  sunstroke. 

**Edwin  Mitchell,enlisted  May  27, 1861, fourth  sergeant; 
promoted  to  third  sergeant;  discharged,  July  16,  1861. 

George  L.  Godfrej^,  fifth  sergeant;  promoted  to  fourth 
sergeant,  June  1,  1861;  to  second  lieutenant,  December 
5, 1861;  to  first  lieutenant,  June  22, 1862;  to  adjutant,  June 
22,  1862;  to  lieiitenant-colonel.  First  Alabama  cavalry, 
October  18,  1803.  ,,'  ,,,,  .  ,   /,■    ■  ,  ,,,  .: 

*Enlisted  Ma,y  4,  1861,  unless  otherwise  stated.  ,,    , 

**Unless  otherwise  stated,  the  discharge  was  for  disability. 


222  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Jared  A.  Warner,  first  corporal;  appointed  commissary- 
sergeant,  July  15,  1861;  appointed  wagon-master;  dis- 
charged by  special  order  at  St.  Louis. 

David  M.  Sells,  second  corporal;  transferred  to  second 
lieutenant  United  States  marines,  September  10,  1861. 

Edward  L.  Marsh,  third  corpoi*al;  promoted  to  fifth  ser- 
geant, June  1,  1861;  to  fourth  sergeant,  December  5,  1861; 
to  sergeant-major,  February  15,  1862;  second  lieutenant, 
June  22, 1862;  to  first  lieutenant,  June  25, 1862;  to  Captain, 
October  29,  1863;  resigned  May  23,  1864. 

Robert  Allen,  Jr.,  fourth  corporal;  appointed  second 
lieutenant,  and  subsequently  first  lieutenant  First  Uuited 
States  caraliy;  died  of  wounds. 

Nathan  W.  Dot}-,  fifth  sergeant;  promoted  to  second  ser- 
geant, July  16, 1861;  killed  at  Donelson,  February  15, 1862. 

Leonard  B.  Houston,  seventh  corporal;  discharged  for 
l^romotion  to  captain.  Company  A,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Andrew  Slatteu,  eighth  corporal;  reduced  to  ranks  at 
his  own  request,  May  28,  1861;  died  at  St.  Louis,  April  18, 
1862,  from  wounds  received  at  Donelson. 

Philo  L.  Case,  musician. 

PRIVATES. 

Ayers,  Samuel  A.,  discharged  at  St.  Louis,  December 
19,  1861. 

*Ayres,  Henry  O.,  promoted  to  fourth  corporal,  January 
1,  1862;  wounded  at  Corinth;  veteranized  first  corporal. 

*Barnett,  John. 

Rarrie,  William  W. 

Bennett,  Robert  A.,  died  May  6,  1862,  at  St.  Louis. 

Bitting,  William  H. 


*Veteranized  December  23,  1863. 


AA^£>  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  223 

Bird,  William  K.,  discharged  August  9,  18G1. 

Browne,  Jolin  II.,  discharged  to  accept  commission  as 
second  lieutenant,  Seveuteentli  inf  antrj-,  March  13, 1802. 

*Brown,  Harvej',  wounded  at  Corinth,  October  4, 18<)2. 

Bnrbridge,  James  W. 

Callender,  William.  / 

Childs,  George  H.,  discharged  December  19,  1861. 

*Christy,  Wm.  D.,  promoted  to  quarter-master  sergeant. 

*Cooper,  Joseph,  wounded  at  Fort  Donelson,  February 
15,  18G2. 

Davis,  Ephriam  P.,  promoted  to  hospital-steward;  trans- 
ferred to  same  position  in  Tentli  infantry. 

*Davis,  W'illiam  L.,  promoted  to  eighth  corporal, 
October  3,  1861;  to  fourth  sergeant,  July  1,  1862;  veteran- 
ized as  second  lieutenant. 

Davis,  James. 

Dickerson,  John  A.,  promoted  to  iirst  corporal,  July  16, 
1861. 

Dreher,  Peter,  wounded  at  Donelson,  February  15,  1862. 

Estle,  William,  discharged,  October  0,  1861. 

Fales,  Philetus. 

Fenn  Dwight  E.,  mustered  out  November  22,  1862. 

*Ferguson,  John  N.;  veteranized  as  third  corporal. 

Fleming,  John  A. 

*Gillett,  Philander  D.,  promoted  to  third  corporal,  Octo- 
ber 3,  1861;  to  third  sergeant,  September  1,  1862;  veteran- 
ized as  first  sergeant. 

Goodrich,  Arthur;  wounded  at  Corinth,  October  3,  1862. 

Gordnier,  John,  promoted  to  second  corporal,  October 
3,  1861;  wounded  at  Donelson,  February  15,  1862. 

Greene,  George  W.,  discharged  April  23,  1863. 


*Veteranizecl  December  23,  1863. 


224       ANXALi^  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Hayden,  Joseph  S.,  wounded  at  Douelson,  February  15, 
1862;  discharged  for  wouuds,  June  28,  1862. 

Haskell,  Joseph,  discharged,  April  2,  1862. 

Houghton,  Douglas  S.,  discharged  as  minor  by  United 
States  district  court,  September  15,  1861. 

Hoxie,  W.  H.,  promoted  to  captain,  Seventeenth  in- 
fantry, March  25,  1862. 

Jones,  Asbury  C,  discharged  May  4,  1862. 

Jones,  Tarpley  T. 

*Kinsey,  William  A. 

Lamoi'eaux,  Charles  H. 

LoAve,  Carlton,  transferred  to  Second  United  States 
artillery  as  second  lieutenant,  November  13,  1861. 

Looby,  John  H.,  discharged  for  promotion,  September 
22,  1862. 

Lyon,  George  W.,  promoted  to  hospital-steward,  May  1, 
1862. 

Lynde,  John,  promoted  to  fifth  corporal,  July  16,  1862; 
to  commissarjf-sergeant,  May  1, 1862;  to  second  lieutenant, 
June  23,  1862;  served  also  as  chief  of  ambulance  corps, 
second  division,  Sixteenth  Army  Corps;  resigned  May  26, 
1864. 

Mattern,  Jacob  H.,  discharged  March  5, 1863. 

McKelvogue,  John  (reported  also  Hugh),  discharged 
February  6^  1862. 

*McCollam,  Isaac,  veteranized  as  fourth  corporal. 

*Mason,  William  B.,  killed  at  Atlanta,  August  15,  1864. 

Moles,  Jacob  M.,  promoted  to  sixth  corporal,  March  1, 
1862;  killed  at  Corinth  October  4,  1862. 

Morehead,  Jacob. 

Nagle,  John  N.,  wounded  at  Donelson,  February  15, 
1862;  discharged  for  wounds,  July  11,  1862. 


^Veteranized  December  23,  18()3. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  225 

Nims,  Albert  H.,  wounded  at  Donelsou,  February  15, 
1862. 

Painter,  Joshua  C. 

*Price,  John. 

Eagan,  William,  promoted  to  third  corporal,  July  16, 
1862;  to  fifth  sergeant,  March  1,  1862;  discharged  for 
promotion,  September  26,  1862;  wounded  at  Donelsou, 
February  15,  1862. 

*Riddle,  William,  wounded  at  Corinth,  October  3,  1862; 
transferred  to  United  States  navy. 

Rush,  Austin  B.,  transferred  to  regular  army  for  promo- 
tion. 

*  Veteranized  December  23,  1863. 

Bobbins,  James. 

Scott,  Erastus,  discharged  April  18,  1862. 

Smith,  Philander,  wounded  at  Corinth,  October  4,  1862, 
discharged  April  3,  1863. 

Stewart,  Calvin  C,  discharged  June  3,  1862. 

*Swem,  William  A. 

Warnock,  Newton. 

Watson,  John  H.,  transferred  to  Company  D,  Thirteenth 
infantry,  November  7, 1861. 

Wheeler,  John,  discharged  February  1, 1862. 

Whitmer,  Samuel,  promoted  to  fifth  cori;>oral,  March  1, 
1862;  to  fifth  sergeant,  September  3,  1862. 

Wylie,  William  D.,  discharged  April  30,  1862;  sub- 
sequently appointed  hospital-steward.  United  States  army. 

Yant,  David,  wounded  at  Donelson,  February  15, 1862. 

Yount,  Enoch,  J.,  discharged  July  29,  1862. 

Young,  Armin,  discharged  August  19,  1861. 

*Zelle,   Godfrey,   veteranized   as   second   corporal. 


'Veteranized  December  23,  1863. 

■4 


226  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS,    1861. 

Bnibaker,  Jolin  C,  November  21;  discharged  December 
3,  1862. 

Brady,  Casper  S.,  November  21;  wounded  at  Douelsou, 
February  18 ;  died  of  v^^ounds  ou  the  Des  Moines  Kiver  April 
30,  1SG2. 

Birch,  Thomas  8.,  November  23;  died  August  8,  1862. 

*Ohrystal,  Benjamin  F.,  December  10. 

Cree,  Theodore  G.,  wounded  at  Donelson,  February  16, 
18G2;  discharged  for  wounds,  June  13,  1862. 

*Chrystal,  James  A.,  December  16;  captured  at  Corinth 
October  4;  1862;  veteranized  as  wagoner. 

(ireene,  AMlliam  B.,  August  1;  discharged,  December 
19,  1861. 

Houston,  William  L.,  November  20;  discharged,  July  29, 
1862. 

Lott,  W.,  November  20. 

Lasell,  William  J.,  November  27;  discharged,  February 
1,  1862. 

*Nagle,  Thomas,  November  20;  veteranized  as  second 
sergeant. 

Sharp,  John,  November  20;  discharged  NoA^ember,  1862. 

Williams,  John  Z.,  wounded  at  Donelson,  February  15, 
1862;  discharged  October  19,  1862. 

Weeks,  Theodore  G.,  killed  at  Donelson,  Febrimry  15, 
1862. 

ADDITIONAL   TO   VETERANS,    1864. 

Cassius,  Joseph,  January  21. 

Cassius,  James,  January  21. 

Cole,  Henry,  Januarj^  16,  1865;  comi)any  unknown. 

Gray,  George  B.,  September  29. 


•Veteranized  December  23,  1863. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  227 

Hunt,  Zacchens,  December  23,  18G3. 

Read,  Andrew  W.,  December  21,  1SG3. 

Jones,  Anderson,  Jamiary  21,  1SG5;  company  unknoATn. 

COMPANY    K. 

Clark,  David  H.,  May  G,  ISGl;  discharged  October  13, 
1SG2. 

FOURTH    INFANTRY. 

Company  E,  Fourth  Iowa  infantry,  was  tlie  second  com- 
pany enlisted  in  Polk  county,  in  June  and  July,  18G1.  Tliis 
was  an  excellent  company  in  a  noted  regiment,  whirh  from 
lirst  to  last  engaged  in  mauj^  battles,  made  many  long  and 
weary  marches,  and  was  always  to  be  relied  upon  as  faith- 
ful and  true.  The  regiment  arrived  at  Benton  barracks, 
!-!t.  Louis,  August  9,  18G1,  and  on  August  21  was  sent  to 
Kolla,  Mo.  In  January,  18G2,  the  Fourth  was  assigned  to 
the  ar-my  of  the  Southwest,  under  Gen.  Curtis,  and  for  the 
thirtj^  mouths  following  was  in  continuous  active  service. 
It  was  never  assigned  to  i^ort  duty.  It  was  in  the  tierce 
battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  when  under  tlie  command  of  its  noted 
colonel,  Granville  M.  Dodge,  it  greath^  distinguished  itself. 
Arriving  at  Helena  in  July,  18G2,  it  remained  there  until 
December  |22,  when  it  was  transferred  to  ('hickasaAv 
Bayou,  where  it  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  battles  of 
28  and  29.  It  was  also  at  Arkansas  Post,  January  10  and 
11,  18()3,  and  then  returned  to  Young's  Point,  opposite 
Yicksbnrg,  where  it  remained  until  Ai)ril  2,  when  it  moved 
150  miles  up  the  river  to  Greenville;  thence  on  the  Deer 
Creek  Valley  raid;  thence  back  to  Milliken's  Bend,  from 
whence  it  started  on  the  active  campaign  against  Yicks- 
bnrg, on  May  2,  via  Jackson,  arriving  at  A'icksbnrg  ilay 
18,  and  at  once  engaging  in  the  memorable  siege. 


228  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

After  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  the  Fourth  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  at  Jackson,  July  16,  and  remained  in 
the  rear  of  Vicksburg  until  September,  when  it  Avas  re- 
moved to  Memphis,  and  at  once  set  out  for  Chattanooga, 
arriving  at  that  noted  point  after  a  tedious  and  weary 
march,  November  23.  It  next  took  part  in  the  famous 
"Battle  in  the  Clouds"  at  Lookout  moutain,  was  the  first 
to  plant  our  flag  on  that  mountain  crest,  and  was  at  Mis- 
sionary Ridge  on  the  25th,  and  fought  again  at  Einggold  on 
November  27.  The  Fourth  was  at  Bridgeport  and  Wood- 
ville  until  February  26,  when  the  regiment  was  permitted 
to  return  home  to  Iowa  on  veteran  furlough.  Returning 
to  the  field  in  April,  1864,  it  was  hotly  engaged  in  the 
campaign  against  Atlanta.  After  the  surrender  of  the  lat- 
ter place  the  Fourth  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  Hood,  and 
then  followed  Gen.  Sherman  in  the  "March  to  the  Sea." 
In  the  Carolina  campaign  it  was  in  the  battles  at  Columbia 
and  Bentonville.  After  Johnson's  surrender  the  Fourth 
was  sent  to  Riehmoiul  and  Washington,  and  was  in  the 
last  grand  review  at  the  capital.  From  Washington  the 
Fourth  was  sent  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  where  it  performed 
provost  duty  until  July  23,  when  it  was  mustered  out,  sent 
CO  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  discharged  September  3,  1865. 

When  the  Fourth  was  mustered  in  it  numbered  the  full 
one  thousand  men.  Three  hundred  recruits  were  added. 
When  mustered  out  there  were  less  than  four  hundred. 
The  regiment  fought  in  over  thirty  battles,  and  met  the 
enemy  in  eight  different  rebel  states,  and  never  was  re- 
pulsed. It  marched  over  five  thousand  miles.  A  glance 
at  the  record  shows  the  Fourth  Iowa  to  have  been  a 
glorious  old  regiment.     The  casualties  were: 

Officers — Killed,  3;  died,  5;  discharged,  1;  wounded,  16; 
resigned,  34;  transferred,  5. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINEf^.  229 

Privates — Killed  in  action,  57;  died,  290;  discharged, 
298,  wounded,  322;  transferred,  32. 

The  Polk  county.  Company  E,  from  its  organization  to 
its  muster  out  had  141  names  on  its  roll.  Ten  were  killed 
in  battle  or  died  of  wounds ;  twenty-eight  were  wounded  in 
battle;  one  drowned;  two  accidentally  killed;  thirteen  died 
of  disease,  three  while  prisoners;  nineteen  were  discharged 
for  disability  and  three  for  wounds;  eight  were  mustered 
out  under  general  orders,  and  fourteen  at  the  end  of  their 
three  years  term;  seven  deserted;  ten  were  transferred, 
four  to  veteran  reserve  corps,  one  to  regimental  staff,  one 
to  marine  brigade,  four  to  commissions  in  other  depart- 
ment, from  first  to  last,  thus  leaving  but  forty-eight  men  to 
be  mustered  out.  Captain  Simmons  was  the  only  original 
officer  who  remained  with  the  company  from  muster  in  to 
muster  out,  and  one  of  four  only  who  were  with  the  regi- 
ment from  first  to  last.  Polk  county  was  represented  on 
the  staff  as  follows:  James  A.  Williamson,colonel;  Alex- 
ander Shaw,  assistant  surgeon;  Washington  G.  Dunan, 
commissary-sergeant;  David  Beach,  assistant  surgeon; 
John  E.  Sells,  adjutant. 

COMPANY  E.** 

*Henr3^  H.  Griffiths,  captain;  transferred  May  14,  1862, 
to  command  First  Iowa  battery. 

*Wilmer  S.  Simmons,  first  lieutenant;  promoted  captain 
May  15,  18C2. 

Isaac  Whicher,  second  lieutenant;  resigned  October  16, 
1862. 

*John  E.  Sells,  first  sergeant;  commissioned  captain,  but 
declined;  promoted  first  lieutenant  May  15,  1862;  to  ad- 
jutant September  12, 1862;  mustered  out  April  6, 1865. 

*Enlistecl  July  15,  1861,  unless  otherwise  stated. 
**Veteranized  January  1,  18(54. 


230       ANNAL^S  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

Charles  S.  i>tark,  second  sergeant. 

Edward  \y.  Baruuni,  third  sergeant;  killed  at  Pea  Ridge 
Marc-h  7,  1862. 

*She]d(;in  C.  Treat,  fourth  sergeant;  promoted  to  ftrst 
sergeant  Ma,y  15,  1862;  to  second  lieutenant,  (October  Ki, 
1862;  veteranized  as  first  lieutenant  January  4,  1861. 

James  A.  Moore,  fifth  sergeant;  drowned  August  21, 
1861,  at  Hannibal,  Mo. 

Washington  (}.  Dunan,  first  corporal;  appointed  com- 
missary-sergeant October  16,  1861. 

James  AA'.  Wilson,  second  ctn^poral;  promoted  to  third 
sergeant  March  8,  1862;  wounded  May  10,  1863,  at  Vicks- 
burg;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  January,  18(il. 

John  C.  Jameson,  fourth  corporal;  promoted  to  third 
corporal  October  10,  1861. 

*Richard  W.  Ross,  fifth  cor])oral;  promoted  to  fourth 
corjioral  October  10, 1861;  to  third  corjjoral  May  15,  18()2; 
to  fifth  sergeant  iSeptember  20, 1862;  veteranized  as  sec()u<1 
lieutenant  January  1,  1864. 

William  A.  Hunt,  sixth  corporal;  wounded  November 
25,  1863  at  Missionary  Ridge,  Ga.;  discharged  January — , 
1864. 

PRIVATES. 

Alderman,  Josei)h  1'. 

Barcns,  Ira,  discharged  September  20,  1861. 

*I>arlow,  Stephen  C. 

Beck,  James,  wounded  at  Pea  Ridge  March  7,  1862. 

Bell,  Jeptha  W.,  wounded  at  Pea  Ridge  March  7,  1862; 
died  of  wounds  Marcli  0,  1862. 

<_'ase,  (iirard  M.  ('.,  died  July  1,  1862,  at  Jacksonport, 
Ark.,  of  accidental  ^^'ounds. 


■\'cti'i-:uii/,('il  .l;niiiar\'  1,   l^ii4 


AXn  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOTXE.S.  231 

<  'lary,  Isaac,  wounded  at  Pea  Ridge  March  7, 1SG2. 

('lar.v,  Vacliiel. 

*(,'ai-tei',  John  A.,  veteranized  as  corporal  January  1, 
1S(M. 

Cornish  Hiram  D.,  Icilled  at  Pea  Ridge  Marcli  7, 1SG2. 

*Crow,  Benjamin,  captured  at  Claysville,  Ala.,  March 
14, 18()1;  died  September  10,  ISGl,  in  Andersouville  prison. 

Castelin,  Thomas  (Costello),  captured  at  Gaines'  Land- 
ing, Miss.,  December  24,  1S()2. 

Danforth,  Andrew  J. 

*Davis,  Andrew  S.,  yeteranized  as  corporal  January  1, 
1864. 

Dixon,  John,  discharged  November  24,  1SG2. 

*D<iughty,  Lucien  B. 

*Fislier,  Jefferson  K. 

*Foster,  Martin,  wounded  at  Pea  Ridge  March  7,  1SG2. 

*(laudy,  Felix  T.,  promoted  to  fifth  sergeant  March  14, 
1SG2;  yeteranized  as  third  sergeant  January  1, 18G4. 

Gentle,  George,  wounded  at  Chickasaw  Bayou,  Miss., 
December  29, 18G2;  captured  at  Claysville,  Ala.,  March  14, 
1864;  died  August  8,  1864,  in  Andersouville  rebel  prison. 

"Greene,  Charles  W.,  wounded  at  Pea  Ridge  March  7, 
1862;  veteranized  as  coii^oral. 

Guthrie,  Michael. 

Heart,  Daniel  B.,  discharged  June  18, 1862. 

Ibuiser,  (George  L. 

*Kelly,  Oliver  P.,  wounded  at  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Ga., 
June  27,  1864;  died  June  28,  1864,  of  wounds. 

King,  Michael,  wounded  at  Chickasaw  Bayou,  Miss.,  De- 
cember 2!t,  1862;  transferred  to  invalid  corps. 

Kesler,  Jacob  B.,  discharged  November  28,  1863. 

*Lacy,  Henry  D.,  yeteranized  as  corporal. 


*\'r1cranizrd  .January  1,  ISiU. 


232  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

*Lewis,  John. 

*McNulty,  Eobert,  wounded  at  Kenesaw  Mountain  Aug- 
ust 1, 1864;  discliarged  January  2, 1865,  of  wounds. 

Mott,  James  A.,  wounded  at  Vicksburg  May  20,  1863; 
died  June  23, 1863,  of  wounds. 

Needliam,  James  M.  (W.),died  January  4,  1862,  at  Rolla, 
Missouri. 

Plummer,  Asa  L. 

Pritchard,  William,  died  December  1,  1862,  at  Helena, 
Arkansas. 

*Robinson,  Augustus  R.,  promoted  to  eighth  corporal 
September  20,  1862;  veteranized  as  first  sergeant  January 
1,  1864;  transferred  to  Second  United  States  volunteers  as 
second  lieutenant. 

Smith,  William,  transferred  to  marine  corps  January  3, 
1863. 

Stumbach,  Abraham. 

*West,  Edwin  R. 

Woodruff,  Joseph  H.  discharged  September  20,  1861. 

ADDITIONAL    ENLISTMENTS. 

Bonine,  John  M.,  November  18;  promoted  to  seventh  cor- 
poral as  J.  M.  Bonnie. 

Barrett,  Henry  A.,  wounded  at  Pea  Ridge  March  7, 
1862;  died  April  12,  1862,  of  wounds,  at  Cassville,  Mo. 

Billsland,  Reuben  P.  (R.),  died  January  19,  1863,  on  hos- 
pital boat  Die  Vernon. 

Brisbine,  Edward  T.,  promoted  to  fifth  corporal  Septem- 
ber 20, 1862. 

Hinman,  Jeremiah,  wounded  at  Pea  Ridge  March  7, 
1862;  discharged  June  24,  1862.    (Reported  also  Hennan.) 

McKean,  Cornelius. 


*Veteranized  Jiinuary  1,  1864. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  233 

McFee,  John  H.,  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps, 
January,  1864. 

Newell,  Andrew  J. 

*Simms,  George  C. 

Lewis,  James,  December  23,  1863;  comj)any  unknown. 

Crow,  John  kS.  (L.),  March  21, 1864;  died  on  hospital  train 
February  28,  1865 ;  company  unknown. 

Black,  Climpson,  March  19, 1864;  company  unknown. 

Halstead,  David  H.,  March  23, 1864;  company  unknown. 

Marsh,  Jesse,  March  18,  1864;   company  unknown. 

Mason,  Francis  E.,  March  30, 1864;  company  unknown. 

Eobinson,  John  H.,  March  15, 1864;  company  unknown. 

Smith,  Thomas  E. ;  company  unknown. 

Van  Horn,  William. 

Atkins,  Samuel  M.,  March  30,  1864;  company  unknown. 

Aultman,  Oliver  S.,  March  23,  1864;  company  unknown. 

COMPANY  F. 

AUmay  (Alloway),  Benjamin,  September  16,  1862;  died 
January  8  ,1863,  at  White  River,  Ark. 

Brinson  (Brimson),  David  A.,  September  16,  1862;  died 
February  7, 1863,  at  Young's  Point,  La. 

Brinson  (Brimson),  Thomas,  September  16,  1862;  dis- 
charged February  7, 1863. 

Brace,  John  R.,  September  16,  1862. 

Brinson  (Brimson),  William,  September  16, 1862. 

Cason,  John  J.,  August  21,  1862;  discharged  June  12, 
1863. 

Cason,  Joshua  H.,  July  1,  1861;  discharged  September 
20, 1864. 

Clary,  H.  C,  September  16, 1862. 

Crone,  Theodore  F.,  September  15, 1862. 

*  Veteranized  January  1,  1864. 


234  ANXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Dorence  (Dorrauce),  Alexander  P.,  September  15,  1862; 
killed  May  19, 1SG3,  at  Walnut  Hill,  Miss. 

•Jessnp,  Isaac,  August  15,  1862;  transferred  to  invalid 
corps  April  28,  1861. 

Kenkonnen  (Kinkennian),  Xatlian  W.,  August  15,  1862; 
(reported  also  Knickanuon);  transferred  to  invalid  corps 
A]>ril  28, 1861. 

Lawrence,  Perry,  September  16,  1862. 

Moore,  Andei'son,  Sei)tember  16,  18()2;  wounded  Decem- 
ber 20,  18()2,  af  (liickasaw  Bayou,  Miss.;  discharged  June 
l(i  1863. 

Osborn,  Philip,  September  16,  1862;  died  February  22, 
1863,  at  Young's  Point,  La. 

Kay,  Isaac,  September  16,  1862. 

Scott,  John  W.,  September  16, 1862;  died  March  10, 1863, 
at  Young's  Point,  La. 

Widener,  James,  September  15, 18()2. 

vStewart,  James  ^^^,  January  1(),  1865. 

Stewart,  John  <!.,  January  9, 1865. 

SECOND  CAVALRY. 

The  first  cavalry  company  organized  in  P(dlv  County  Avas 
recruited  in  July,  18(il,  and  attached  t()  the  Second  loAva 
Cavalry  as  Company  I).  Tliis  I'eginient  was  organized  at 
Davenport  and  ])laced  under  the  command  of  a  splendid 
officer.  Colonel  Elliot,  of  the  regular  army.  It  was  mus- 
tered into  tli(^  United  States  service  August  30,  1861,  and 
after  being  thorougldy  (u-ganized  and  drilled  was  ])laced 
in  tlu^  field,  where  it  soon  became  known  as  a  "crack  regi- 
ment." It  began  its  active  operations  against  the  enemy 
at  lUrd's  Point,  Mo.,  Avliere  it  arrived  February  19,  1862. 
On  tlie  27th  it  began  the  ])ursuit  of  (tou.  Jeff  Thompson's 
rebels,  and  scattered  and  drove  tlieni  out  of  tliat  state.    For 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  T)EH  MOUSSES.  235 

a  lonii'  time  it8  services  were  almost  Avholly  eoufiued  to  Ten- 
nessee, Xdi'th  Alabama  ami  Mississippi,  and  nnder  the  gal- 
lant Colonel  Hatch,  Avho  had  sncceeded  (^»lonel  Elliot, 
promoted,  gained  a  great  reputation  for  dash  and  light. 
During  the  summer  of  lS(i2  it  was  attached  to  (len.  I'liil. 
Sheridan's  headqmirters  at  Keiuzi,  Miss.  It  was  Avith  (Jen. 
eral  (h-ierson  in  his  A\-oiulerfnl  raid  through  Mississippi  to 
destroy  railroads,  bridges  and  stores,  ami  create  a  diver- 
sion in  favor  of  the  army  then  investing  Vicksburg.  Dur- 
ing this  raid  the  Second  had  hard  fighting  and  marching, 
and  at  one  time  had  over  250  of  its  horses  broken  doAvn, 
being  forced  to  take  train  and  borrowed  mules  to  mount  the 
men.  The  raid  was  successful,  infiictiiig  great  loss  upon 
the  enemy. 

The  next  important  uu)ye  of  the  Second  cavalry  was  in 
pursuit  of  (Jeneral  Forrest,  chasing  him  beyond  Jackson 
in  July,  1,  18(!3.  In  the  winter  of  18()3-J:  the  regiment  re- 
enlisted  as  veterans,  and  after  a  furlough  returning  to 
Memphis,  were  soon  again  sent  in  jiursuit  of  their  old 
enemy,  Forrest,  and  afterwards  were  in  the  operations 
against  Hood.  During  this  time  it  had  several  serious 
engagements,  and  was  constantly  on  the  scout,  ami  its 
officers  and  men  were  highly  complimented  by  the  com- 
nianders  for  their  sidendid  Avoi-k.  The  regiment  continiu'd 
in  the  field  months  after  the  war  had  been  virtually  clo>e:l, 
and  were  not  mustered  out  until  September  19,  18(15,  at 
Selnia,  Ala.     The  casualties  were: 

Otticers — Killed,  1;  died,  3;  discharged,  2;  wounded,  12; 
resign(-d,  25;  dismissed,  5;  transferred,  5. 

Privates —  Killed,  40;  died,  222;  discharged,  lO'.); 
wounded,  ICd;  missing,  10;  transferred,  37. 


236  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

COMPANY   B. 

Isaiah  W.  Wilson,  private,  enlisted  July  30, 1861;  died  at 
St.  Louis  May  12, 1862. 

COMPANY    D.** 

*George  C.  Graves  captain  mustered  in  August  30 ;  dis- 
charged October  3,  1864. 

Gustavus  Washburn,  first  lieutenant;  resigned  July  27, 
1861. 

Joseph  E.  Jewett,  second  lieutenant;  promoted  to  major 
Fourth  cavalry  October  14, 1861;  resigned  June  3, 1862. 

Samuel  Noel,  enlisted  August  1,  first  sergeant;  promoted 
to  second  lieutenant  October  29,  1861;  resigned  June  3, 
1862. 

*Samuel  J.  Dangler,  quartermaster-sergeant,  August  1; 
promoted  to  first  sergeant  June  4,  1862;  to  first  lieutenant 
September  5,  1863;  to  brevet  captain  United  States  veter- 
ans April  2, 1865. 

Henry  H.  Helton,  second  sergeant;  wounded  at  Boone- 
ville  June  9, 1862;  discharged  August  22,  1862. 

*Francis  M.  Griffith,  third  sergeant;  promoted  to  second 
sergeant  August  2, 1862;  to  first  sergeant  February  2, 1864; 
to  captain  July  4, 1865. 

Thomas  H.  Townsend,  fourth  sergeant;  reduced  to  fifth 
sergeant;  promoted  to  quartermaster-sergeant  June  4, 
1862. 

Junius  E.  Wharton,  fifth  sergeant;  i^romoted  to  fourth 
sergeant;  discharged  September  10,  1862. 

W^illiam  Edwards,  first  corporal;  iDromoted  to  third  ser- 
geant October  1, 1862. 

Daniel  Hall,  second  corporal;  promoted  to  first  sergeant 


*Veteriuiized  March,  1864. 
**Enlisted  August  2,  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  237 

December  23,  1861;  to  second  lieutenant  June  4,  1862;  dis- 
missed February  1,  1864;  wounded  at  Blacklaud,  Miss., 
June  8, 1862. 

William  Duncan,  promoted  to  second  coi-poral ;  to  com- 
missary sergeant  corporal  October  1,  1862. 

George  Lum,  fourth  corporal;  promoted  to  third  cor- 
poral; to  first  October  1, 1862. 

*  James  McMerdo,  sixth  corporal;  promoted  to  fifth  cor- 
poral; to  sixth  sergeant  October  15,  1862;  ^younded  at 
West  Point,  Miss.,  Februaiy  20,  1864. 

■*John  N.  Butler,  seventh  coi'poral;  promoted  to  sixth 
corporal;  to  fifth  sergeant  October  1,5, 1862. 

Daniel  W.  Jones,  bugler;  discharged  September  30, 1862. 

William  W.  Hume,  farrier. 

Henry  H.  Doughit,  saddler,  August  2;  wounded  April  26 
and  May  9  at  Farmington  Miss.;  died  of  wounds  May  29, 
1862,  at  Hamburg,  Tenn. 

Orine  M.  Hall,  saddler. 

PRIVATES. 

Barnett,  Moses  F.,  discharged  October  23,  1861. 

Barlow,  Bird  K.,  August  2. 

Burk,  Doctor  F.,  promoted  to  eighth  corporal  January 
8,  1863. 

*Barrickman,  Robert  E.,  wounded  at  Prairie  Station, 
Miss.,  February  20,  1864. 

Cotterell,  Benjamin  F.,  discharged  November  10,  1861. 

Canfield,  Jeremiah. 

Canfield,  Gilford  B.,  promoted  to  sixth  corporal  C)ct()ber 
15,  1862. 

Chaffee,  Jesse  M.,  promoted  to  saddler  October  15, 1862. 

*Veteranized  March.  1862. 


238  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Crockershaw,  David  M.  died  at  St.  Louis  January  17, 
18G2. 

Duncan,  Cliapin,  died  at  St.  Louis  March  5,  18G2. 

Early,  William. 

*Hayes,  Martin  Van  B. 

*Hnmplire3^s,  William  T. 

Howard,  Israel,  drowned  from  steamboat  at  Cairo,  111. 
April  22,  18()2. 

*HatliaAvay,  Perry. 

Johnson,  Delanah. 

Kemp,  Thomas  G.  J. 

Lee,  Thomas. 

Lewis,  Thomas,  C.  ' 

*Mosler,  James  M. 

Mosler,  William  IL,  captured,  place  unknown. 

*Polk,  Ira  L.,  promoted  to  seventh  corporal  October  15, 
1862. 

*Ring-,  Edward. 

*Eickerbau8h,  Perry,  died  at  Memphis,  April  23,  ISGl. 

*Rooker,  William  D.,  wounded  at  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
December  15,  1864. 

*Rooker,  James  W.,  wounded  at  Little  Ilarpeth,  Tenn., 
December,  1861;  discharged  June  21,  1865. 

Smith,  Matthew  F. 

Smith,  Hardin. 

Sisley,  Simon  vS.,  discharged  October  15,  1862;  died  on 
his  way  home. 

*S]awter,  James,  wounded  at  Farmington,  Miss.,  May  9, 
1862;  ca]rtnred  July  16, 1863;  place  unknown. 

*  Stewart,  George  W. 

Thimis,  Augustus  J.,  died  at  Benton  Barricks,  January  2, 
1862. 


^V'etLTanized  ^Murcli,  J8fi4. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  239 

Tipton,  John  J.,  promoted  to  fifth  corporal  October  1, 
18(32. 

Tliatcher,  Henry. 

Walker,  Epliraim,  died  at  St.  Louis  January  S,  18(12. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 

Alexander,  Charles  A.,  February  3, 1865. 

Catthern,  Arthur  S.,  October  11;  prcunoted  to  eiglith  cor- 
poral December  23,  1861. 

Dippert,  William  W.,  October  11;  promoted  to  saddler 
October  11,  1861. 

Eankins,  Robert,  October  11. 

Johnson,  Zadoc  J.,  July  29,  1861. 

Moon,  Joseph  H.,  Januarj'  20,  1861;  killed  at  Lyunville, 
Tenn.,  November  24,  1861. 

Needham,  Melvin  I.,  (J),  September  1,  1862;  wounded  at 
Oxioid,  M'ss    December  5,  1862,  and  died  of  wounds. 

Bennett,  Joshiui  S.,  enlisted  January  1,  1861;  company 
unknown. 

Camel,  John,  enlisted  January  4,  1864;  companj-  nn- 
knoAv. 

Hiirst,  enlisted  December  31,  1863;  company  unknown. 

Monroe,  Samuel,  enlisted  January  4,  1864;  cctnipany 
unknown. 

Preston,  Alonzo  C,  enlisted  December  28;  1863;  com- 
pany unknown. 

Anderson,  Charles,  enlisted  September  3,  1864;  com- 
pany unknown. 

Baldwin,  Jesse,  enlisted  September  3,  1864;  company 
unknown. 

Barton,  Edward,  enlisted  May  19,  1864;  company  un- 
known. 


240  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

■  Parker,  William,  enlisted  March  11,  1864;  company  un- 
known. 

TENTH    INFANTRY. 

Polk  county  had  many  representatives  in  the  gallant 
regiment,  volunteers  from  this  county  being  in  Companies 
A,  B,  D,  F,  G,  H  and  K,  and  v^^ell  represented  among  the 
staff  and  field  officers.  The  Tenth  was  organized  at  Camp 
Fremont,  Iowa  City,  in  August,  1861,  mustered  into  the 
United  States  seiwice  September  6,  sent  to  St.  Louis,  ar- 
riving on  the  23rd,  and  was  there  armed,  clothed  and 
equipped.  For  several  months  it  was  at  Cape  Girardeau 
and  other  points  in  Missouri,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the 
capture  of  New  Madrid,  and  in  the  movements  which  re- 
sulted in  the  capture  of  a  large  force  of  rebels  at  Island 
No.  10.  In  April  the  Tenth  was  sent  to  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing and  took  part  in  the  siege  and  capture  of  Corinth  and 
the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  to  Boonville.  It  was  in  the  dis- 
astrous pursuit  of  General  Price  at  luka  in  September, 
and  participated  in  the  bloody  battles  in  and  around  Cor- 
inth October  3  and  4.  In  November  and  December  came 
more  marching  and  fighting,  and  in  March  joined  the 
Yazoo  Pass  expedition.  Subsequently  it  joined  the 
Vicksburg  forces,  and  was  at  the  battles  of  Port  Gibson, 
Eaymond  and  Jackson.  At  the  battle  of  Champion  Hill, 
May  IG,  the  Tenth  was  on  the  left  of  the  brigade,  and  suf- 
fered heavily,  having  34  killed  and  124  wounded. 

The  regiment  was  on  the  Black  River  most  of  the  time 
until  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg,  and  was  then  sent  in 
pursuit  of  Johnson.  In  September  the  Tenth  was  sent 
to  Memphis  to  join  General  Sherman  in  his  march  to  Chat- 
tanooga, arriving  there  after  a  march  of  thirty-two  days, 
and,  on  October  25,  was  with  the  column  which  so  gallant- 
Iv  stormed  Mission  Ridge.     This  and  tlie  battle  at  Cliam- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIXE.S.  241 

pion  Hill  are  counted  as  the  two  hardest  battles  in  which 
the  regiment  was  engaged,  and  in  both  the  Tenth  covered 
itself  with  glory.  February  -1,  18G4,  the  regiment  re-en- 
listed as  veterans,  and  Avas  subsequently  sent  north  on 
veteran  furlough.  In  July  it  returned  to  the  front,  and 
^diile  at  Kingston,  (la.,  was  transferred  to  the  Second 
brigade,  and  in  September  the  non-veterans  were  muster- 
ed out,  the  ranks  again  partly  filled,  and  the  Tenth  joined 
in  Sherman's  march  to  the  sea.  January  19, 1865,  the  reg- 
iment was  moved  from  Savannah  into  South  Carolina 
and  Avas  on  the  expedition  to  Columbia  and  tlience  to 
Goldsboro,  entering  the  latter  city  after  severe  fightings 
having  marched  five  hundred  miles  from  Savannah  in  an 
inclement  season,  with  many  of  the  men  nearly  naked  and 
without  shoes.  The  regiment  traveled  8,175  miles  and 
fought  in  eighteen  pitched  battles  besides  numerous  skir- 
mishes. Up  to  the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge  not  a  man  of 
the  Tenth  had  been  taken  prisoner  on  a  battle  field.  The 
regiment  was  mustered  oiit  at  Little  Eock,  Arkansas, 
August  15,  1805,  having  served  months  beyond  their  term 
of  enlistment,  and  for  which  they  received  high  commen- 
dation from  the  department.  The  following  were  the 
casualties  of  the  Tenth: 

Ofticers — Killed,  0;  wounded,  l(i;  discharged,  1;  resign- 
ed, 32;   transferred,  1. 

Privates — Killed,  57;  died,  170;  wounded,  201;  dis- 
charged, 252. 

Polk  county  was  represented  on  the  field  and  staff  as 
follows:  Nathaniel  McCalla,  major,  promoted  from  cap- 
tain Company  A;  J.  O.  Skinner,  assistant  surgeon,  com- 
missioned August  19,  1802;  William  J.  Hanger,  drum- 
major,  promoted  from  private  Company  A;  William  H. 

Purdy,  chief  musician,  mustered  out  at  Bird's  Point,  Feb- 

15' 


242  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ruary  26,  1862;  Samuel  Noble,  chief  musician,  mustered 
out  at  Bird's  Point  February  26,  1862;  A.  C.  Bansman, 
third  musician,  mustered  out  Februaiy  26,  1862;  John 
W.  Warner,  third  musician,  mustered  out  February  26, 
1862;  Frank  Estabrook,  third  musician,  mustered  out  Feb- 
ruaiy 26, 1862. 

Frank  M.  Miles,  of  Des  Moines,  at  the  request  of  the 
authorities,  voluntarily  took  a  veiy  active  part  in  the  en- 
listment and  organization  of  the  Tenth,  giving  freely  his 
labor,  time  and  money  for  this  pui'pose,  and  would  have 
went  to  the  front  with  the  regiment  had  it  been  possible 
for  him  to  do'  so  at  that  time. 

COMPANY   A.* 

Nathaniel  McCalla,  captain;  promoted  to  major  Janu- 
ary 25,  1862;  wounded  at  Mission  Ridge  November  25, 
1863;  commissioned  lieutenant  colonel,  August  20,  1864; 
commission  revoked  by  the  Governor,  January  25,  1865; 
mustered  out  as  major,  December  27, 1864. 

Charles  J.  Clark,  first  lieutenant;  resigned  December  3, 
1861. 

Josiah  Hopkins,  second  lieutenant;  resigned  June  27, 
1862. 

Hezekiah  VanDom,  first  sergeant;  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant  July  1,  1862;  mustered  out  January  16,  1865. 

William  J.  Harvey,  second  sergeant. 

John  0.  Sullivan,  third  sergeant. 

John  Y.  Hanna,  fourth  sergeant;  promoted  to  first  lieu- 
tenant December  4,  1861;  resigned  June  26,  1862. 

Ebenezer  E.  Howe,  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  January 
17,  1865;  commissioned  captain  August  7,  1865;  mustered 
out  as  first  lieutenant,  veteranized  as  sergeant. 

•Enlisted  August  21,  1861,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  213 

John  D.  Kellison,  first  corporal;  wounded  October  4, 
1862,  at  Corinth,  Mississippi. 

Edward  W.  Burley,  second  corporal. 

Jonathan  J.  Wright,  third  corporal;  wounded  at  Cox 
Bridge,  North  Carolina,  March  20,  1865;  veteranized  as 
corporal. 

Thomas  Spencer,  foiirth  corporal;  veteranized  as  cor- 
poral. 

Peter  B.  Mishler,  fifth  corporal;  discharged  at  expira- 
tion of  term;  died  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  on  his  way  home. 

John  Eutherford,  sixth  corporal;  veteranized  as  cor- 
poral. 

George  Bader,  eighth  corporal;  wounded  at  Vicksburg 
May  22,  1863;   veteranized  as  corporal. 

William  J.  Hanger,  musician;  promoted  to  drum-major; 
discharged  March  20,  1863. 

Theodore  B.  Smith,  musician;  veteranized  as  musician. 

PRIVATES. 

Baker,  John,  wounded  May  22,  1863,  at  Vicksburg. 

*Bard,  George  W. 

Bean,  Stephen  S.,  promoted  to  corporal;  killed  at  Cham- 
pion's Hill  May  16,  1863. 

Byram,  Adam. 

Courtney,  George  W.,  died  August  1,  1862,  at  Clear 
Creek,  Missouri. 

*Corey,  Cassius  M.  C.  D. 

Crabtree,  Matthew,  discharged  March  25, 1863. 

*Cox,  Clark. 

Dinwiddle,  Simon  E.,  died  July  19, 1862,  at  Farmington, 
Mississippi. 

*Downs,  Frederick,  wounded  at  luka  September  19,. 
1862. 


•Veteranized  Februarj'  1,  1864. 


244  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Elliott,  Abraham. 

■^English,  Arthui-. 

Fletcher,  Gideon  E.,  died  May  20,  18(32,  at  Polk  City, 
Iowa. 

HaAAkins,  Andrew  J. 

Hader,  Henry. 

*IIanimond,  John  11.,  wounded  May  22,  lS(i3,  at  ^'icks- 
burg. 

Hammond,  Amos  F.,  wounded  May  22, 18(i2,  at  Farming- 
ton,  Miss. 

*Hellnms,  Frank  M. 

Henderson,  Joshua,  discharged  January  2(i,  1802. 

Horner,  William. 

Ingersoll,  Daniel  AV. 

Jones,  David. 

Lewis,  James,  died  January  3,  18()3,  at  Columbus,  Ken- 
tucky. 

McDowell,  Elliott,  wounded  May  22,  18<;3,  at  A'icks- 
burg. 

*Meekins,  William  P.,  promoted  to  fourth  sergeant  Sep- 
tember (i,  1801;  to  second  lieutenant  July  1,  1802;  wounded 
at  Champion's  Hill  May  K!,  18(>3;  mustered  out  December 
2G,  18(;4. 

*Miller,  Jonathan  K.,  discharged  June  28,  1865. 

Murray  Caswell,  died  February  10,  1802,  at  Brooklyn, 
Iowa. 

Murray,  Thomas,  killed  at  Vicksburg  May  31,  1803. 

Murray,  Andrew,  wounded  at  Chami)ion's  Hill  May  10, 
1803 ;  died  May  22,  1803,  of  wounds. 

Nussbaum,  Martin  \.,  discharged  February  25,  18(i3. 

Nussbaum,  Isaac  J.,  killed  May  l(i,  18(i3,  at  Champion's 
Hill. 


*A'eterani/.ecl  I-'ebruarv  1,  l«ii4. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES.  245 

Nussbaum,  Johu  L.  •     ' 

Palmer,  Lewis  H. 

Patterson,  Thomas. 

Pierce,  Thomas  J.,  (Tischarged  XoA'ember  15,  1S63. 

Pierce,  Elijah  L.,  discharged  December  5,  1862. 

Pollock  Robert  R. 

*Eichardson,  Edwin. 

*Kicliards,  Davis. 

lieed,  Simon. 

l\oe,  John. 

Eohr,  Eobert  H.,  wounded  at  Yicksbnrg  May  22, 1863. 

Rule,  John  T.,  captured  at  Brownsville,  Mississippi,  Oc- 
tober 9, 1863;  died  in  Andersonville  prison  May  7,  1861. 

*Russell,  John. 

Smith,  John  E.,  promoted  to  fife-major;  reduced  to 
ranks  November  1,  1861;  discharged  April  14,  1862. 

Stephen,  John. 

Spencer,  Wm.,  died  at  Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri,  No- 
vember 23,  1861. 

*Swim,  William  G.,  veteranized  as  first  sergeant;  dis- 
cliarged  as  first  lieutenant. 

Terrill,  Lemuel,  wounded  at  Gorinth,  October  4,  1862; 
died  October,  1863,  in  Polk  County. 

Townsend,  Caleb,  discharged  August  13,  1862. 

*Wheeler,  Thomas. 

*Wright,  John  W.,  discharged  May  22,  1863;  re-enlisted 
as  veteran  in  Company  B. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 
McDowell,    Palmer,    October  1;  from   First  MisS(niri 
cavalry. 

Murray,  Wm.,  November  30. 
Cockeral,  Frank,  December  1. 

*Veteranized  Februurv  1,  1864. 


246  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Hosier,  Cross  O.,  December  10;  captured  at  Browns- 
ville, Mississippi,  October  9,  1863. 

Curl,  Hiram  F.  (T.),  December  17,  transferred  to  invalid 
corps  August  1,  1863. 

*Hanna,  Simon  B.,  veteranized  as  sergeant. 

Fletcher,  Isaac,  December  12;  killed  at  Champion's 
Hill  May  16, 1863. 

*Mercer,  Edward  W.,  December  10. 

Hanman,  Wm.  W.,  discharged  September  8,  1862. 

*Bunyan,  Wm.  T. 

Eohr,  Jacob,  September  11, 1862. 

Bard,  John,  September  17,  1862;  wounded  at  Vicksburg 
May  22, 1863;  died  August  7,  1863. 

Murray,  Larkin,  September  11,  1862. 

Edwards,  Edward,  September  11, 1862. 

Hoy,  Thomas  H.,  September  12, 1862;  wounded  at  Cham- 
pion's Hill  May  16,  1863;  transferred  to  invalid  corps  De- 
cember 29,  1863. 

Fosdick,  Leroy,  September  12,  1862. 

Harvey,  Geo.  W.,  September  11,  1865;  died  November 
1, 1862,  at  Davenport. 

Elliott,  William,  February  27,  1864. 

Skidmore,  George,  December  1,  1863;  died  October  4, 
1864,  at  Kingston,  Georgia. 

COMPANY   B.** 

Bentley,  Geo.  M.,  first  lieutenant;  resigned  April  26, 
1862. 

*McClure,  O.  John,  third  corporal;  veteranized  as  fourth 
sergeant  February  1, 1864. 

*Wright,  John  W.,  fourth  corporal;  promoted  to  second 
lieutenant  February  24,  1863;  wounded  at  Champion's 

*Veteriinized  Fehniiiry  1,  186-1. 
**Enlistefl  August  23,  186),  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  247 

Hill  May  16,  1863;  captured  a.t  Missionary  Ridge  Noyem- 
ber  25,  1863;  mustered  out  January  13,  1865. 
Pierson,  Eiihraim,  fifth  corporal. 

PRIVATES. 

Boyd,  Robert  H.,  discharged  December  27.  1862. 

*Case,  William. 

Davis,  Jacob  K.,  wounded  at  Champion's  Hill  May  16, 
1863;  died  June  13, 1863,  of  wounds. 

Fink,  John  F.,  died  at  Mound  City,  Illinois,  October  27, 
1861. 

*Hargis,  Stephen  M.,  veteranized  as  corporal. 

*Kenworthy,  Steele,  veteranized  as  first  lieutenant. 

Keeney,  John  (Kenney),  died  May  23, 1863,  at  Milliken's 
Bend,  Louisiana. 

Manbeck,  Isaiah. 

Reed,  Thomas  H.,  promoted  to  corporal;  killed  at  Cor- 
inth October  4,  1862. 

Spence,  Absalom,  died  December  11,  1861,  at  Mound 
City,  Illinois. 

Hanton,  Wm.  H.,  died  December  25,  1861,  at  Bird's 
Point,  Missouri. 

Shepherd,  Robert  H. 

Steele,  William,  discharged  October  1, 1862. 

Taylor,  John  (Jehu),  C,  discharged  January  5, 1863. 

Updegraph,  Jerome,  wounded  at  Champion's  Hill  May 
16,  1863;  died  July  19,  1863,  of  wounds,  at  Memphis. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 

Fisher,  Isaac,  discharged  June  7,  1862. 
Kenworthy,  Bruce,  joined  from  Company  K. 
Lang,  Daniel  R.,  joined  from  Company  K;  discharged 
March  11,  1863. 


♦Veteranized  February  1,  1864. 


2-t8  ANNALt^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Means,  James  M.,  discliai^ged  October  25,  1862. 
Watts,  John,  joined  from  Company  K;  discharged  June 
14, 18G2. 

Moore,  Daniel,  September  1, 1802. 
Dooley,  Silas,  Jannai-y  10, 1S65. 
Deets,  Noah,  January  13,  1865. 

COMPANY  D.** 
*Benj.  ().  Hanger,  musician.  ■; 

PRIVATES. 

Fuller,  John  J.,  January  23,  1862;  discharged  January 
22, 1863. 

White,  Elijah  M  (or  A.),  wounded  at  Corinth  October  4, 
1862. 

Becket,  Luke,  January  11,  1865. 

Gossard,  'W^m.  A.,  April  1,  1862;  wounded  at  Cham- 
pion's Hill  May  16, 1863. 

McKinney,  Wm.  B.,  February  11,  1862;  wounded  at 
Champion's  Hill  May  16, 1863. 

Stone  (Stine),  'Xoah  F.,  September  3,  1862;  died  at 
Vicksburg  August  24,  1863. 

Rhodes,  Hiram,  September  3,  1862. 

Pike,  Andrew  11.,  September  3,  1862. 

Wiley,  IJobert,  September  3,  1862;  wounded  at  Cham- 
pion's Hill  May  16,  1863. 

Guthrie,  James  H.,  January  19, 1865.  : 

Harlow,  Wm.  H.,  January  14,  1865. 

Rhoades,  Hugh,  January  16, 1865. 

Sharp,  John,  January  16,  1865. 

Todd,  William. 


*Veteriinized  February  1,  J 864. 
**Enlisted  in  ISGl,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  .MOINES.  249 

COMPANY   F. 

Freel,  John  W.,  March  10,  1862;  captured  at  Browns- 
ville, Mississippi,  October  12,  1863;  died  at  Anderson- 
ville  prison  September  3,  1864. 

Lj-ncli,  Andrew  J.,  March  17,  1862;  Avonnded  at  Mcks- 
burg  May  22,  1863. 

Moore,  Thomas  R.  (K),  March  17,  1862;  wounded  at 
Missionary  Ridge  November  25,  1863. 

Renuff,  Benjamin,  March  18,  1862;  died  at  Milliken's 
Bend,  Louisiana,  August  11,  1863. 

^^llliams,  Albin,  February  10,  1862;  (also  reported 
Allen  W.) 

COMPANY  G. 

Reed,  Donivan,  March  10,  1862;  (reported  also  Doni- 
than,  R,);  wounded  at  Corinth  October  4,  1862;  died  No- 
vember 4, 1862,  at  Mound  City,  of  wounds. 

Fox,  Jacob,  September  1,  1862;  died  September  3,  1863, 
on  steamer  City  of  Memphis. 

Miles,  Josiah,  March  10,  1862;  discharged  September 
12, 1862. 

Thomas,  Charles  N.,  February  10,  1862. 

Ranney,  Franklin  E.,  September  1,  1862. 

Price,  Henry  N.,  September  1,  1862;  drowned  at  Milli- 
ken's Bend  April  23, 1863. 

Miller,  Henry  A.,  September  1,  1862. 

Bean,  Michael  C,  August  23,  1862. 

Drake,  Oliver,  August  25, 1862;  discharged  June  1,  1865. 

Kavanaugh,  Ira,  September  1,  1862;  wounded  at  Cham- 
pion's Hill  May  16,  1863. 

Reed,  William,  August  25,  1862;  wounded  at  Cham- 
pion's Hill  May  16,  1863. 

Shafer,  James  W.,  March  30,  1864. 

Shafer,  John  M.,  March  30, 1864. 


250  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

COMPANY   K.** 

*Robert  Liisby,  captain;  wounded  at  Champion's  Hill 
May  16,  1863;  promoted  to  major  August  i20,  1863;  not 
mustered;  captain  and  acting  adjutant-general  July  21, 
1864;  died  at  Fort  Sumner,  New  Mexico,  February  20, 
1865. 

*Julian  Bausman,  first  sergeant;  promoted  to  first  lieu- 
tenant September  4,  1862;  promoted  to  captain  January,. 
1864;  not  mustered;  mustered  out  as  first  lieutenant  De- 
cember 19, 1864. 

Wm.  H.  Dunkle,  first  corporal;  discharged  October  25,. 
1862. 

*  William  Eahm,  veteranized  as  first  lieutenant;  pro- 
moted to  captain  January  4,  1865. 

Jacob  Horuer,  wagoner;  discharged  February  13,  1862. 

PRIVATES. 

Anfenson,  Ole. 

Brand,  Martin  V. 

Bruner,  Wm.  C,  wounded  at  Corinth  October  4,  1862; 
transferred  to  invalid  corps  September  15,  1863. 

*Baylies,  Wm.  C,  veteranized  as  sergeant. 

Bell,  Wm.  A.,  wounded  at  Chattanooga  November  2o„ 
1863. 

Brown,  Wm.  C.  (or  F.),  discharged  April  23, 1862. 

Dinwiddle,  Lewis  F. 

Gill,  John  W. 

Long,  Daniel  E.,  transferred  to  Company  B  September 
28, 1861;  discharged  March  11,  1863. 

Rommel,  Henry  A. 

Scudder,  John  M.,  discharged  September  17,  1862. 

'Veteranized  .Tanuary  1,  18(U. 
**Enlistecl  October  1,  1861,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


A^^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  251 

Watts,  John,  transferred  to  Company  B  September  28,, 
1861;  discharged  June  11,  1862. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 

Hallsworth,  Andrew,  December  19;  killed  at  Corinth 
October  4,  1862. 

Samples,  Jesse,  December  19. 

Iglan,  Henry,  December  18;  died  September  12,  1863,, 
at  St  Louis. 

Ivers,  Joseph,  December  19;  wounded  at  Champion's^ 
Hill  May  16, 1863;  discharged  August  11, 1863. 

Solon,  Charles,  December  4. 

Adams,  Allington,  February  10, 1862. 

Dillman,  David  B.,  February  18,  1862;  discharged  July 
6, 1863. 

*McRoberts,  John,  March  10,  1862. 

*Stevenson,  Eeuben  B.,  March  6,  1862. 

Van  Brunt,  Henry  M.,  February  10,  1862;  captured  at 
Chattanooga  November  25,  1863;  died  March  3,  1864,  in 
rebel  prison  at  Richmond,  Va. 

Whittaker,  Burton  M.,  February  10, 1862,  (reported  alsO' 
Purtiamond  M.);  died  at  Davenport  June  25, 1864. 

Weekley,  Merritt,  February  22,  1862;  died  March  25, 
1863,  at  Goldsboro,  North  Carolina. 

Surber,  Christopher  C,  August  29, 1862;  killed  at  ( liam- 
piou's  Hill  May  16, 1863. 

Riordon,  Michael,  April  15,  1861;  wounded  at  Cham- 
pion's Hill  May  18,  1862. 

Williams,  Jonathan,  September  11,  1862;  died  October 
25  ,1862,  at  Davenport 

Dearinger,  Jared,  July  23,  1864;  company  unknown. 

♦Veteranized  January  1,  lS6i. 


252  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

THIRTEENTH    INFANTRY. 

The  Thirteenth  Infauti-y  Avas  organized  in  October, 
1802,  and  its  first  colonel  was  Marcellns  M.  Crocker,  of 
Des  Moines,  who  was  promoted  from  lieutenant  colonel 
of  the  Second  Infantry,  and  who  started  in  as  captain  of 
the  famous  ( 'ompany  D.  He  was  in  command  of  the  reg- 
iment a  comparatively  short  time  before  he  was  made  a 
brigadier  general.  In  that  time,  however,  he  and  the 
Thirteenth  were  in  two  hard  fought  battles,  Shiloh  and 
Corinth.  At  Corinth  he  commanded  the  noted  Iowa  bri- 
gade composed  of  the  Eleventh,  Thirteenth,  Fifteenth  and 
Sixteenth.  He  was  a  bold  and  able  leader  and  as  a  division 
commander  had  few  if  any  superiors.  A  more  extended 
notice  of  this  gallant  officer  appears  elsewhere.  The 
Thirteenth  had  its  baptism  of  blood  at  Shiloh,  where  it 
was  under  tire  for  ten  hours,  sustaining  a  loss  of  twenty- 
four  killed,  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  wounded  and 
nine  missing.  Becoming  a  part  of  the  famous  Iowa  bri- 
gade, its  history  is  merged  into  the  brilliant  history  of  that 
tighting  brigade,  and  it  participated  in  most  of  the  noted 
battles,  marches  and  campaigns  of  the  war.  It  was  in  the 
three  unparalleled  marches  under  General  Sherman: 
from  Dalton  to  Atlanta,  from  Atlanta  to  Savannah,  from 
Savannah  to  (ioldsboro  and  Washington.  The  total  casual- 
ties (if  the  regiment  were  .542  enlisted  men  and  forty-nine 
officers,  or  the  largest  in  officers  of  any  Iowa  regiment 
except  the  Second,  Sixth  and  Seventh.  The  Thirteenth 
was  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  July  21,  1S()5. 

COMPANY    D. 

Watson,  John  11.,  May  1,  IStil;  transferred  from  Com- 
pany I),  Second  infantry,  N(n'ember  7,  18(il;  promoted 
quai-ternnister-sergeant  February,  18(52;  jiromoted  to 
tirst  lieutenant,  Comjiany  F,  September  12,  18fi2. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  253 

COMPANY   E.* 

Baird,  Btepheu  B.,  October  21. 
Hoss,  Jacob  V.,  October  15. 
Lamb,  James  H.,  October  10. 
Lamb,  John  H.,  October  l(i. 
Penor,  Wm.  H.,  October  16. 
Stewart,  John,  October  29. 

COMPANY   F.* 

Watson,  John  H.,  second  lieutenant,  from  quartermas- 
ter-sergeant; transferred  from  Company  I);  wounded  or 

Shiloli  April  (>,  liS(>2;  died  at  Pittsburg  Landing  April  9, 

1802. 

FIFTEENTH   INFANTRY. 

In  tliis  gallant  regiment  I'olk  county  was  re])resented 
in  ('ompanie.s  B,  F  and  G.  The  Fifteenth  was  organized 
in  February,  1802,  mustered  into  I".  S.  service  March  14, 
and  was  at  Pittsburg  Landing  in  April,  where  in  its  first 
fight  it  lost  in  two  days  over  one-fourth  of  its  numl>er. 
Its  gallant  history  is  thus  summed  up: 

I.  Pittsburg  Landing — Battle  of  Shiloh. 

II.  Siege  of  Corinth — Summer  and  fall  of  1802 — B(di- 
var—Iuka— Battle  of  Corinth,  October  3d  and  1th— Pur- 
suit of  Rebels  to  Eipley — Keturn  to  Corinth  October  13th. 

III.  Winter  Campaign,  1802 — Grand  Junction — Holly 
Springs — Oxford — Abbeville — Yockena  Station — -Keturn 
to  Lafayette — Memphis — Front  of  Vicksburg — Milliken's 
Bend — Providence — Canal  digging  to  ((uinect  the  Missis- 
sippi with  bayous  Macon  and  Tensas. 

IV.  Vicksburg  Campaign — Milliken's  Bend — Holmes' 
Plantation — Grand    Gulf — Haines'    Bluff — "SA'arrenton — 


*Enlisted  lS(il,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


254  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Mechanicsville  Expedition — Rear  of  Vicksburg — Black 
River  Expedition — Messenger's  Ferry — Jackson — Return 
to  Vicksburg. 

V.  Fall  and  Winter,  1863-4 — Expedition  to  Monroe, 
La.,  in  August;  to  Jackson  in  October;  to  Redbone  in  De- 
cember; Meridian  in  February,  1864;  Veteran  furlough 
in  March  and  April;  thence  to  Huntsville,  Alabama. 

VI.  Summer  Campaign  of  1864 — Huntsville — Decatur 
— Rome — Ackworth — Sherman's  March — Battles  of  Big 

Shanty,  Noonday  Ci'eek,  Brushy  Mountain,  Kenesaw, 
Nick-a-Jack  Creek,  Atlanta,  July  20  to  28 — Jonesboro — 
Lovejoy — Atlanta. 

VII.  Fall  Campaign  of  1864 — Reconnoisance  to  Pow- 
der Springs — Pursuit  of  Hood  to  Reseca — Gaylesville — 
Marietta — March  to  the  Sea — Savannah,  November  and 
December,  1864. 

VIII.  Winter  Campaign  through  the  Carolinas — 
Beaufort — Battles  of  Garden  Corner  and  Poctaligo,  Jan. 
14th;  Salkahatchie,  Feb.  3d;  Orangeburg  Feb.  12th;  Colum- 
bus, Feb.  13th;  Fayette,  March  11th;  Bentonsville,  March 
20th;  on  to  Goldsboro.  This  was  one  of  the  most  arduous 
campaigns  in  the  history  of  the  regiment.  Its  marches 
by  night  through  swamps  for  hours,  waist  deep,  amongst 
dense  forests  and  snags,  will  never  be  forgotten.  For 
its  promptness  and  heroism  it  received  the  special  com- 
mendation of  commanding  officers. 

IX.  Closing  Campaign — Northward  to  "finish  the  job" 
— Raleigh — Review  by  Gen.  Grant  April  23d,  Jones'  Sta- 
tion— Surrender  of  Johnson — March  to  Petersburg — 
Richmond — Washington — Louisville — Muster  out  July 
24, 1865 — Home  again  at  Davenport  July  29th. 

Out  of  1,763  men  who  were  members  of  the  regiment 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  255 

during  its  organization,  1,051  were  absent,  killed,  died  or 
crippled  for  life;  proof  of  valor,  patriotism,  and  love  of 
country.  It  is  said  to  have  suffered  more  casualties  than 
any  regiment  sent  from  the  state.  It  carried  its  battle 
flag  7,898  miles,  and  it  now  hangs  in  the  State  capitol. 

The  regiment  had  three  colonels:  Hugh  T.  Keid,  W.  W. 
Belknap,  promoted  to  brigadier-general,  and  J.  M.  Hed- 
rick,  promoted  to  brigadier-general  by  brevet  General 
Belknap  subsequently  became  Secretary  of  War.  The 
casualties  Avere:  Officers  killed  in  action,  6;  died  of 
wounds,  2;  of  disease,  1;  wounded,  27;  discharged,  3; 
resigned,  27;  enlisted  men  killed,  52;  died  of  wounds,  78; 
died  of  disease,  194;  discharged,  302;  wounded,  394;  cap- 
tured, 78.  Polk  County  was  represented  in  Companies 
B  and  F,  and  on  the  staff  to-wit:  James  H.  Flint,  quar- 
ter-master, Lucius  Boudinot. 

COMPANY   B.** 

Wilson  T.  Smith,  captain,  August  2G. 

Adolphus  G.  Studer,  first  lieutenant;  wounded  at  Shiloh, 
April  6,  1862;  promoted  captain  May  24,  1862;  resigned 
Jan.  18, 1863. 

*Christian  E.  Landstrum,  second  lieutenant;  promoted 
to  first  lieutenant  May  24,  1862;  to  captain  Jan.  19,  1863; 
mustered  out  May  16, 1865. 

Henry  Moreland,  first  sergeant;  wounded  at  Shiloh, 
April  6, 1862;  discharged  November  1, 1862. 

William  Stanberry,  fifth  sergeant;  died  at  Corinth  July 
5, 1862. 

L.  Jacob  Kelsey,  September  26;  third  corporal;  pro- 
moted to  second  corporal  July  9,  1862;  captured  at 
Corinth. 


'Veteranized  January  19,  1863. 
**Enlisted  in  1861,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


256  ANNALH  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Kees  Wilkiiis,  fourth  corporal,  November  1;  promoted 
to  second  sergeaut  March  27,  1S62;  to  second  lieutenant 
May  24,  1SG2;  resigned  December  KJ;  (also  rep<irted  Resin 
W.) 

*('harles  E.  Harvey,  fifth  corporal,  September  11;  re 
duced  to  ranks  October  18,  1862;  wounded  at  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  June  17,  1861. 

James  IT.  Flint,  sixth  corporal,  October  12;  promoted 
to  (piartermaster-sergeaut  September  8,  1862. 

(leorge  L.  Kees,  seventli  corporal,  September  25;  pro- 
moted to  fourth  sergeant  September  15,  1862;  died  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1863,  at  Yicksburg. 

PRIVATES. 

Atmore,  Elijah  AV.,  September  12;  promoted  to  third 
corporal  October  7, 1862. 

Ballard,  John,  October  8;  discharged  October  17,  1862. 

*Boudinot,  Wm.  A., November  1;  captured  at  Atlanta 
July  22,  1861. 

Beekmau,  Ohas.,  October  11;  died  at  Keokuk  December 
25,  1861. 

Brazelton,  Oliver  P.,  October  22;  discharged  March  28, 
1862. 

Burge,  Andrew  J.,  December  21;  died  at  Pittsburg 
Landing  Juue  1,  1862. 

*raunon,  ^Vui.  P.,  November  4;  veteranized  as  corporal. 

Cross,  Robert  W.,  November  4;  promoted  to  commis- 
sary-sergeant, December  1,  18()1;  to  quartermaster-ser- 
geant, Tweuty-third  Infantry,  August  11,  1862. 

Curran,  Robert,  December  21;  dis(diarged  February  6, 
186.3. 

Conner,  Leroy  S.,  January  28,  1862;  discharged  August 
5,  1863. 


'Veteranized  .Jiinuury  19,  18()3. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  BIOINES.  257 

Campbell,  Milton,  February  14 

Close,  Wm.  L.,  March  1,  1862;  died  March,  1862,  at  Keo- 
kuk. 

*Dickey,  Wm.  A.,  October  11. 

Edmondson,   Henry,   October  8;  wounded   at   Shiloh, 
April  6,  1862;  discharged  May  26,  1862,  for  wounds. 
Elliott,  Milton  B.,  February  4,  1862. 
*Fox,  Columbus  P.,  September  10;  captured  at  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  July  22,  1864. 

*Fisher,  John,  October  2;  wounded  at  Atlanta  August 
22,  1864. 

*Fennesty,  Thos.,  October  8;  captured  at  Atlanta  July 
22, 1864. 

Fredergill,  Christian,  October  18. 

*Fisher,  John  S.,  November  1;  wounded  at  Atlanta 
August  23, 1864. 

Flemming,  Samuel,  November  6;  promoted  to  musician; 
discharged  June  18,  1862. 

Foster,  Joel,  November  6;  discharged  November  13, 
1862. 

Fessler,  John,  November  6;  discharged  November  27, 
1862. 

Foster,  Samuel,  January  21,  1863;  died  at  Vicksburg 
January  29,  1864. 

Green,  Luther  T.,  October  25;  discharged  June  16,  1862. 
Guthrie,  John  W.,  October  25;  died  at  Keokuk  May  21, 
1862. 

*Goodrell,  Mancil  G,  January  29;  promoted  to  fourth 
corporal  August  4,  1862;  transferred  to  marine  brigade 
for  promotion  April  18,  1865.     ' 

*Goodrell,  Wm.  H.,  January  31;  promoted  to  fourth 
corporal  March  27,  1862;  to  fourth  sergeant  July  1,  1862; 

*Veteranl7,ed  January  19,  1863. 

i6 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

to  first  lieutenant,  Company  F,  September  14,  1802;  to 
captain,  Company  B,  June  5,  1865. 

Ganus,  John,  February  1. 

Glenn,  Franklin,  February  14. 

*Hudson,  Charles  H.,  October  12. 

*Hahnan,  John,  September  25. 

Hazen,  Edward,  October  30;  transferred  to  Company 
C,  December  1,  1861;  discharged  May  9,  1862;  (reported 
also  Edward  Hague.) 

■•■Hardin,  James,  Xovember  1;  wounded  at  Atlanta 
August  23, 1864. 

Johnson,  Jonathan,  February  4;  transferred  to  Com- 
pany H,  March  1,  1862;  wounded  at  Shiloh  April  0,  1802; 
discharged  July  3,  1862. 

■^Lester,  George  W.,  October  8. 

Lloyd,  Calvin,  September  26;  died  at  St.  Louis. 

*Lunt,  Edward  D.,  October  14;  yeteranized  as  corporal; 
captured  at  Atlanta  July  12, 1864. 

*Lyon,  Eobert,  November  0;  promoted  to  fifth  sergeant 
August  26, 1864. 

Lenehan,  Thomas,  February  13,  1862;  killed  at  Ezra 
Church,  Georgia,  July  28, 1864. 

Lyon,  Thomas  W.,  February  18,  1802. 

■*Long,  Charles,  February  15,  1862;  promoted  to  fifth 
corporal  August  26,  1864. 

Mathias,  James  H.,  October  15;  died  at  Jackson,  Ten- 
nessee, September  3,  1802. 

McCauley,  James,  October  11. 

Morgan,  Anson  D.,  promoted  to  third  corporal  August 
1,  1862;  wounded  at  Corinth  October  2,  1862;  died  of 
wounds  October  6,  1862. 

Mardis,  Samuel,  January  20,  1862;  died  on  steamboat 
hospital,  June  1,  1862. 

*  Veteranized  January  19,  186.3.  .       ,  ,  ,  , 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  3I0INES.  259 

*Meek,  Eeuben,  January  21,  1862;  wouuded  Maj^  1, 
1862. 

Newlaud,  Jasper  N.,  January  16,  1862;  died  of  wounds 
at  Monterey,  Tennessee,  July  1,  1862. 

Overmier,  Amos,  January  20,  1862;  promoted  to  fifth 
corporal  October  IS,  1862;  wounded  May  1,  1862. 

Paine,  John,  September  14;  wounded  at  Shiloh,  April 
6,  1862. 

Pnrsley,  William  H.,  October  5;  transferred  to  Com- 
pany I),  Seventeenth  Eegiment,  March  1,  1862. 

*Ivaygei',  Thomas,  October  18;  wounded  at  Atlanta, 
July  21,  1864. 

Eoper,  George  W.,  October  15;  discharged  November 
23,  1862. 

Skinner,  Daniel  J.,  January  16,  1862;  wounded  at  Shi- 
loh, April  6,  1862;   discharged  December  4,  1862. 

Teal,  Cornelius,  September  14;  discharged  July  11, 
1862. 

Thomas,  Loren  S.,  October  30;  discharged  March  15, 
1863. 

Thornton,  Thomas  J.,  October  30;  discharged  Novem- 
ber — ,  1862. 

Thompson,  Amos,  October  30. 

Taylor,  Henry  P.,  February  6,  1862;  died  at  Keokuk 
March  14, 1862. 

Wenzel,  Conrad,  September  9;  killed  at  Shiloh,  April  6, 
1862. 

Wilson,  Thomas  H.,  October  10;  transferred  to  Com- 
pany H  March  15,  1862. 

Waldo,  William  W.,  October  12;  discharged  October  1, 
1862. 

Williams,  Lewis  H.,  October  25;  promoted  to  seventh 
corporal  September  15, 1862. 

♦Veteranized  January  19,  1863. 


260  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Winters,  David  K.,  Januarj-  29,  1802;  wouuded  at  Shi- 
loli  October  3, 1862;  died  October  19,  1862,  at  Mound  City, 
Illinois. 

*Stram,  David  W.,  January  16,  1862;  (also  reported 
David  M.  Strain);  promoted  to  fourth  corporal  August  6, 
1864. 

Stoughton,  Benjamin  F.,  February  16,  1862;  wounded 
at  Shiloli  April  6,  1862;  died  of  wounds  April  26,  1862,  at 
Louisville,  Kentucky. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 

Benedict,  Jason,  January  4,  1864. 

Jones,  Robert  B.,  December  21, 1863. 

Parker,  James  M.,  January  5,  1864. 

Johnson,  James  F.,  March  22,  1864. 

Spotts,  Franklin,  October  3,  1864;  died  July  4,  1865,  at 
Nashville. 
,  Stram,  Wm.  H.,  March  21,  1864. 

Wells,  Levi,  March  22,  1864;  wounded  at  Atlanta  July 
23, 1864. 

Blair,  Andrew  F.,  January  1,  1865. 

Hamilton,  Joseph  M.,  September  26,  1864. 

Powell,  Elihu,  September  28,  1864. 

Quinuett,  Vandamon,  September  28,  1864;  discharged 
April  14,  1865. 

COMPANY   F. 

William  H.  Goodrell,  first  lieutenant;  commissioned 
September  14,  1862,  from  fourth  sergeant  Company  B; 
promoted  to  captain  of  Company  B  Jv;ne  5,  1865. 

COMPANY  G. 

Paul,  Joseph  H.,  March  22,  1864;  wounded,  date  and 
place  unknown. 

*Veteranized  .Tannary  19,  1863. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  261 

Mayes,  James  A.,  January  10,  1865;  died  at  Beaufort, 
South  Carolina,  March  20,  1865. 
Sanders,  Levi  H.,  March  22, 1864. 
Farley,  Matt,  March  22,  1864. 

SIXTEENTH   INFANTRY. 

There  were  some  twenty-four  Polk  county  men  in  this 
fighting  regiment  and  they  all  did  'their  part  in  making 
for  it  the  gallant  record  the  Sixteenth  made  in  the  many 
battles  and  marches  of  the  war.  The  history  of  this  gal- 
lant regiment  is,  through  a  now  unavoidable  error,  omit- 
ted. The  names  of  the  Polk  County  men  in  it  are  as  fol- 
lows :  .  -  .     . 

COMPANY   D.  '     " 

Harbor,  James  C,  musician;  January  10,  1862. 

Gilkey,  William  F.,  October  10, 1861;  discharged  at  Jack- 
son, Tenn.,  date  unknown. 

Hester,  Levi  R.,  October  10, 1861;  killed  at  luku,  Septem- 
ber 19, 186i. 

Hester,  Stephen,  October  10, 1861. 

Hester,  Francis  M.,  April  4, 1864;  wounded  at  Mckajack 
Creek,  July  21,  1864;  discharged  February  7,  1805,  for 
Wfjunds. 

Huber,  James  S.,  January  10, 1862. 

Wright  George  W.,  February  1, 1862. 

Chrisman,  Lorenzo  D.,  January  5,  1864;  wounded  at 
Nickajack  Creek  July  21, 1864;  discharged  May  29, 1864. 

Adkinson,  Willaby,  January  1,  1864;  wounded  at  Nicka- 
jack  Creek  July  21, 1864. 

Shearer,  John  R.,  January  5,  1864;  wounded  in  1864; 
date  and  place  not  given. 

Pierce,  Thomas  G.,  December  31,  1863. 

(Thomas  G.  Pierce,  senior,  reported  captured  at  Atlanta, 


262  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

July  22, 1864;  discharged  May  31, 1865;  Thomas  G.  Pierce, 
junior,  wounded  July  21,  1864,  at  Nickajack  Creek;  died 
November  6,  1864,  at  Chattanooga;  date  of  enlistment  not 
given.) 

COMPANY   F.** 

Madison  R.  Laird,  second  sergeant,  December  IS; 
wounded  at  luka,  September  19,  1862;  promoted  to  first 
sergeant;  to  second  lieutenant  January  12,  1863;  captured 
at  Atlanta,  July  22, 1864;  mustered  out  May  15, 1865. 

Kessler,  William  H.,  January  11,  1862;  promoted  to 
musician;  discharged  September  12,  1862. 

Ala  way,  Thomas  J.,  February  17,  1862;  died  at  Vicks- 
burgJulyT,  1863. 

Dei  a  "It,  James  C,  January  27,  1862;  wounded  at  Shiloh 
April  6. 

COMPANY   K.** 

*John  A.  Emery,  fifth  sergeant;  wounded  at  Kenesaw 
Mountain  June  27,  1864;  captured  at  Atlanta;  Ga.,  Julj' 
22, 1862. 

Ashley,  James,  March  1. 

Gulick,  John  (Galick),  Februarj'-  25;  wounded;  date  and 
place  unknown. 

Pierce,  Andrew,  February  5;  discharged  at  Corinth; 
date  not  known. 

Redman,  J.  F.,  died  at  Bolivar,  Tenn.,  September  7,  1862. 

*Woods,  J.  H.,  February  25. 

Weese,  Charles,  Januaiy  5,  1864;  comx^anj^  unknown. 

SEVENTEENTH    INFANTRY. 
Polk  County  had  good  soldiers  in  Companies  B,  D,  F 


**Enlisted  in  1861,  unless  otherwise  stated. 
*Veteranized  in  1864. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOINES.  263 

and  K,  of  this  regiment,  which  was  organized  at  Keokuk 
and  mustered  into  service  April  16, 1862,  and  left  St.  Louis 
for  the  front  May  4,  1862.  After  engaging  in  the  siege  of 
Corinth  and  other  operations,  the  Seventeenth  engaged  in 
its  first  battle  at  luka.  There,  through  some  blunder, 
which  was  not  the  fault  of  the  regiment,  and  by  which  it 
suffered  greatly,  it  received  censure  from  the  command- 
ing general,  Eosecrans.  But  in  a  short  time  thereafter  the 
Seventeenth  nobly  redeemed  itself  at  the  battle  of  Corinth, 
and  General  Eosecrans  publicly  thanked  the  regiment  for 
having  so  bravely  redeemed  itself  from  the  first  blunder  at 
luka.  The  regiment  was  kept  busy  for  months;  was  in  the 
Yazoo  Pass  expedition,  and  afterwards  fought  gallantly  at 
Jackson  and  Champion  Hill,  and  at  the  latter  place  the 
Seventeenth  is  credited  with,  by  its  gallantry  and  dash, 
having  saved  the  army  from  disaster.  At  Vicksburg  it  was 
in  the  noted  crater,  losing  heavily.  After  the  close  of  the 
Vicksburg  campaign  the  Seventeenth  was  with  Sherman 
at  Chattanooga,  and  was  in  the  battle  of  Lookout  Mount- 
ain. Later  on  at  Tilton,  Ala.,  the  regiment  was  posted 
guarding  the  railroad,  when  an  army  of  rebels  swooped 
down  upon  them.  The  vSeventeenth  was  summoned  to  sur- 
render, but  refused  to  do  so.  A  desperate  defense  was 
made  against  overwhelming  odds,  but  finally  was  com- 
pelled to  surrender.  Being  exchanged  in  the  winter  of 
1864,  the  regiment  was  sent  north  on  veteran  furlough. 
Subsequently  it  again  went  to  the  front,  joining  Sherman's 
army  at  Goldsboro,  N.  C,  and  later  joined  in  the  triumx^hal 
march  through  Washington.  The  following  were  the  cas- 
ualties during  the  war 

Officers — Killed,  2;  died,  5;  wounded,  20;  resigned,  40; 
discharged,  1. 


264  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Privates  —  Killed,  43;  died,  116;  discharged,  222; 
wounded,  225. 

EdAvin  J.  McGorrisk,  of  Des  Moines,  assistant  surgeon, 
resigned  and  was  promoted  surgeon  of  tlie  Forty-Second 
infantry,  which  was  transferred  to  the  Seventh  cavalry, 
and  Dr.  McGorrisk  was  commissioned  surgeon  of  the 
Ninth  infantry  January  4,  1863. 

COMPANY    B." 

William  H.  Hoxie,  captain,  March  25;  promoted  from 
private  company  D,  Second  infantry;  resigned  November 
25, 1862. 

Rial  Freeman,  sixth  corporal,  February  25;  promoted  to 
third  corporal;  to  second  corporal;  discharged,  date  and 
place  unknown. 

Thomas  H.  Cassida,  eighth  corporal;  promoted  to  fourth 
corporal;  to  third  corporal;  wounded  at  Champion's  Hill, 
May  16, 1863;  discharged  August  26, 1864. 

PRIVATES.  •  ■       . 

*Alward,  Benjamin  P. 

Cassida,  James  E.,  March  9. 

Davis,  A.  S.,  March  1. 

Freeman,  Malon,  February  25;  promoted  to  fifth  cor- 
poral; wounded  at  Jackson,  Mississippi,  May  14,  1863. 

Hastings,  Thomas,  February  10;  wounded  at  Farming- 
ton,  Mississippi,  date  unknown. 

Highland,  Henry  H.,  March  10;wounded  at  Jackson,  Mis- 
sissipi.  May  14,  1863. 

Hardshaw,  Daniel,  March  10;  wounded  and  captured  at 
Jackson,  Mississippi,  May  14, 1863. 


**Enlistecl  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 
*Veteranized  January  20,  1864. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  265 

Hanks,  Jarvis,  March  21;  wounded  at  Champion's  Hill 
May  16,  1863. 

*Hanks,  DeWitt,  March  10;  wounded  at  Champion's  Hill 
May  16, 1863. 

Johnson,  John,  March  5;  discharged  February  9, 1863. 

Kiser,  Amos,  March  8;  killed  at  Jackson,  Mississippi, 
May  14, 1863. 

*McCulloch,  C.  H.,  February  26. 

Merrill,  William,  February  10;  discharged  December  30, 
1862. 

Phelps,  Franklin  P.,  January  26,  from  company  B,  Fif- 
teenth infantry. 

Pursely,  William  H.,  October  1;  promoted  to  sixth  cor- 
poral; discharged  October  21,  1862. 

Kickabaugh,  Wilson,  February  11;  died  July — ,  1862,  at 
Farmington,  Mississippi. 

Eagan,  David  S.,  March  22. 

*Smith,  Charles  P.,  March  10;  wounded  at  luka  Septem- 
ber 19,  1862;  promoted  to  third  sergeant  September  12, 
1862,  for  bravery. 

Smith,  Thomas  H.,  March  22;  wounded  at  Missionary 
Ridge  November  25,  1863;  died  at  New  Albany,  Indiana, 
December  13,  1864. 

Wakefield,  Francis  M.,  February  25;  died  at  Jefferson 
Barracks,  Missouri,  January  1,  1864. 

ADDITIONAL    ENLISTMENTS. 

Gipson,  William  M.,  died  April  23,  1862. 
Reese,  S.  T.,  April  18,  1862;  promoted  to  second  lieuten- 
ant; resigned  June  20,  1862. 


*Veteranized  January  20,  1864. 


266  ANNALS  OP  POLK  COUNTY 

COMPANY  F. 

John  H.  Bi-owne,  second  lieutenant,  May  4,  1862,  from 
private,  Company  D,  Second  infantry;  yeteranized  as  cap- 
ti\hi  June  3, 1863 ;  captured  at  Tilton,  Georgia,  October  13, 
1864;  mustered  out  March  15,  1865;  wounded  at  Jackson, 
Mississippi,  May  14,  1863. 

COMPANY    K.* 

J.  W.  M.  Young,  first  corporal,  April  7;  died  at  Keokuk 
September  8,- 18<;2. 

Franke,  William,  March  24;  killed  at  luka  September 
19,  1862. 

Fullerton,  John  A.,  March  6;  promoted  to  fifth  coi^ioral; 
wounded  at  luka  September  19,  1862;  yeteranized  as  ser- 
geant March,  1864. 

Griffith,  Selby  S.,  February  7;  discharged  September 
2,  1862. 

Gipson,  William  M.,  March  25;  died  at  Keokuk  April 
23,  1862. 

Kessler,  Jacob,  February  26;  promoted  to  eighth  cor- 
poral ;  discharged  October  13,  1862. 

McCready,  William,  March  2;  discharged  September 
2,  1862. 

McCready,  Martin  F.,  March  6;  wounded  at  Cham])ion's 
Hill  May  16,  1863;  veteranized  as  corporal,  March  10, 
1864. 

Mull,  Adam  J.,  April  14. 

Mercer,  William,  March  25. 

Sanford,  Abraham,  March  25;  discharged  July  12,  1862. 

Sherman,  Samuel,  April  7;  wounded  at  Champion's  Hill 
May  16, 1863;  captured  at  Tilton,  Georgia,  October  13, 1864. 

Thompson,  Charles,  April  7;  discharged  March  6, 1863. 

*Enlistecl  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  26T 

Wilson,  Samuel  W.,  March  21;  wounded  at  Corintli 
October  3,  1861;  wounded  at  Jackson  May  14,  1863;  yetev- 
anized  March  25, 1864. 

(Owing  to  the  loss  of  records  by  capture  of  the  regiment 
at  Tilton,  Georgia,  the  list  of  casualties  is  incomplete.) 

EIGHTEENTH    INFANTRY. 

Some  fifteen  men  from  Polk  coiinty,  were  soldiers  in 
this  regiment,  which  was  organized  in  Julj',  1862,  and  mus- 
tered into  service  August  6, 1862,  and  served  nearly  all  tlie 
time  in  Missouri  and  Arkansas.  It  had  to  do  considerable 
fighting  and  a  large  amount  of  marching,  having  alto- 
gether marched  over  4,000  miles,  a  great  portion  of  this 
being  over  mountains  or  through  swamps.  Thej'  saw  hard 
service.  Of  its  original  officers  but  eight  returned  witli  it. 
Starting  out  with  860  men,  only  400  remained  at  the  muster 
out.     Polk  county  was  represented  in  companies  G.  and  I. 

COMPANY  G. 

John  H.  Loob}^,  second  lieutenant,  July  7;  promoted  to 
captain  October  22,  1863,  but  not  mustered;  discharged  as 
second  lieutenant,  December  19,  1863,  and  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant,  First  Missouri  Colored  regiment. 

Kinsman,  Oran,  musician,  July  IT. 

PRIVATES. 

Estell,  William,  July  10;  discharged  November  13,  1862. 
McCoy,  William  J.,  July  10;  died  February  19,  1863,  at 
Springfield,  Mo. 

COMPANY    I. 

W^illiam  Kagan,  first  lieutenant,  July  7;  promoted  to 
major,  May  12,  1865,  but  not  mustered,  mustered  out  as. 
first  lieutenant  October  3, 1865. 


268        ANNALi^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

(Jharles  M.  Condon,  fourth  sergeant,  July  12;  promoted 
to  quartermaster-sergeant;  to  second  lieutenant;  to  first 
lieutenant  May  12,  1865;  commissioned  captain  May  12, 
1805,  but  mustered  out  as  second  lieutenant. 

PRIVATES. 

Brazeltou,  Jacob,  July  10. 

Ellis,  Jason  L.,  July  24;  died  February  28,  1863,  at 
Springfield,  Mo. 

Gifford,  Isaac,  July  18. 

Garrett,  John  C,  July  8. 

Lawson,  Jacob,  July  21. 

Sharp,  David,  July  26;  discharged  March  14,  1863. 

Thornton,  Nathan,  July  10;  died  September  21,  1862,  at 
Sedalia,  Mo. 

Woodrow,  Charles  B.,  July  21. 

TWENTY-THIRD    INFANTRY. 

This  regiment  was  peculiarly  attached  to  the  affections 
and  history  of  Des  Moines  and  Polk  county,  as  it  was  the 
first  of  the  two  regiments  organized  at  Des  Moines  and 
Polk  countj'  was  represented  in  all  of  the  ten  companies. 
It  was  to  a  large  extent  a  Polk  County  regiment. 

The  Twenty-third  was  organized  in  the  late  summer  and 
fall  of  1862,  at  Des  Moines,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
William  I)ewe,y,  and  was  mustered  into  the  service  Septem- 
ber 19,  1862.  It  first  Avent  to  Keokuk  and  then  on  to  St. 
Louis,  arriving  there  September  30.  For  a  short  time  it 
was  on  provost  duty  at  the  latter  city,  and  was  finally  sent 
to  Patterson,  Mo.,  where  the  regiment  suffered  much  from 
sickness,  and  there  Colonel  Dewey  died.  He  was  succeed- 
ed by  Colonel  Kinsman.  After  some  months  of  duty  in 
Missouri  the  regiment  Avas  at  last  ordered  to  join  the  Union 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  269 

forces,  near  Vicksburg.  March  20, 1863,  it  started  for  Mil- 
likeii's  Bend,  April  11  it  proceeded  on  its  march  with  the 
army  below  and  in  the  rear  of  Vicksburg,  and  on  May  1 
was  under  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  Held  in  reserve  at 
Champion  Hill,  at  Black  Kiver  Bridge  it  led  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  and  successful  charges  of  the  war.  At  this  point 
the  enemy  had  a  line  of  entrenchments  three  miles  long 
with  a  deep  bayou  in  front.  The  Twenty-third  heade<l  the 
column  of  attack,  and  carried  everything  before  them, 
taking  the  enemy's  works  and  capturing  2,500  prisoners. 
But  their  loss  was  heaw.  Colonel  Kinsman  and  one 
captain  were  mortally  wounded,  and  four  other  officers 
wounded,  and  134  enlisted  men  killed  or  Avounded.  Here 
Alfred  M.  Lyon,  an  early  settler  and  prominent  citizen 
of  Des  Moines,  who  was  at  the  time  sutler  of  the  regiment, 
shouldered  his  musket  and  bravely  joined  in  the  charge. 
Before  it  was  over  he  fell  mortally  wounded  and  died  in  a 
short  time. 

The  Twenty-third,  as  a  mark  of  honor,  was  detailed  to 
guard  the  prisoners  taken  at  Black  River  to  Memphis. 
This  duty  had  been  performed,  and  the  regiment  was  on 
its  return  when  chance  threw  it  into  the  bloody  fight  at  Mil- 
liken's  Bend.  At  Young's  Point  word  reached  Colonel 
Glasgow,  then  in  command  of  the  regiment,  that  the  enemy 
was  threatening  Milliken's  Beiid,  garrisoned  by  only  a 
few  hundred  colored  troops.  The  regiment  immediately 
went  to  their  relief.  Advised  to  do  so  by  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  garrison.  Colonel  Glasgow  remained  with  the 
troops  on  the  transports,  as  no  immediate  attack  was  ex- 
pected. To  his  surprise  at  daylight  there  was  a  great  com- 
motion noticed  among  the  colored  troops,  and  in  a  short 
time  a  long  line  of  the  enemy  was  seen  advancing  from 
the  timber  on  the  doublequick,  with  intention  of  at  once 


270  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

overwhelming  the  colored  trooj^s.  Orders  were  given  to 
hurriedly  disembark.  A  few  rods  back  from  the  river  was 
the  levee,  behind  which  the  colored  troops  were  already 
stationed.  Across  the  open  space  the  Twenty-third  must 
pass  to  reach  the  levee,  and  started  on  the  road  by  the 
right  flank.  The  right  of  the  regiment  reached  the  levee 
as  the  enemy  came  up.  The  left  was  in  the  rear,  and  as  it 
came  up  the  enemy  poured  in  a  deadly  fire.  The  struggle 
now  became  to  a  gTeat  extent  a  hand  to  hand  fight,  and  a 
most  desperate  one.  It  is  stated  Colonel  Glasgow  was 
himself  bespattered  with  the  blood  and  brains  of  his  own 
men  and  those  of  the  enemy.  Bayonets  were  used  and 
muskets  clubbed.  In  one  instance  John  Virtue,  a  power- 
ful man  of  Comiiany  B.,  came  face  to  face  with  a  rebel  on 
the  top  of  the  embankment.  Both  resorted  to  the  bayonets 
and  after  a  few  thrusts  and  parries  each  pierced  the  other 
through  with  fatal  Avounds.  Then  Virtue's  comrade, 
Q'homas  McDowell,  rushed  forward  and  brained  the  rebel 
Avith  his  musket.  Thus  the  terrible  fight  went  on  until  the 
arrival  of  gxmboats  from  below,  when  a  few  shots  drove 
the  enemy  back  to  the  timber.  In  this  fight  Captain 
Brown,  who  had  been  a  printer  in  Des  Moines,  working 
for  the  writer,  but  who  at  the  time  was  in  command  of  a 
Cass  County  company,  met  the  death  of  a  brave  and  fear- 
less soldier.  After  this  battle  the  regiment  rejoined  its 
brigade  in  the  rear  of  A'icksburg,  where  it  remained  until 
the  surrender  of  that  place. 

July  5  the  TAventy-third  started  in  pursuit  of  General 
Johnston,  capturing  Jackson,  Miss.,  and  driA'ing  the  enemy 
across  Pearl  River.  The  hot  Aveather  and  work  was  hard 
upon  the  regiment,  and  it  returned  with  only  120  men  fit 
for  duty.  Augiist  13  it  was  transferred  to  the  depart- 
ment of  the  Gulf,  and  sent  to  New  Orleans.     September  4, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  271 

started  with  General  Banks  expedition  to  the  Teche 
county,  going  as  far  as  Opelovisas,  and  then  returned  to 
New  Orleans.  November  16,  in  connection  with  otlier 
troops,  embarked  for  the  coast  of  Texas,  and  captured  Fort 
Esperanza  on  Matagorda  Island.  January  IG  the  regiment 
went  to  Indianola,  and  remained  there  on  post  duty  until 
March,  when  it  went  to  Louisiana  again  to  reinforce 
General  Banks  at  Alexandria.  It  remained  in  Louisiana 
and  Arkansas,  imtil  sent  to  Mobile,  Ala.  to  take  part  in 
one  of  the  last  sieges  and  battles  of  the  war.  There  the 
regiment  again  distinguished  itself.  After  the  fall  of 
Mobile  it  went  with  the  troops  to  Texas  again,  and  there 
remained  until  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Harrisburg, 
July  2G,   18G5. 

The  regiment  had  three  colonels :  William  Dewej^,  who 
died  in  the  field,  November  30,  1862;  William  H.  Kinsman, 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Black  River  Bridge,  May  17,  1863, 
while  leading  a  charge  against  the  enemy,  and  for  whom 
one  of  the  most  flourishing  G.  A.  R.  posts  in  this  city  is 
named,  and  Samuel  L.  Glasgow,  now  a  resident  of  Burling- 
ton, Iowa.  These  were  all  brave  and  skillful  officers.  The 
casualties  were: 

Officers — Killed,  2;  died,  5;  discharged,  9;  wounded,  27. 

Privates — Killed,  39;  died,  228;  discharged,  177;  wound- 
ed, 126;  transferred,  42. 

Polk  county  was  represented  in  Companies  A.  B.  C.  E. 
F.  G.  and  on  the  staff  as  follows: 

Charles  J.  Clark,  major;  Leonard  B.  Houston,  major; 
Robert  W.  Cross,  quartermaster;  Arthur  J.  Barton,  chap- 
lain; William  Merrill,  sergeant-major;  Orin  Belknap,  ser- 
geant-major; Charles  S.  Hepburn,  hospital-steward;  James 
R.  Crawshaw,  fife-major. 


272  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

COMPANY  A.*  . 

Leonard  B.  Houston,  captain;  commissioned  August  10; 
promoted  major  May  19,  1863. 

Theodore  G.  Cree,  second  lieutenant,  August  1 ;  promoted 
to  captain  May  20,  1863;  resigned  October  21,  1863. 

Oriu  Belknap,  junior,  fourth  sergeant,  August  1;  pro- 
moted to  third  sergeant  October  1,  1862;  discharged 
December  19,  1863. 

William  S.  Sa^dor,  fifth  sergeant,  August  1 ;  promoted  to 
fourth  sergeant  October  1,  1862;  discharged  January  6, 
1863. 

Lyman  P.  Houston,  third  corporal,  August  1. 

Mervin  Smith,  fourth  corporal,  July  19;  (also  Merion); 
discharged  October  21,  1863. 

PRIVATES. 

Ashford,  Elderkin  P.,  August  1. 

Fagan,  Joseph,  August  1. 

Hepburn,  Charles  S.,  August  14;  promoted  to  hospital- 
steward  September  19,  1862;  died  at  Camp  Patterson, 
Missouri,  November  3,  1862. 

Jones,  Albert,  July  25. 

Jordan,  Henrj  C,  August  14. 

Lucas,  Francis  M.,  July  20;  discharged  October  19,  1863. 

Lucas,  Daniel,  August  20;  transferred  to  invalid  corps 
May  21,  1864. 

McCain,  William  S.,  July  20. 

Saylor,  James  A.,  August  1;  discharged  November  24, 
1862. 

Stevens,  John  A.,  August  3;  discharged  August  7,  1863. 

Thompson,  Andre,  August  4;  died  at  New  Orleans 
November  7,  1863. 


*Enlisted  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


A^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  273 

COMPANY   B.* 

Charles  J.  Clark,  captain,  August  1;  iDromoted  to  major 
December  1,  1862;  to  lieutenant-colonel  May  19,  1863. 

Joel  M.  Walker,  first  lieutenant,  August  11;  promoted 
to  captain  December  1,  1862. 

Stephen  Waterbury,  second  lieutenant,  August  1;  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant  December  1,  1862;  resigned  June 
10,  1863. 

Chauncy  A.  Williams,  first  sergeant,  August  1 ;  promoted 
to  second  lieutenant  December  1,  1862;  resigned  March  5, 
1863. 

Henry  Crabtree,  second  sergeant,  August  1;  promoted  to 
first  sergeant;  wounded  at  Milliken's  Bend  June  7,  1863. 

Amos  Wright,  third  sergeant,  August  1. 

Calvin  M.  Burt,  fourth  sergeant,  August  2. 

Oliver  P.  Rhinehart,  fifth  sergeant,  August  1. 

Erastus  S.  Derrickson,  first  corporal,  August  2. 

William  Benell,  second  corporal,  August  1;  promoted  to 
sergeant;  wounded  at  Port  Gibson,  Mississippi,  May  1, 
1863;  died  at  Duvall's  Bluffs,  Ark.,  December  7,  1864. 

Matthew  C.  Brown,  third  corporal,  August  7. 

Daniel  A.  Swim,  fourth  corporal,  August  1. 

George  C.  Baker,  fifth  corporal,  August  1. 

Sereuo  C.  Beals,  sixth  corporal,  August  5. 

Emanuel  Young,  seventh  corporal,  August  1. 

Edward  L.  Halladay,  eighth  corporal,  August  2. 

Dwight  Derrickson,  musician,  August  1. 

Joseph  Levalley,  musician,  August  1. 

PRIVATES. 
Ballard,  John,  August  9 ;  promoted  to  corporal;  wounded 
May  28;  date  and  place  unknown;  died  of  wounds  on  board 
of  steamer,  June  4,  1863. 


♦Enlisted  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 
I? 


274  ANNALS  OP  POLK  COUNTY 

Beiiililer,  Harrison,  August  9;  wounded  at  Spanish  Fort, 
Alabama,  Marcli  22,  1865;  promoted  to  corporal. 

Beigliler,  Enoch,  August  9;  died  at  Vicksburg  Jnlj  23, 
1863. 

Beeson,  Henry  II.,  August  1;  wounded  at  Milliken's 
Bend  June  7, 18G3;  died  of  wounds  at  Van  Buren  Hospital, 
Louisiana,  June  9,  1803. 

Carr,  William  H.,  August  13. 

Carr,  Henry,  August  13;  wounded  at  Anderson's  Hill, 
Mississippi,  May  1,  18G3;  transferred  to  inx'alid  corps 
February  IG,  18G3. 

Condit,  Daniel  M.,  August  5;  died  at  Vicksburg  July  26, 
1863. 

Coyey,  William,  Augxist  8. 

Derrickson,  William  W.,  August  1;  discharged  Decem- 
ber 1,  1862. 

Dennis,  John,  August  8. 

Entwistle,  George  W.,  August  7. 

Filmer,  John,  August  13;  killed  at  Milliken's  Bend  June 
7,  1863. 

Grimes,  Dayid  S.,  August  15;  discharged  February  24, 
1864. 

Grigsby,  George  W.,  August  2;  wounded  near  ^'icksburg 
June,  1863;  died  on  hospital  steamer  City  of  Memphis,  July 
14,  1863. 

Hughes,  Eusebius,  August  5. 

Henkel,  John  S.,  August  14;  discharged  June  15,  1863. 

Henkel,  Benjamin,  W.,  August  14,  died  at  Fort  Esper- 
anza,  Texas,  March  21,  1864. 

Herbert,  William,  August  9. 

Hanna,  Cyrus  G.,  August  9. 

Ho\yland,  Cliarlcs  A.,  August  5;  discharged  (-September 
5,  1864. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOIXE.S.  275 

Harlow,  Lloyd,  August  G. 

Haiiow,  Eaiidolph  F.,  August  G;  died  at  Yieksburg  July 
5,  1863. 

Jones,  Andrew  J.,  August  1. 

Johnson,  William  P.,  August  21;  discharged  July  25, 
18G3 

Kirsher,  John,  August  13;  discharged  July  25,  1S(;3. 

Kirsher,  Jasper,  August  S;  transferred  to  invalid  corps; 
■date  unknown. 

Koons,  Elijah,  August  15. 

Kratzer,  n(»ward,  August  14. 

Lyon,  William  D.,  August  7. 

Lyon,  James  H.,  August  1;  wounded  at  Millikeu's  Bend 
June  7,  18G3;  transferred  to  invalid  corps  April  30,  18G3. 

Leonard,  Lawrence,  August  11;  died  at  St.  Louis,  Jul^^ 
14,  1863. 

Little,  Louis,  August  21. 

Madison,  Anderson  J.,  August  1;  trausferrc<l  to  invalid 
corps  July  5,  18G5. 

Millard,  Homer  A.,  August  7. 

Millard,  Henry  J.,  August  1;  died  at  Mcksburg  July  23, 
1863. 

Mosgrove,  William,  August  1;  wounded  at  Port  (iibson 
May  1,  18G3;  died  of  wounds  June  G,  1863,  at  Magnolia 
Hospital,  Mississippi. 

Miller,  Jonathan  G.,  August  1. 

Miller,  Ezra  W.,  August  1. 

Mclntire,  William  K.,  August  7;  discharged  February 
26,  1863. 

McDowell,  Thomas,  August  2;  promoted  to  corporal; 
wounded  at  Milliken's  Bend  June  7,  18G3;  died  at  Eddy- 
ville  August  2G,  1863. 

McCanley,  Charles  H.,  August  1. 


276  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Mey,  Julius  L.,  August  21. 

Murphy,  John,  August  1. 

Nussbaum,  Beuj.  F.,  August  1;  wounded  at  Vicksburg 
June  14,  1863;  died  June  20, 1863,  at  A^icksburg  of  wounds. 

Nelson,  Thomas,  August  2. 

Nicholas,  George  M.,  August  7. 

Napper,  Renard,  August  7;  wounded  at  Milliken's  Bend 
June  7,  1863. 

Pritchard,  John,  August  1. 

Rilej',  George,  August  9;  died  on  battle-field  at  Little 
Rock  July  — ,  1864. 

Stover,  Henderson,  August  1;  wounded  at  Millikeu's 
Bend  Jime  7,  1863;  discharged  June  3,  1864. 

Shaw,  James  E.,  August  7. 

kSummy,  Henry  B.,  August  1;  wounded  at  Millikeu's 
Bend  June  7,  1863. 

Sharp,  Donald  C,  August  1;  wouuded,  date  and  place 
unknown;  died  of  wounds  at  St.  Louis  November  14,  1862. 

Shellhart,  George,  August  1. 

Shellhart,  Samuel,  August  9. 

Stevens,  George  C.,  Augaist  5;  died  at  Patterson,  Mis- 
souri, December  9,  1862. 

Schooner,  Randolph,  August  15;  discharged  April  19, 
1863. 

Swope,  Henry  H.,  August  1. 

Sibbett,  Beuj.  F.,  August  7. 

Spencer,  Thomas,  August  5. 

Vestal,  Solomon  A.,  August  1. 

Virtue,  John,  August  1;  wouuded  at  Milliken's  Bend 
June  7,  1863;  died  on  steamer  City  of  Memphis  June  10, 
1863. 

Waternmn,  Andrew  J.,  August  9;  discharged  December 
26,  1864. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  277 

Waterman,  Hemy,  August  21. 

Warden  (Worden),  George,  August  5;  discharged 
December  26,  1864. 

Wilson,  Clark,  August  6;  died  at  Keokuk  July  5,  1861. 

Wiley,  James,  August  10. 

Wood,  Hartford,  August  11. 

Wacker,  John,  August  1. 

Walker,  Augustus  D.,  August  2. 

Walker,  John  S.,  August  5;  wounded  at  Milliken's  Bend 
Juue  7,  1863. 

Weitman,  Francis,  August  11;  pi'omoted  to  first  ser- 
geant; to  second  lieutenant  March  6,  1863. 

Yazel,  David,  August  1. 

Young,  Daniel,  August  2;  discharged  March  12,  1863. 

Young,  Henry  B.,  August  4;  discharged  April  12  1863. 

Young,  Henry,  August  2;  discharged  April  12,  1863. 

Young,  Isaac,  August  7. 

ADDITIONAL  ENLISTMENTS. 

Dunwoody,  Lorenzo  D.,  February  26,  1864,  died  at  New 
Orleans  August  18,  1864. 

Ooffman,  Isaac,  March  22, 1864. 
Miller,  Lorenzo  P.,  March  24,  1864. 
Story,  William  C,  June  26  1863. 
Swim,  James  E.,  March  26,  1864. 
Warden  Daniel,  March  23,  1864. 
Young  Louis,  March  28,  1864. 

COMPANY   C* 

James  C.  Gregg,  captain,  July  24 ;  resigned  jSTovember  25, 
1862. 


*Enlisted  in  1862  unless  otherwise  stated. 


278  AXXALfi  OF  l>(}LK  COUNTY 

Jdliii  A.  T.  Hull,  first  licniteiiant,  July  24;  promoted  to 
captain  Xovember  2(>,  18(;2. 

Beiijamiii  JeimingS;  second  lieutenant,  Aug'ust  7;  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant  January  1,  18G3;  to  ca])tain. 
November  0,  1S63. 

AMlliam  H.  DoAvns,  first  sergeant,  August  0;  j»romoted 
to  second  lieutenant  January  1,  18G3;  killed  at  Milliken's 
IJend  June  7,   1S<;3. 

I)a\id  AA'.  Johnson,  third  sergeant,  August  0. 

William  Kysar,  fourth  sergeant  August  1;  pi-onioted 
to  second  sergeant  October  4  18(i2;  died  at  St.  Louis  July 
]G    18G3. 

Francis  M.  Howard,  fifth  sergeant  August  1;  i»ronn)ted 
to  fourth  sergeant  October  4,  18G2;  discharged  June  IG, 
18(;3. 

James  ()T>leness,  first  corpoi-al,  August  1;  pronniled  to 
third  sergeant;  killed  at  Milliken's  Bend  June  7,  18G3. 

H.  Spotts,  second  corjMtral,  August  1. 

Jeremiah  D.  Williams,  third  corporal,  August  7;  dis- 
charged February  25, 18G3. 

Austin  Warnick,  fourth  corjioral,  August  7;  wounded 
at  Milliken's  Bend  Jun<'  7,  18G3. 

Iiol)ert    H(.)war(l,   fifth    corporal,   .Vugust   'J. 

Joseph  ^\^  Lasell,  sixth  coi'])oral  ^Vugust  (!;  reduced  to 
i-anks  September  2!),  1SG2. 

Eupiirates  Tuthill,  seventh  corporal  August  9;  promoted 
to  sixth  corporal  Seiitend)er  2!l,  18G2. 

Benjamin  P.  West,  eightli  corjioral  August  1;  prcuuoled 
to  seventh  c(jrporal  Sei»tend)er  2!),  1SG2;  died  at  Patterson, 
Mo.,  November  25,  18G2. 

James  P.  Orawsliaw,  musician,  August  1;  promoted  to 
fife-major   S(-pteniber   P.),   1SG2. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOIXE>^.  279 

PRIVATES. 

Angeli),  Samuel  IT.,  August  .9 

I'lill,  Jdliii  T.,  August  7;  died  at  Vau  Buveu  H<>s])ital, 
Louisiaiui,  Juue  14,  1S()3. 

Itull,  A'S'illiam,  August  9;  wouuded  at  Black  Kiver 
Bridge,  Mississip])i,  May  17,  18()3;  died  of  Avouuds  at 
Memphis  Juue  21, 1S(!3. 

Bird,  Em])soii,  August  9;  discharged  April  14,  ISfJS. 

Butler,  AMUiani  B.,  August  9;  promoted  to  tiftli  ser- 
geant October  4,  lS(i2;  discharged  Jauuary  2,  ISlio. 

Butler,  Cliarles  A.,  August  9;  wouiuled  at  Black  Ri^'er 
Bi'idge,  Mississippi,  Mar  17,  18(33. 

Birch,  Francis  A.,  August  1;  ti-ansferred  to  invalid 
corps. 

Belts,  Sliepherd  W.,  August  9;  distdiarged  March  (>,  1803. 

Brown,  Joy  P.,  August  9;  discharged  May  (!,  18(>3. 

Baile.y,  (^uary,  August  9. 

Brown,  John,  August  9;  died  at  St.  Louis  February  25, 
1803. 

Cliristy,  A\'illiam,  August  1. 

Crystal,  John,  August  1;  discharged  July  24,  1805. 

Conison,  Lemuel  M.  (Carlson),  August  !);  wounded  at 
Black  River  Bridge  May  17,  1803;  died  of  wounds  May  20, 
1803. 

Calial,  James  H.,  August  7. 

Collins,  Elisha,  August  9;  discharged  Mandi  0,  1803. 

Collins,  Hiram,  August  9. 

Campbell,  Frederick,  T.,  August  9. 

Couch,  William  S.,  August  9. 

Dewey,  Robert  II.,  August  9;  promoted  to  commissary- 
sergeant  September  19. 

Deaton,  James  R.  (K.),  August  7;  discharged  March  23, 
1803. 


:280  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Dean,  William  M.,  August  9. 

Dean,  James  H.,  August  9. 

Darling,  Porter  N.,  August  9;  died  at  New  Orleans 
November  14,  1863. 

Evans,  William  M.,  August  7;  wounded  at  Black  River 
Bridge  May  17,  1863. 

Frederick,  Corwin  B.,  August  9. 

Ganett,  Lyle  A.,  August  9. 

Gregory,  William,  August  6. 

Howard,  Francis  A.,  August  7;  discharged  June  16, 
1863. 

Huggins,  David,  August  1. 

Harvey,  William,  August  3 ;  killed  at  Black  River  Bridge 
May  17,  1863. 

Halterman,  Jackson,  August  9;  discharged  January  9, 
1863. 

Harrison,  John  J.,  August  1. 

Howard,  W.  H.,  August  9;  wounded  at  Black  River 
Bridge  May  17,  1863. 

Juvenall,  John  M.,  August  9;  died  at  Patterson,  Mo., 
November  25,  1862. 

Jones,  Charles  L.,  August  9. 

Leonard,  Newton,  G.,  August  9. 

Little,  John  S.,  August  9. 

Laughlin,  Robert,  August  9;  discharged  November  17, 
1862. 

Lang,  Lewis,  August  5. 

McDowell,  Michael  (McDonnell),  August  9;  discharged 
January  31,  1863. 

Miller,  John  L.,  August  1;  discharged  April  14,  1863. 

Mattern,  William  H.,  August  9. 

Nelson,  David,  August  9;  died  at  St.  Louis  February  25, 
1863. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  281 

Owens,  Henry,  Angnst  8;  discharged  April  1,  1865. 

Pricer,  William,  August  1. 

Ramsey,  Martin  K.,  August  7. 

Robinson,  Hubert  S.,  August  1;  (reported  also  Stewart 
S.  Robinson  as  wounded  at  Black  River  Bridge  May  17, 
1863.) 

Robinson,  Smith  C,  August  9;  died  at  Ironton,  Mo., 
December  2,  1862. 

Rison,  Bailey,  August  7;  transferred  to  invalid  corps 
July  1,  1864 

Stuart,  Bazil,  August  9. 

Stuart,  John  W.,  August  9;  promoted  to  eighth  corporal 
September  29,  1862;  to  seventh  corporal  November  25, 
1862;  wounded  at  Black  River  Bridge  M:ay  17, 1863. 

Smith,  Hardin,  August  1. 

Sherill,  John  W.  August  1. 

Sherill,  Elisha  C,  August  1;  died  near  Sayloiwille, 
March  27,  1865. 

Sherill,  William  H.,  August  1. 

Stark,  Benjamin  P.,  August  9. 

Swift,  Jeremiah,  August  9;  wounded  at  Black  River 
Bridge  May  17,  1863. 

Scarbrough,  James,  August  9;  wounded  at  Black  River 
Bridge  May  17,  1863;  died  at  Memphis  July  11,  1863,  of 
wounds. 

Stockdale,  Richmond,  August  7;  transferred  to  invalid 
corps. 

Saylor,  John  Q.  A.,  August  1;  discharged  February  28, 
1863. 

Shirts,  Roscius,  August  6. 

Taft,  Joel,  August  7. 

Thrailkill,  Joseph,  August  9;  discharged  January  26, 
1863. 


282  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

Vice,  IToni'T,  August  9;  died  at  A'ii-ksburg  July  28,  1853. 

West,  b>ainue]  X.,  August  1. 

West,  Ilenrv  ('.,  August  1;  died  at  Yirksburg  August  5, 
18G3. 

A^'itnier,  George  M'.,  August  1. 

^^'ebb,  Jehu  a.,  August  1;  killed  at  I'oit  Gibsi.u  May  1, 
1803. 

Webb,  James  K.,  August  7. 

AValsb,   Thomas,  August  U. 

AMlcox  James  K.,  August  1);  wouuded  at  IMack  Ifiver 
Bridge  May  17,  lS(i3. 

^^'oodro^v,  William  11.,  August  U;  A^'ouude<l  at  Blaek 
River  Bridge  May  17, 18G3. 

"SMlcox,  (iilbert,  August  5. 

Yocum,  John,  August  7;  died  ou  floating  hospital  at 
Nashville,  Teuii.,  July  20,  18(;3. 

ADDITIONAL    ENLISTMENTS. 

Ballard,  Jauies,  March  1(1,  1864. 

Deatou,  James  K.,  March  14,  18(;-l:. 

Dailey,  Lewis  N.,  March  29,  18(i4:;  died  at  Mcksburg 
July   28,    1804. 

Eulield,  Samuel,  March  14, 18(.)4;  died  ou  steamboat  Kate 
Dale,  July  14,  18(;4. 

Grossnicdvle,  Jonathan,  May  14,  1804. 

Howard,  Francis  A.,  Mar<'h  12,  1804. 

Jlouard,  Mariou  L.,  March  10,  1804. 

Hewitt,  Franklin  E.,  December  4,  18()3. 

Jones,  Albert  M.,  March  29,  1804. 

McGormick,  Charles,  March  19,  1804;  discharged 
November   10,    1804. 

McMichael,  James  M.,  March  29,  1804. 

rhilli].s,  ("lark  ('.,  March  21,  1804. 

A\'iight,  John   W.,   March   12,   1804. 


AXD   TlfE  CITY  OF  Dl-JS  MOIXHS.  283 

COMPANY   E* 

A^'i]liam  E.  Ilonstnii,  second  ]i(-utenaiit,  July  25;  pi'o- 
iiiolcd  td  first  ]i«^uteiiaiit  Xoveinbci'  11,  1SG2;  to  captain 
April    (i,   18G5. 

^Mlliaiu  Men-ill,  second  lieutenant,  AuL;ust  12,  from 
sergeant-major;  promoted  to  quartermaster  July  25,  1863. 

Tlnniias  J.  Saylor,  fourth  seri^eant,  August  1. 

Kobert  II.  Fink,  fifth  sergeant,  August  1;  killed  at  Mil- 
liken  "s  Uend,  La.,  Jnm-  7,  18(i3. 

A'incent  S.  Martin,  fourth  corporal,  August  12;  pro- 
moted to  third  corporal,  September  8,  1802. 

Joiin  M.  IJoKcuicrants,  sixth  corporal,  August  12;  pro- 
moted to  fifth  cori)oral  Sc^ptember  8,  1802;  died  in  St.  Louis 
July  11,  18(13. 

William  Wilson,  eighth  c(.>rporal,  July  18;  prc.imoted  to 
scn^enth  corporal  September  8,  1802;  killed  at  Milliken's 
FSend  June  7,  1803. 

David  S.  Mc(juiston,  musician,  August  1. 

PRIVATES. 

Asliworth,  Abraham,  August  13. 

Belts,  Matliijis,  August  11;  discharged  February  7, 
1803. 

Eetts,  James  W.,  August  12;  transferred  to  marine 
brigade  January  1,  18(i3;  died  at  Keokuk  September  1, 
1SG3. 

P>nzick,  William  C,  August  12. 

Cottle,  Elias,  August  1;  wounded  at  Spanish  Fort, 
Alabanui,  March  28,  1805. 

</raig,  Alexander,  August  13;  wounded  at  Port  Gibson, 
Mississippi,  May  1,  18(i3. 

Fink,  W.  W.,  August  11. 


*EQlistied  in  lS(i2,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


284  ANXAL^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Jameson,  John  D.,  August  16;  died  at  Eolla,  Mo.,  Janu- 
ary 29, 1863. 

Kees,  Thomas,  August  14. 

Moore,  John  W.,  August  15. 

Pearson,  John  W.,  August  12. 

Porter,  John,  August  12;  wounded  at  Milliken's  Bend 
June  7,  18G3;  transferred  to  invalid  corps  September  1, 
1863. 

Sundaj',  William,  August  14;  died  at  Camp  Patterson, 
Mo,.  December  22,  1863. 

Springer,  Jacob  S.,  August  15;  killed  at  Milliken's  Bend 
June  7,  1863. 

Sutton,  Aguiller,  August  9. 

Stanhope,  Luther  W.,  August  12;  killed  at  Milliken's 
Bend  June  7,  1863. 

Woodward,  William  H.,  August  14. 

COMPANY   F. 

John  M.  Pollock,  musician,  August  22;  died  at  Ironton, 
Missouri,  January  3,  1863. 

COMPANY   G.* 

John  Eoss,  second  sergeant. 

Cowgill,  Gustavas  V.,  died  at  Des  Moines,  December  2, 
1863. 

Forbes,  Francis  H.,  discharged  October  13,  1863. 

Fox,  George  W.,  died  at  Ironton,  Missouri,  March  26, 
1863. 

Gila 3',  George  C,  discharged  April  5, 1863. 

Hammer,  Eichard,  died  at  Memphis  September  6, 1863. 

Hayes,  James  (K.  P.). 

Smith,  John  E. 


♦Enlisted  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  285 

Coiy,  Benjamin  C,  February  15,  1804;  transferred  to 
Twenty-ninth  infantry. 

Hudson,  Thomas  J.,  died  at  New  Orleans  September  1, 
1864. 

COMPANY  H.* 

Barker,  William  B.,  August  20;  wounded  at  Black  River 
Bridge  May  18, 1863. 

Derrickson,  Charles  W.,  January  4,  1864. 

Hewitt,  Franklin  E.,  December  14,  1863. 

Huston,  Zachary  T.,  January  4,  1864. 

Haines,  Jonathan  C,  January  4,  1864. 

Myers,  Asahel  W.,  August  1,  1863. 

Hopkins,  John,  March  12,  1864;  companj-  unknown. 

Hudson,  Lewis,  February  6, 1864;  company  unknown. 

Otteson,  John,  February  6,  1864;  company  unknown. 

Taylor,  John  Q.  A.,  October  15, 1864;  company  unknown. 

THIRTY-NINTH   INFANTRY. 

This  was  the  second  of  the  two  regiments  organized  at 
Des  Moines.  This  was  in  September,  1862,  and  in  October 
the  regiment  was  moved  to  Davenport  for  equipments,  etc. 
On  November  24  it  was  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service.  While  there  the  regiment  had  an  epidemic  of 
measles,  and  before  the  sick  were  fully  well  the  regiment 
was,  December  13,  ordered  to  report  to  General  Tuttle  at 
Cairo.  It  disembarked  at  Columbus  and  spent  its  first 
night  in  the  field  in  mud  and  rain.  December  18  it  was 
started  to  Corinth,  where  Forrest  was  menacing  the  forces 
of  General  Dodge.  In  this  section  it  had  some  hard 
marches,  and  while  near  Trenton,  about  one  hundred  of 
the  regiment  were  surrounded  and  captured  by  the  enemy 

*EnlistecI  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


•286  ANNALH  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

under  Forrest.  These  were  excliaiiged  iu  about  a  month 
aftenvards.  On  December  31  a  fierce  and  bloody  fight  was 
had  with  Forrest's  men,  which  histed  some  six  hours.  The 
Tliirty-ninth,  tliough  raw  troops,  for  two  hours  brayel}^ 
Avitlistood  and  repulsed  the  enemy,  winning  the  praise  of 
veteran  soldiers,  when  by  a  mistaken  order  they  were 
thi'own  into  confusion  and  retired,  but  were  afterward 
reformed  and  again  bravely  engaged  in  the  battle.  After 
tins  successful  fight  the  regiment  returned  to  Jackson.  In 
January,  18G3,  the  regiment  was  sent  to  ('orinth,  wliere  it 
was  assigned  to  the  second  briga<le,  and  during  nearly  the 
wliole  of  the  year  was  on  garrison  duty  iu  this  section,  with 
occasional  marches  guarding  trains. 

November  2,  General  Dodge  moved  his  forces  to  Pulaski, 
Tennessee,  and  finally  to  Dalton  to  join  Sherman's  army  in 
the  Atlanta  campaign.  It  was  then  stationed  with  other 
regiments  at  Rome  to  guard  Sherman's  flank  end  line  of 
communications.  October  4, 18G4,  was  fought  the  terrible 
battle  of  Allatoona,  in  Avhich  the  Thirty-ninth  won  for 
itself  imperishable  fame.  It  was  seven  thousand  rebels 
against  some  eighteen  hundred  union  soldiers.  The  r(4)els 
charged  with  massed  forces  and  the  Thirty-ninth  met  the 
enemy  where  their  charge  was  the  lieaviest.  Twice  the 
Thirty-ninth  repelled  their  fierce  charges  and  stood  firm 
and  undaunted,  though  suffering  terribly.  They  nobly 
"held  the  fort,''  and  when  it  did  fall  back  it  was  delibi'r- 
ately  done,  step  by  step,  and  continuously  fighting.  Fir. 
ally  the  victory  was  avou,  but  the  regiment  lost  in  the  fight : 
Kill(^il,  5  officers,  incbuling  ('olonel  Kedfiehl  and  Captain 
Blodgett,  of  Des  Moines,  and  27  enlisted  men;  wounded,  1 
offifer  and  Gl  enlisted  men;  prisoners,  2  officers  and  GS 
eidisted  men.  The  regiment  had  won  its  right  to  rank  high 
among  b>wa  regiments,  and  sustained  this  rank  through 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE>;  MOIXES.  287 

the  march  to  the  sea  and  imtil  its  final  mnstev  out  of  the 
service. 

Polk  comity  was  represented  in  Companies  B,  E,  F,  I 
and  K,  and  on  the  statf  by: 

Joseph  M.  Griffith,  of  Des  Moines,  major,  commissioned 
!-!epteniber  Ki,  1861;  wounded  at  Parker's  Cross  Roads  De- 
cember 31, 18(!2;  promoted  to  lieutenant  colonel  October  6, 
18G4;  to  colonel  May  12,  1805;  mustere<l  out  as  lieuteuaut 
ccdonel. 

George  C.  Tichenor,  of  Des  Moines,  adjutant;  commis- 
sioned iSeptember  15,  1802;  jjromoted  to  major  and  aid-de- 
camp to  General  Dodge,  February  2,  18G5. 

COMPANY  B.* 

Jolm  IT.  Dykeman,  captain,  August  G;  resigned  August 
G,  18(11. 

Andrew  T.  Blodgett,  hrst  lieutenant,  August  G;  pro- 
moted to  captain,  August  7, 18(il. 

William  A.  Patterson,  second  lieutenant  August  7; 
resigned  July  19,  ISGl.. 

F.  1>.  Ken  worthy,  second  sergeant,  August  17. 

Elisha  F.  Russell,  third  sergeant;  captured  at  iShadj' 
Grove,  Tennessee,  December  30,  18G2. 

Franklin  R.  Thurber,  fourth  sergeant,  August  15;  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant  January  1, 18(i5. 

Robert  F.  Ward,  fifth  sergeant,  August  12;  wounded  at 
Calhoun,  Georgia,  May  10,  18G1;  died  of  Avounds  at  Resaca 
May  18, 18G1. 

Thomas  J.  Kinnej^,  first  corporal,  August  12;  captured 
at  Allatoona,  Georgia,  October  5,  1804. 

Joseph  Gifford,  third  corporal,  August  12;  captured  at 
Shady  Grove,  Tennessee,  December  30,  1802. 


*Enlistecl  in  18(32.  unless  otherwise  stated 


288  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Alanson  Harrison,  fourth  corporal,  August  15;  dis- 
charged June  2,  1863. 

George  M.  McClure,  fifth  corporal,  August  15. 

Cyrus  Cave,  seventh  corporal,  August  12. 

William  B.  Harr,  musician,  August  12. 

Edwin  C.  Russell,  musician,  August  15. 

Harry'  Williams,  wagoner,  August  8;  discharged  Decem- 
ber 12,  1863. 

PRIVATES. 

Armstrong,  Samuel,  August  15. 

Baker,  William  J.,  August  12;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30,  1862;  wounded  at  Resaca,  Georgia,  May  16, 
1861. 

Bates,01iver  D.,  August  22. 

Brown,  Zachariah  A.,  July  25. 

Bunce  (Banco),  James  E.,  August  12;  discharged  June  5, 
1863. 

Barnes,  Owen,  August  12. 

Case,  Isaac,  August  14. 

Carder,  Frederick,  August  12;  wounded  at  Allatoona, 
Georgia,  October  5,  1864. 

Cefley,  Andrew,  August  22;  died  at  Chattanooga  June 
27,  1864. 

Coffey,  William  G.,  August  17. 

Coffej^,  George  A.,  August  12;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30, 1862. 

Chamberlain,  William  H.,  August  11;  wounded  at  Park- 
er's Cross  Roads  December  31, 1862;  died  at  Jackson  Janu- 
ary 9, 1863,  of  wounds. 

Crandall,  Caleb,  August  12;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30, 1862;  discharged  February  28,  1S63. 

Daily,  Patrick,  August  12. 

Elliott,  Henry  H.,  August  5;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOIXES.  289 

December  30,  1862;  wounded  at  Calhoun,  Georgia,  May, 
16, 1864;  died  at  Chattanooga  June  3, 1864,  of  wounds. 

Gaddis,  Cornelius  B.,  August  12;  discharged  May  11, 
1862. 

Groom,  A.  S.  R.,  August  12. 

Harrison,  Hudson,  August  12;  died  at  Corinth,  Missis- 
sippi, February  12, 1863. 

Hendricks,  S.  D.,  August  15. 

Holbrook,  Carlisle  D.,  August  15;  captured  at  Shady 
Grove  December  30, 1862;  discharged  November  5,  1863. 

Holcombe,  Jacob,  August  15;  captured  at  Allatoona, 
Georgia,  October  5,  1864. 

Holcombe,  Asher  W.,  August  14;  captured  at  Red 
Mound,  Tenn.,  December  31, 1862. 

Hoover,  Henry  S.,  August  12;  discharged  February  23, 
1863. 

Hurd,  William  P.,  August  12;  captui'ed  at  Allatoona 
October  5, 1864. 

Jessup,  Byron,  August  6;  captured  at  Shady  Grove  De- 
cember 30, 1862. 

Johnson,  John  W.,  August  20. 

Johnson,  Benj.  (T.)  F.,  August  11;  discharged  February 
19,  1863. 

Keeney,  John  W.,  August  12. 

Keeney,  Joseph  W.,  August  12;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30,  1862. 

Keeney,  Daniel  T.,  August  12;  killed  at  Calhoun,  Ga., 
May  16, 1864. 

Kulpin,  Wilson  (also  Kemplin),  August  15. 

Krewson,  Amos,  August  12;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30, 1862. 

Licking-teller,  Jonathan,  August  21. 

Love,  William,  August  11. 

i8 


290  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Manbeck,  Henry,  August  12;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30,  18G2;  wounded  at  Allatoona,  Georgia,  Octo- 
ber 5,  1SG4. 

Manbeck,  Elijah,  August  12;  captured  at  Shadj^  Grove 
December  30, 18C2. 

Markham,  Simon,  August  12. 

Mills,  James  W.,  August  12;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30, 1862. 

Mills,  John  E.,  August  13;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30, 1862;  wounded  at  Allatoona  October  5, 1864; 
died  at  Nashville  January  12, 1865. 

Eush,  William  D.,  August  22. 

Simmons,  Amos,  August  14. 

Simmons,  Nicholas  W.,  August  22;  died  at  Corinth  Feb- 
ruary 8, 1863. 

Starkey,  Marion  B.,  August  14;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30,  1862. 

Sullivan,  James  O.,  August  12. 

Taylor,  Henry,  August  12. 

Taylor,  Thomas  O.,  August  12;  died  at  Jackson  Tennes- 
see, March  14,  1863. 

Vannamon,  William  J.,  August  11. 

Warren,  Henry  F.,  August  14. 

Wheaton,  Jeremiah  S.,  August  14 ;  discharged  November 
1, 1863. 

Wright,  Thomas,  August  12. 

COMPANY  D.* 

Dutton,  Charles  A.,  January  4. 

Laporte,  Thomas  C,  January  2;  wounded,  date  and  place 
unknown ;  died  March  6, 1865,  in  New  York  harbor. 
Norton,  Daniel  D.,  January  4. 

*Enllstecl  in  1864. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  291 

Whitecrof  t,  John,  January  2. 
Watson,  Charles  A.  B.,  January  2. 

COMPANY  E.* 

John  C.  Preston,  musician,  August  22 ;  reduced  to  ranks ; 
captured  at  Shady  Grove  December  30,  1862;  captured  at 
Allatoona  October  5, 1864.. 

William  Anderson,  musician,  August  2;  reduced  to 
ranks;  captured  at  Allatoona  October  5, 1864. 

Emng,  DeWilton  M.,  August  22. 

Morgan,  Thomas,  August  22. 

Smith,  Richard,  August  21;  captured  at  Shady  Grove 
December  30, 1862. 

Cole,  Charles  J.,  August  22. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 

Hutson, John  W.,  December  28, 1863. 
Maulsby,  Levi  B.,  August  31,  1864;  wounded  at  Alla- 
toona October  5,  1864. 

COMPANY   F. 

Brooks,  James  F.,  enlisted  August  17. 

COMPANY   I.** 

Augustus  Yerger,  first  lieutenant,  August  22;  promoted 
to  captain  January  1, 1863 ;  resigned  November  11, 1864. 

Robert  C.  Hunter,  second  lieutenant,  August  16;  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant  January  1, 1863. 

John  Finan,  first  sergeant,  August  15 ;  captured  at  Par- 
ker's Cross  Roads,  December  30,  1862. 

William  L.  Keaggy,  second  sergeant,  August  13;  cap- 
tured at  Parker's  Cross  Roads  December  30, 1862. 


*Enlisted  in  1864. 
**Enlisted  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


292  ANKALS  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

John  Sliauly,  third  sergeant,  August  22. 

Palestine  Jones,  fifth  sergeant,  August  9. 

Charles  Leftwick,  first  corporal,  August  12;  wounded 
at  Allatoona  October  5,  1864. 

William  McQueen,  second  corporal,  August  IG. 

Sireno  S.  Farrington,  third  corporal,  August  15. 

Erastus  Scott,  fourth  corporal,  August  22. 

Andrew  J.  Melvin,  fifth  corporal,  August  11;  discharged 
August  22, 1S63. 

Thomas  R.  Leonard,  sixth  cfirporal,  August  (>;  dis- 
charged February  23,  1861. 

Elias  Holladay,  seventh  corporal,  August  13;  dis- 
charged September  20,  1863. 

Andrew  J.  Wilder,  eighth  corporal,  August  22. 

Thomas  II.  Nichols,  musician,  August  22;  captured  at 
Parker's  Cross  Roads  December  31,  1862;  discharged  May 
21, 1863. 

David  Edwards,  wagoner,  August  22. 

PRIVATES. 

Admonson  (Adamson),  Joshua,  August  22;  killed  at 
Atlanta  October  5,  1864. 

Adair,  Joseph,  August  15. 

BoatM'right,  Daniel  B.,  August  12;  discharged  Decem- 
ber 8,  1864. 

Bragord,  Richard  T.,  August  22. 

Bowles,  John,  August  14.    > 

Bowles,  Joseph,  August  22.  ,     , 

Clark,  Tally,  August  22. 

Cole,  Samuel  D.,  August  22;  captured  at  Allatoona, 
Georgia,  October  5,  1864. 

Eckhart,  Lewis  C,  August  14;  captured  at  Parker's 
Cross  Roads  December  30,  1862. 

Edmondson,  Henrv,  August  4. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  293 

Fenwick,  William  A.,  August  15. 

Foster,  John,  August  22;  captured  at  Parker's  Cross 
Roads  December  30,  1862. 

Foster,  George  W.,  August  12;  captured  at  Parker's 
Cross  Eoads  December  30,  1862;  discharged  May  12,  1863. 

Green,  Luther  T.,  August  16;  discharged  September 
20, 1863. 

Johnson,  George,  August  22. 

Leonard,  James  G.,  August  6;  died  at  Corinth  February 
2,  1863. 

Lee,  John  N.,  August  1.5. 

Lewis,  James,  August  14. 

Miller,  IsaaC,  August  8;  died  at  Benton  Barracks,  Mis- 
souri, December  11,  1863. 

Myers,  Isaac,  August  12;  captured  .at  Parker's  Cross 
Roads  December  30,  1862. 

Myers,  Andrew  J.,  August  12. 

McBee,  Charles  M.,  August  22. 

McBee,  James  H.,  August  22. 

Morris,  Perry,  August  7. 

Morris,  John,  August  8. 

Martin,  James,  August  22;  captured  at  Parker's  Cross 
Roads  December  30, 1862. 

Perry,  John,  August  15;  discharged  January  21, 1863. 

Runyan,  Charles  F.,  August  12. 

Runyan,  John  E.,  August  12.   ' 

Runyan,  Orison  J.,  August  12. 

Sharp,  William,  August  12;  wounded  at  Allatoona 
October  5,  1864;  died  of  wounds  at  Rome,  Georgia,  Octo- 
ber 26,  1864. 

Smith,  Eli,  August  15.    ' 

Smith,  Joseph,  August  13;  wounded  at  Allatoona  Octo- 
ber 5, 1864. 

Sanford,  William  B.,  August  22. 


294  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Sanford,  George  A.,  August  12. 
Sumter,  Bluford,  August  12. 
Teesdale,  Benjamin,  August  22. 
Turner,  Parmenas,  August  15. 

Warren,  Alfred,  August  15;  captured  at  Parker's  Cross 
Koads  December  30,  1862. 

Wicker,  Samuel,  August  15.  . 

Williams,  Jacob  J.,  August  6. 
Wallace,  David  S.,  August  7. 
Wallace,  George  W.,  August  13. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 

Ball,  Aaron,  August  22;  died  at  Davenport  November 
9,  1862. 

Bradford,  Isaac  V.,  January  25, 1864;  captured  at  Alla- 
toona  October  5,  1864. 

COMPANY   K.** 

Burdan,  Alfred,  August  20. 

Treel,  Charles,  September  10.  ... 

Kennedy,  Thomas  J.,  August  4. 

*Grimes,  Nathaniel,  September  12,  1864. 

*Hendricks,  Martin  B.,  February  29,  1864. 

*Howell,  Jesse,  October  17,  1864. 

*Hays,  Jacob  E.,  May  3,  1864. 

*Leftwick,  Cornelius  B.,  March  21,  1864.       . 

*McCurdo,  Alfred,  May  3,  1864. 

*Woldrige,  James  A.,  September  15,  1864. 

FORTY-FOURTH    INFANTRY. 

This  regiment  w^as  organized  under  a  proclamation  of 
the  President,  April  21,  1864,  calling  for  100,000  men  to 

**Enlisted  in  1862,  unless  otherwise  stated.  ' 

'Company  unknown. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  295 

serve  for  one  hundred  days  in  fortifications,  or  wherever 
their  service  might  be  required.  This  was  to  relieve  the 
veteran  troops  so  they  might  all  be  sent  to  the  front.  The 
Governor  of  Iowa  called  for  10,000  men  to  enlist  under 
the  call,  and  it  was  promptly  responded  to.  Polk  county 
was  especially  promjit  and  active  and  was  largely  repre- 
sented in  the  Forty-fourth,  Forty-seventh,  and  Forty- 
eighth  regiments,  raised  under  this  call.  The  Forty- 
fourth  was  mustered  July  13,  1864,  and  mustered  out  the 
following  October  21.  Polk  county  was  represented  on 
the  staff  by: 

Josiah  Hopkins,  major;  Lucius  Boudinot,  hospital 
steward;  William  Merrill,  principal  musician. 

COMPANY    H.* 

Josiah  Hopkins,  captain;  promoted  to  major  June  1. 

William  Van  Dorn,  second  lieutenant;  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant,  June  1,  1864. 

William  H.  Minnick,  third  sergeant. 

Thomas  J.  Pierce,  fifth  sergeant;  promoted  to  first  ser- 
geant June  3,  1864. 

Elijah  L.  Pierce,  second  corporal;  promoted  to  first  .cor- 
poral June  10,  1864. 

Adoniram  J.  Beals,  third  corporal;  promoted  to  second 
corporal  June  10,  1864. 

Emery  Merrill,  musician. 

William  Merrill,  musician;  promoted  to  principal 
musician  June  1,  1864. 


PRIVATES. 


Burt,  George  W. 
Braunt,  Horatio. 
Bishop,  John  E. 


*Enlisted  May  11. 


296  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Baker,  Elisha, 

Brooks,  James  E.  T. 

Baker,  Francis  M. 

Beason,  Albert. 

Curl,  George. 

Casebier,  Elijah. 

Dickej^  James  A. 

Erlick,  Samuel  S. 

Filmer,  Edward. 

Grant,  George  W. 

Hopkins,  Silas  W. 

Hopkins,  Robert. 

Highland,  John  W. 

Kenaston,  James  A.,  promoted  to  eighth  cori^oral  July 
10,  1864. 

Moore,  William  R. 

Merrill,  Emery. 

Pierce,  William  B. 

Rutgers,  Reuben  R. 

Richards,  Jonathan. 

Ruttgers,  Peter  M. 

Ruttgers,  John  H.,  died  at  Davenport  September  15, 
1864. 

Stephens,  Charles. 

Shewey,  James  M.  .     '    ■ 

Wheelhouse,  John  N. 

FORTY-SEVENTH. 
(ONE  HUNDRED  DAYS.) 

This  regiment  was  one  of  the  ten  tendered  by  the  Gov- 
ernment to  the  War  Department,  under  the  call  for 
85,000  men,  for  aid  to  General  Sherman  in  his  campaign 
of  1S64.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
term  of  100  days,  President  Lincoln,  in  a  special  manner. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  297 

returned  thanks  to  the  regiment  for  the  eiScient  service 
rendered  in  the  brilliant  victories  over  Hood  and  Johnston 
in  Georgia.  The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United 
States  service  June  4, 1864. 

Polk  county  was  represented  in  Companies  A,  F,   II 
and  I. 

COMPANY  A. 
Laudaker,  Josephus,  enlisted  May  24, 1864. 

COMPANY  F.* 

David  J.  Pattee,  captain. 

Welden  England,  first  lieutenant. 

Josiah  M.  Vale,  second  lieutenant. 

Edward  A.  Lewis,  first  sergeant. 

Samuel  S.  Etheridge,  second  sergeant. 

Hiram  Smith,  third  sergeant. 

Lionel  Foster,  fourth  sergeant. 

(Jharles  F.  Whitney,  first  corporal. 

William  H.  Turner,  second  corporal. 

Ripley  N.  Baylies,  third  corporal.  ,     , 

Leander  Bolton,  fifth  corporal. 

Horace  B.  Baker,  sixth  corporal. 

Charles  T.  P.  Bass,  seventh  corporal. 

Alvin  J.  McCrary,  eighth  corporaL 

Welcome  C.  Geer,  musician. 


PRIVATES. 


Barlow,  James  M. 
Blair,  John  G. 
Blodgett,  Charles  W. 
Bolton,  Homer. 
Bolton,  Lewis  E. 


"Mustered  in  June  4,  186i. 


298  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Brooks,  Benjamin  A.  ■  ■ 

Brown,  Leonard.  " 

Bryan,  Samuel  H.  •   '  ' 

Chenoweth,  Simon  M.  ■  ■ 

Couch,  Joseplius. 

Crow,  Edward.  \ 

Crow,  William  M. 

Dailej',  James  J. 

Day,  Edwin  W.  .  '<    \ 

Evans,  Ira  T. 

Fagan,  Ezra  B. 

Flemming,  Edwin  S. 

Frazier,  George  S. 

Gaston,  William  H. 

Hague,  Joseph. 

Holliday,  Solomon  B. 

Hunter,  David  J. 

Hyland,  Edmund. 

Jeffries,  Charles  W. 

Johnson,  Arthur  W. 

Jones,  George  W. 

Jones,  James  W. 

Kimmons,  John. 

Koozer,  Daniel. 

Little,  George  M. 

Martin,  David. 

Mattern,  Miles  D.,  died  at  Helena  August  27,  1864. 

Mitchell,  Henry  S. 

Mitchell,  Wm.  B. 

Mott,  David  B. 

Morgan,  Frank  P. 

McCain,  George  D. 

McConnell,  Benjamin  I. 

McConnell,  Oscar.  .     , 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  299' 

McDonald,  Michael. 

McCurdj^,  John  L.,  died  at  Helena,  Arkansas,  August  1, 
1864. 

McDowell,  John  B. 

Nicholas,  John  W. 

Peet,  Edward  W.  .     .    ,  ■ 

Peet,  Henry  J. 

Eollins,  Millard  F.,  died  at  Helena,  Arkansas,  July  16, 
1864. 

Eobinson,  Lorenzo  L. 

Kutherford,  John.  . 

Sampson,  William  C.  ,      ,       .    , 

Scarbrough,  Martin.  .. 

Shaw,  Thomas. 

Sleckman,  John. 

Smith,  William  H.  M. 

Smith,  William  H. 

Smith,  Scott. 

Stone,  George  T.  • 

Tarbell,  Edward. 

Ward,  Y/illiam  H. 

Weeks,  A.  W.  C.  ...    ....  ; 

Wilshirt,  John.  . 

Wright,  Michael. 

COMPANY  H. 

McCarthy,  Felix,  enlisted  May  16,  1864.  '■ 

COMPANY   1. 

Low,  Madison,  enlisted  August  23. 
Mason,  Oscar  B.,  enlisted  August  23. 
Stone,  George,  enlisted  August  24. 


300  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

FORTY-EIGHTH    INFANTRY. 

Polk  County  was  represented  in  this  one-hundred-day 
regiment  as  follows:   . 

Cunningham,  William  H.  H.,  fifth  sergeant;  enlisted 
June  10, 1864,  Company  B. 

Devin,  George,  enlisted  Company  B,  June  20,  1864. 

McCrady,  William  L.,  sixth  corporal;  promoted  to  fifth 
corporal;  re-enlisted  September  5,  1864. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Polk  County  men  who 
served  in  other  regiments,  but  in  which  there  were  not  a 
separate  company  from  the  county.  This  list  is  no  doubt 
imperfect  and  incomplete,  and  does  not  include  all  the 
Polk  County  men  who  singly  or  in  small  parties  joined 
other  Iowa  regiments.  It  is  also  known  that  not  a  few 
residents. of  the  city  and  county  enlisted  in  regiments 
from  other  states  and  also  in  the  regular  army.  Here, 
however,  are  gathered  all  the  names  obtainable  after 
much  research: 

FIRST. 

Brooks,  McKenny,  Company  B,  enlisted  Apr'l  18,  1861. 

THIRD. 

Woods,  John  S.,  Company  E,  enlisted  May  2±,  1861; 
Avounded  at'Shiloh  April  6,  1862;  died  of  "wounds  A^jril  9, 
1862. 

Draper,  Martin  V.  B.,  Company  E,  enlisted  -June  1, 1861. 

McCready,  Wm.  L.,  enlisted  July  1,  1861;  discharged 
^September  14,  1861. 

SEVENTH. 

Evans,  Joseph  Bedford,  company  F;  killed  at  Belmont 
November  7,  1861. 

Gregg,  Hayden  A.,  company  C,  enlisted  November,  1861. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  301 

.  ,        ,  EIGHTH. 

Griffith,  Albert  L.,  company  C,  enlisted  January  21, 
1865. 

Metcalf,  Elisha  X.,  pri^^ate,  company  D,  enlisted  March 
21, 1865. 

Wilkinson,  Edward  C,  priyate,  company  H,  enlisted  Jan- 
uary 27, 1865. 

FOURTEENTH. 

Lindsley,  Robert,  company  E;  died  of  disease  at  Macon,. 
Georgia,  August  22,  1862. 

McGarraugh,  Joseph  D.,  enlisted  September  28,  1861, 
company  E;  captured  at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862;  discharged 
Noyember,  1861. 

McGarraugh,  John  T.,  enlisted  September  28,  1861,  com- 
pan.y  E. 

Milton,  John  L.,  enlisted  September  28,  1861,  company 
E;  died  September  19, 1862,  at  Mound  City,  Illinois. 

Woodward,  Robert,  company  E,  enlisted  August  5, 1861^ 
died  June  12, 1863,  at  St.  Louis,  of  disease. 

Rutherford,  James  W.,  enlisted  September  28,  1861, 
company  E. 

Van  Horn,  Phineas,  enlisted  October  10,  1861,  company 
E. 

Edwards,  Charles,  enlisted  December  1,  1863,  company 
G. 

THIRTY-SECOND. 

Elias  Modlin,  company  K,  enlisted  August  22,  1862;  pro- 
moted to  third  corporal  January  23,  1863;  killed  at  Pleas- 
ant Hill,  Louisiana,  April  9, 1861. 

Isaac  N.  Alderman,  company  K,  enlisted  August  22,, 
1862;    promoted   to  eighth    corporal   January    23,  1863;, 


302  ANNAL8  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

wounded  and  captured  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Louisiana,  April 
9, 1864;  discharged  June  21, 1865. 

Luellen,  Francis,  private,  company  K,  enlisted  August 
15,  1862;  wounded  and  captured  at  Pleasant  Hill  April  9, 
1864;  died  of  wounds  April  22,  1864. 

Pearson,  Nathan  H.,  private,  company  K,  enlisted  Aug- 
ust 22,  1862. 

Pearson,  Samuel  H.,  private,  company  K,  enlisted  Aug- 
ust 22, 1862;  captured  at  Pleasant  Hill  April  9, 1864. 

THIRTY-THIRD. 

Charles  H.  vSharman,  companj^  G,  enlisted  September  4, 
1862,  fifth  sergeant;  promoted  to  second  lieutenant  Febru- 
ary 25, 1863;  wounded  at  Helena  July  4, 1863;  promoted  to 
first  lieutenant  June  19, 1864;  to  adjutant  January  6, 1865. 

THIRTY-FOURTH. 

John  S.  Davis,  private,  company  D,  enlisted  August  13, 
1862;  promoted  to  hospital  steward  October  15,  1862;  died 
at  Chicago  January  11, 1863. 

Herrin,  Thomas,  private,  company  H,  enlisted  August 
19,  1862. 

FORTY-FIRST. 

Stevens,  Ed.  J.  M.,  company  B,  enlisted  November  1, 
1861. 

FIRST   COLORED   (6oTH   U-   S.    INFANTRY).* 

John  W.  Clifton,  fifth  sergeant,  company  D,  August  19. 

Peter  Calahan,  first  corporal,  company  D,  August  19; 
died  at  Helena  April  10, 1864. 

James  Saylor,  second  corporal,  company  D,  August  19. 

Gabriel  Eobinson,  sixth  corporal,  company  D,  August 
22;  died  at  Keokuk  November  10, 1863. 

*Enlisted  in  1863,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AA^Z)  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  303 

William  Newburn,  musician,  company  D,  August  2G. 

Wilford  Arnold,  company  D,  August  19;  died  at  Helena 
July  23, 1SG4. 

Washington  Bell,  company  D,  August  24;  died  at  Benton 
Barracks  March  3, 1864. 

John  Bell,  company  D,  August  24. 

Eobert  Beverly,  company  D,  August  24. 

Oscar  Blue,  company  D,  August  20. 

William  Clay,  company  D,  August  20. 

Frederick  Douglass,  company  D,  August  21;  died  at 
Helena,  Arkansas,  January  13,  1865. 

Solomon  Holmes,  company  D,  August  24. 

William  R.  Key,  company  D,  August  26. 

Alfred  Pratt,  company  D,  August  20;  died  at  Helena 
January  11, 1865. 

Walter  White,  company  D,  August  20. 

William  R.  ey,  first  sergeant,  company  I,  October  9. 

Charles  Richardson,  company  I,  October  2. 

James  Brown,  January  9, 1865;  company  unknown. 

Lilburn  Walden,  March  4, 1865 ;  company  unknown. 

MISSOURI    REGIMENTS. 

Adoneram  J.  Merritt,  captain  company  K,  Missouri  engi- 
neer regiment  of  the  West,  enlisted  September  17, 1861. 

George  E.  Spencer,  Twenty-first  regiment;  killed  at 
Mobile  April  9, 1865. 

Oliver  P.  Brown,  company  E,  Twenty-fifth  regiment, 
enlisted  February  17,  1862. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Lyon,  H.  H.,  Second  Colorado;  promoted  to  first  lieuten- 
ant; discharged  at  cdose  of  war. 

Lyon,  Jonathan,  Second  Nebraska;  sergeant;  discharged 
at  close  of  war.  .       , 


304  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

McClaiu,  William  A.,  company  G,  Second  Nebraska ;  died 
from  exposure. 

FOURTH   CAVALRY. 

Vt'arv,  William,  enlisted  October  11,  18G1;  discharged 
August  9, 1862. 

Keeves,  Elza  A.,  enlisted  September  5, 1864. 

COMPANY   C. 

Charles  Graham,  enlisted  December  20,  1861;  joined 
from  company  G;  promoted  to  battalion  saddler's  ser- 
geaiii   .^prin,2, 1862 

COMPANY  G. 

Charles  Graham,private;  enlisted  December  20,  1861; 
transferred  to  company  C  February  21, 1862. 

COMPANY   L. 

William  Henry  Sells,first  lieutenant;  enlisted  Novem- 
ber 19,  1861;  promoted  to  paymaster  United  States  na's^'^ 
January  9, 1862. 

SEVENTH   CAVALRY. 

This  regiment  was  organized  at  Davenport  in  the  early 
spring  of  1863,  and  six  companies  of  it  were  sent  to  the 
west  to  protect  the  settlers  of  Nebraska,  Minnesota  and  the 
Dakotas  from  the  Indians,  who  at  that  time  were  hostile 
and  threatening.  Their  first  experience  in  the  field  was  a 
march  across  the  state  of  Iowa  from  Davenport  to  Omaha, 
Nebraska,  and  from  the  latter  place  they  were  sent  to  vari- 
ous parts  in  that  then  territoiy.  In  September  the  two 
remaining  comjjanies  were  sent  to  Omaha,  and  from  that 
time  the  entire  service  of  the  regiment  was  spent  upon  the 
frontier,  at  diflerent  places  in  that  then  vast  stretch  of 
country,  then  almost  uninhabited  by  whites,  west  of  the 


A.YD  THE  CITY  OF  DEtl  MOIXES.  305 

Missouri  Kiver  aud  extending  to  the  Rocky  Mfinntains. 
There  they  were  occupied  in  keeping  the  Indians  in  clieck, 
sometimes  flghtiug  and  chasing  them  and  performing  most 
arduous  duties.  The  regiment  was  scatttered  in  detach- 
ments, which  took  part  in  nearly  every  Indian  ex])edition 
from  IS()3  to  the  fall  of  18(15,  and  fought  in  the  battles  of 
White  fiUmc  Hill,  Tahkahokutah,  P.ad  Lands,  Little  Blue, 
•Inlesbnrg,  ^lud  Springs  an<l  IJush  Creek.  I*(dk  County 
^Yas  r(^pr(\s(^nted  in  companies  A,  D,  E  and  ('.  Companies 
A  and  C  took  a  tilt  with  five  hundred  Cheyenes"  on  Ijittle 
r>lue  Kiver  August  12,  18(>4,  fighting  from  11  o'clock  iu  the 
morning  until  7  o'clock  in  the  evening,  with  the  loss  of  only 
two  men.  The  distance  traveled  from  the  (u-ganization 
to  February,  1865,  was  5,300  miles. 

Company  D  was  engaged  with  the  Indians  on  February 
S  at  Mud  Springs,  and  on  the  9th  at  Rock  Springs,  Indian 
Territory,  losing  one  man  killed  and  two  wounded.  June 
11,  18(i5  the  company,  with  a  small  detachment  from  A 
and  B,  in  all  135  men,  were  detailed  to  escort  about  2,000 
Sioux  to  Julesbnrg,  with  their  familes  aud  lodges.  On  the 
morning  of  the  lltli  the  Indians  revolted,  and  (_'ai)tain 
Fonts  was  shot  and  his  body  stripped  and  mutikited.  The 
Indians  finally  fled  to  the  hills  and  bluffs,  leaving  their 
lodges  and  loose  plunder. 

Part  of  the  regiment  remained  in  active-  service  after 
their  term  of  enlistment  had  expired,  and  received  special 
thanks  of  the  department.  The  regiment  was  mustered  out 
in  detachments.  It  had,  in  fact,  lost  its  regimental  organi- 
zation some  time  previous,  its  colonel  liaving  been  mus- 
ter ed  out  many  months  before  the  men  were.  The  casual- 
ties were:    Killed,  45;  died,  101;  discharged,  21<i. 


306  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

COMPANY  A. 

Delford,  Franklin,  enlisted  February  27, 1863 ;  promoted 
to  first  sergeant;  to  first  lieutenant  April  14,  1866;  mus- 
tered out  as  first  sergeant. 

Michael,  Addison,  enlisted  February  24,  1863. 

COMPANY  D.* 

Cliarles  Sutton,  trumpeter,  enlisted  March  1. 
Anderson,  David  L.,  enlisted  March  6. 
Biggs,  Amos,  enlisted  March  1. 
Ball,  John  W.,  enlisted  March  17. 
Barkenhalaltz,  Peter,  enlisted  April  3. 
Colburn,  Dexter  B.,  March  6. 
Craig,  Lewis,  enlisted  March  15. 
Forbes,  Wm.  B.,  enlisted  March  1. 
Hoagland,  Theodore,  enlisted  March  3. 
Jones,  Andrew,  enlisted  March  4. 
Jones,  Benjamin  S.,  enlisted  March  4. 
Mslntire,  James,  enlisted  April  18, 1863. 
Porter,  Eezin,  enlisted  April  4. 
Eoper,  John  E.,  March  14. 
Sanford,  Abraham,  April  15. 

ADDITIONAL   ENROLLMENTS. 

Jones,  D.,  enlisted  August  5, 1864. 

COMPANY   E. 

James  M.  Houston,  sixth  sergeant,  enlisted  March  3; 
promoted  to  fifth  sergeant  July  29,  1863. 

Wiliam  R.  Bradford,  second  corporal,  March  13. 
James  White,  trumpeter,  March  15. 


*Enlisted  in  1863,  unless  otherwise  stated. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINEt<.  307 

PRIVATES. 

Cochran,  John  C,  March  13. 
Cassady,  James,  April  1. 
Kesler,  Jacob,  February  21. 
Sprague,  James,  May  15. 

COMPANY   L. 

Stephens,  E.  J.  M.,  private,  enlisted  November  12,  1861. 

EIGHTH   CAVALRY. 

This  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  ser- 
vice September  30,  1863,  and  before  being  fully  equipped 
with  horses  and  arms  was  ordered  to  join  Gen.  Eosecranz 
at  Chattanooga.  At  Louisville  additional  equipments 
were  supplied,  and  the  regiment  proceeded  to  Tennessee, 
and  for  some  time  was  engaged  in  the  pursuit,  capture  or 
dispersion  of  guerillas  and  bushwhackers  in  that  state. 
It  did  some  good  fighting  on  several  occasions,  notably 
at  Lost  Mountain,  Lovejoy's  Station  and  Newman.  Start- 
ing from  Red  Clay  and  including  the  Stonenian  raid 
around  Atlanta,  the  regiment  was  under  fire  every  day  for 
more  than  one  month. 

The  regiment  assisted  in  the  pursuit  of  Gen.  Wheeler 
and  in  driving  Gen.  Forrest  back  in  his  raid  in  Tennessee 
in  the  fall  of  1864.  They  were  next  engaged  in  the  front 
of  the  rebel.  Gen.  Hood,  in  his  advance  on  Nashville, 
and  also  participated  in  the  battle  of  Nashville  and  the 
pursuit  of  Hood's  force  out  of  Tennessee.  They  then  went 
into  quarters  at  Waterloo,  Alabama,  until  March  15, 
when  they  joined  the  Wilson  raid  through  Alabama.  The 
regiment  was  mustered  out  at  Macon,  Georgia,  August 
13, 1865. 

Polk  County  was  represented  by  Company  M,  and  on 
the  staff  bv  : 


308  ANNAL><  OF  I'OLK  ('()(  WTY 

Owen  F.  Mitchell,  cominaudiuji'  serij;e;uit,  formerly  in 
Oomi:iaiiy  I,  Tliird  U.  8.  Cavalry. 

COMPANY   M* 

^^'illiaTll  11.  Iloxie,  captain;  formerly  cai)tain  Company 
P>,  Se^'enteentll  infantry;  wonnded  at  Newman,  (Jeoryia, 
July  30,  1804;  dismissed  March  11,  1805. 

Henry  Moreland,  first  lientenant;  formerly  first  ser- 
i^eant  Company  B,  Fifteenth  Infantry;  cajitured  at  New- 
man, Geori;ia,  -Juh'  ?,(),  ISOl;  jiromoted  to  caiitain  March 
12,  180.5. 

James  ]{.  FIdridge,  .second  lieutenant,  formerly  Com- 
panies (t  aud  H,  Ninth  Infantry;  resii^ned  July  !»,  180-1. 

Eli  Keeler,  f|uartermaster-sergeant,  June  22;  from  reg 
imental  commissary  sergeant. 

Frank  P.  Phel])s,  commissary-sergeant,  .Tune  1. 

Warren  Metcalf,  second  sergeant;  formerly  in  Company 
H,  Eleventh  U.  S.  Infantry. 

Daniel  C.  I'ishard,  fourth  sergeant;  discharged  May  25, 
180.5. 

Thomas  O.  Strange,  sixth  sergeant,  .Tnne  1;  wonndi'd 
and  captured  at  Newman,  Georgia,  Jnly  ;>0,  1S(;1. 

Enoch  J.  Yount,  third  cori>oral,  August  20;  formerly 
in  Company  K,  P^ighth  Infantry. 

Aaron  Pugh,  fourth  corporal,  July  1 

George  B.  Leonard,  fifth  cor]K)ral,  June  1;  formerly  in 
Company  (!,  Ele^'enth  Infantry. 

James  II.  Miller,  sixth  cor])oi-al,  Jnne  28. 

Thonuis  McClelland,  seventh  cori)oral,  Jnly  8;  wounih'il 
at  Cassville,  Georgia,  May  !),  1804;  died  May  21,  1804,  or 
June  2,  of  Avoun(Ls  at  Cassville. 

William  W.  Derrickson,  eighth  cor]»oral,  July  20. 

Scott  Boone,  trumpeter,  Jnne  24. 


*Enlislr(l  in  lS(i3,  unless  o1  licrwisc  staled 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MO/XE^.  309 

James  D.  Thompson,  farrier,  August  25. 

James  M.  Vanscoyne,  farrier,  June  1;  formerlj'  in  Com- 
pany B,  Eleventh  Infantry  and  in  na^al  service. 

Francis  Bradley,  Avagoner,  August  10;  died  at  Kings- 
ton, Georgia,  September  24,  1804. 

PRIVATES. 

Adamson,  Samuel,  July  15. 

Acres,  Nathaniel,  August  10. 

Ashley,  James  W.,  July  2. 

Alfred,  Anderson,  July  17. 

Boone,  Pinkee,  June  24. 

Barkhurst,  Geo.  W.,  June  24. 

Berry,  George,  August  10. 

Calahan,  Thomas  W.,  July  8. 

Crosthwait,  Thos.  P.,  July  15. 

Oleavinger,  Wm.,  Jul,y  15. 

Chambers,  Samuel,  July  25. 

Davis,  James  W.,  July  8. 

Doran,  Geo.  W.,  July  9. 

Elliott,  Beujauun,  .July  1. 

Foust,  Heury,  June  25;  transferred  to  Infantry  c()r])s, 
Alay  1,  1804. 

Goss,  Swinford,  July  15. 

Garrett,  Cyrus  W.,  July  18. 

Hick,  Alfred,  July  15. 

Houk,  James,  Jul3'  7. 

Iludnos,  ^Ym.  T.,  June  15;  ca])tured  at  Newman,  Geor- 
gia, July  30, 1864. 

Heady,  Wni.  ■!.,  July  8;  captured  at  Florence,  Tenn- 
essee, December  17,  1804. 

Ilughart,  John  A.,  July  15. 

llughart,  John  B.,  July  15;  died  at  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, March  17, 1705. 


310  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Horton,  James  H.,  August  20. 

Johnson,  Jonathan,  July  5. 

Johnson,  Iven,  July  5. 

Jones,  Jacob  H.,  July  15. 

Jones,  George  W.,  July  15. 

Krowser,  Moses  W.  (T.),  July  1;  killed  at  Macon,  Geor- 
gia, April  15,  1865. 

Kelly,  John  B.,  July  4;  captured  near  Franklin,  Tenn- 
essee; date  unknown. 

Knight,  James  T.,  August  20;  wounded  near  Cassville, 
Georgia,  May  9,  18G4. 

Lee,  Marshall,  August  10. 

Martin,  William,  July  15. 

Mountain,  Weslej',  June  28;  Captured  at  Newman, 
Georgia,  July  3,  1864. 

McCall,  Thomas  H.,  July  15;  captured  at  Tilton,  Geor- 
gia, May  15,  1864;  died  at  Andersonville  prison  March  17, 
1865. 

Mattern,  Winfleld  S.,  June  20;  captured  at  Newuan, 
Georgia,  July  30,  1864. 

Nicholson,  William,  July  3. 

Newell,  Isaiah,  July  6. 

Parker,  William,  June  1. 

Rhoades,  John  W.,  July  2;  discharged  July  10,  1865. 

Robinson,  Thomas  T.,  July  3. 

Shellhart,  Valentine,  July  15. 

Stiles,  Geo.  W.,  June  1. 

Stephen,  Itharman,  July  8. 

Tilton,  William  B.,  June  15. 

Train,  Francis  M.,  June  20. 

Vanscoyoc,  Silas,  June  25. 

West,  Sumner  B.,  July  20. 

Wilfong,  David,  June  25. 

Wooten,  -Jonathan,  June  25.  i 

Williams,  Joseph  W.,  August  1. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  311 

NINTH  CAVALRY. 

Polk  County  had  a  few  men  in  this  regiment,  among 
them  being  Edgar  T.  Ensign,  of  Des  Moines,  who  had  been 
an  original  member  of  Company  D,  Second  Infantry,  and 
had  greatly  distinguished  himself  at  Fort  Douelson  and 
in  other  engagements.  He  was  made  major  of  the  Eighth 
and  won  more  honors  for  himself  by  his  military  skill  and 
unflinching  bravery.  In  this  regiment  also  served  Joseph 
W.Haskell,  a  young  man  mostly  reared  in  Des  Moines. 
He  served  in  the  gallant  Second  Iowa  Infantry,  and  was 
at  Fort  Donnelson  and  other  battles.  Discharged  for 
disability,  as  soon  as  his  health  was  partly  restored  he 
enlisted  with  his  friend.  Col.  Trumbull,  in  the  Ninth.  The 
other  members  of  the  regiment  from  Polk  County  were: 

Edgar  T.  Ensign,  major,  from  Company  D,  Second 
Infantry. 

COMPANY   A. 

Haskell,  -Joseph  W.,  enlisted  September  23,  1863. 

COMPANY    H. 

Eobert  Fryon,  fifth  sergeant;  from  Company  E,  Fourth 
Infantry. 

David  Groves,  trumpeter;  enlisted  October  18,  1863. 

PRIVATES. 

Cooley,  George  W.,  enlisted  October  8,  1863. 
Owens,  Thomas  J. 

COMPANY   L. 

West,  Isaac  J.,  private;  enlisted  August  16,  1863. 

FIRST    IOWA  BATTERY. 

The  First  Iowa  Battery  was  organized  in  August,  1861,, 
and  mustered  out  at  Davenport  July  1,  1865.     Its  first 


312       ANNALi^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

eiigageinent  was  at  Pea  Kidge,  March  24,  18(32,  where  it 
fired  the  first  shot  and  suffered  severelj^  After  this  bat- 
tle the  First  Battery  was  placed  under  the  ccniimaiid  of 
Captaiu  Henry  H.  Griffiths,  of  Des  Moines, who  had 
entered  the  service  as  captain  of  Company  E,  Fourtli  Iowa 
Infantry.  Under  his  charge  the  Battery  was  completely 
reorganized  and  strengthened,  and  he  soon  made  it  one  of 
the  very  best  batteries  in  the  service.  It  joined  in  Gen. 
Hovey's  unsuccessful  attempt  to  capture  Arkansas  Post; 
thence,  in  December,  with  Gen.  Steel's  division,  took  part 
in  the  fight  at  Chickasaw  Bayou;  thence  back  again  to 
Arkansas  Post  and  the  final  capture  of  the  same.  It  was 
in  the  hottest  of  the  fight  of  Jackson,  and  was  busily 
engaged  during  the  siege  of  Vicdisburg.  After  this  it 
was  sent  to  Tuscumbin,  having  a  five  days  fight  on  the 
Avay  at  Cherokee  Station.  Pushed  on  to  Chattanooga  on 
the  morning  of  Xovember  25,  it  opened  fire  at  Lookout 
Mountain  and  received  special  commendation  for  its  gal- 
lant work  from  Gen.  Hooker.  Here  it  exchanged  its  worn 
out  guns  for  new  10-]>ound  Parrots.  It  was  througli  the 
Atlanta  eampaign  and  its  guns  Avere  heard  almost  daily. 
Although  it  was  in  so  many  of  the  hard  fougiit  battles  of 
the  war,  it  never  lost  a  gun  nor  the  least  of  its  equipments 
to  the  enem}',  but  its  escape  Avas  several  tiuies  arcom- 
plished  only  through  the  skill  and  bravery  of  its  com- 
mander and  the  bold  and  determined  courage  of  the  men 
c-omposing  the  battery,  Avho  Avc^re  ahvays  proud  of  their 
organization  and  ready  to  lay  down  their  lives  if  need  be 
to  save  their  guns  and  punish  the  enemy. 

Tlie  battery  casualties  Avere:     Killed,  7;  died,  .">4;  dis- 
charged, .■^(i;  Avounded,  29. 

I'olk  <'ounty  Avas  rei)resented  in  this  battery  as  folloAvs: 
Henry  II.  Gi'ifflths,  captain,  from  Company  E,  Fourth 
Infantry;  mustered  out  August  17,  1804. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOJXEi^.  313 

PRIVATES. 

Skivinki,  Edward,  September  1,  1861;  wounded  at  Pea 
Kidge  Mar-eh  7,  1802. 

ADDITIONAL    ENLISTMENTS. 

Allen,  Charles,  December  IS,  1803;  wounded  at  Yicks- 
bnrg  August  18,  18G4. 

Allen,  Fletcher,  December  18,  18G3. 

Crabtree,  George  W.,  January  5. 

Callendar,  John  D.,  December  23;  killed  at  Atlanta 
August  23,  18G4. 

Coffeen,  Henry,  January  4,  18G4. 

Callendar,  Wm.  H.,  January  4,  18G4;  died  at  Chatta- 
nooga, Tennessee,  July  10,  18G4. 

Crockerham,  Joseph  F.,  January  1. 

Dyer,  John,  January  2,  18G4. 

Elliott,  Thomas,  January  4,  18(;4;  discharged  May  9, 
18G5. 

Fox,  Franklin,  January  4,  1S(;4. 

FeuAvick,  James  p].,  January  4,  18(>4. 

Gregg,  James  C.,  December  2G,  1SG3. 

Hawkins,  Thomas  L.,  January  3,  18G4. 

Howard,  John,  January  1,  1S(!4. 

Ilobb,  Joshua,  December  30,  18G3. 

Henderson,  Jam<^s  M.,  January  4,  1SG4. 

Hoake,  Hermon  C.,  January  4,  18G4. 

Hyatt,  Elmer,  December  2.j,  1SG3. 

llainmon,  William  W.,  January  5,  18()4. 

Howard,  George,  January  '->,  18G4;  died  at  Woodville, 
Alabama,  February  22,  1SG4. 

Johnson,  John,  January  4,  18(>4;  died  at  Ivome,  Georgia, 
August  18,  1804. 

James,  Elisha  K., January  4,  18G3. 


314  ANNAL8  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Jones,  Wm.  II.,  January  30,  1863;  died  at  Davenport 
February  18,  1863. 

Kurtz,  Gotlieb,  January  4,  1864. 

Kirby,  Charles,  January  4,  1864. 

Kesler,  William,  January  4.  1864. 

Loughran,  Edmond,  January  2,  1864. 

Leggett,  John  W.,  January  4,  1864. 

Marrs,  John  W.,  December  26,  1863;  wounded;  date  and 
place  unknown. 

Mack,  Talbert  t^.,  December  29,  1863. 

Madison,  Bartie  M.,  December  28,  1863. 

McMichael,  William,  December  23,  1863;  killed  at  At- 
lanta July  20, 1864. 

Myerkoflf,  Herman  T.,  December  29,  1863. 

McKelvoge,  Hugh,  January  4. 

Murphy,  James,  January  4,  1864. 

Nagle,  Webster,  December  31,  1863. 

Parker,  Madison,  January  4,  1864. 

Payne,  James  P.,  December  22, 1863. 

Stutsman,  Solomon,  January  4,  1864. 

Simmonds,  Wm.  V.,  December  26,  1863. 

Stemper,  William  H.,  January  4,  1864. 

Titus,  Selah  H.,  January  2,  1864. 

West,  Thomas  C,  December  23, 1863. 

Thaeker,  Fielding  T.,  January  4,  1864. 

Terro,  Henry,  January  1,  1864. 

Wright,  William,  December  29,  1803. 

Baker,  Lewis  P.,  March  12, 1864. 

Bishard,  John  F.,  March  11,  1864. 

Curran,  James  R.,  January  26,  1864. 

Cooper,  Charles  B.,  March  8,  1864. 

Harmison,  Andrew,  August  20,  1864. 

Reeder,  Pvobert  F.,  March  21,  1864;  died  at  Jefferson- 
Adlle,  Indiana,  January  22,  1865. 


AiYD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  315 

Scott,  Andrew,  August  20,  18Gi. 
Young,  John,  January  26,  18G4. 

SECOND   BATTERY. 

Lewis  Keynolds,  first  sergeant ;  enlisted  August  11. 
John  Burke,  third  corporal,  August  1. 
Thomas  Foley,  artificer,  August  1. 

PRIVATES. 

Alderman,  Juo.  V.,  enlisted  August  1. 

Buttolph,  Jno.  R.,  August  1. 

Buttolph,  Romulus,  August  1;  died  at  St.  Louis,  De- 
cember 9,  18G1. 

Cluie,  Squire  G.,  August  1. 

Davis,  Oliver  P.,  August  1;  promoted  to  second  corporal 
July  24,  1862. 

Ingraham,  Joseph,  August  1. 

Phillip,  Lewis  F.,  August  1. 

Sunsteim,  Wm.,  August  1;  discharged  October  16,  1862. 

Stobaugh,  Samuel,  August  1. 

Whittaker,  Deacon  J.,  August  1. 

ADDITIONAL   ENLISTMENTS. 

Bowman,  Thomas,  enlisted  September  5,  1864:. 
Burke,  James  S.,  September  5,  1864. 
Campbell,  Wilson  M.,  August  14,  1864. 
Coburn,  Francis,  August  29,  1864. 
Oilman,  Milan  A.,  March  21,  1864. 
Groves,  Eli,  August  29,  1864. 
nines  Peter,  February  2.5,  1864. 
Jones,  James  M.,  March  30,  1864. 

Jones,  John,  February  19,  1864;  died  at  Davenport 
April  17,  1864. 

Johnson,  Joel,  Febraury  19,  1864. 


316  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Kiii'tz,  Joliii,  September  5,  18()4;  died  at  iSelina,  Ala- 
bama, July  7,  1S65. 

I.ee,  II.  reter,  February  19,  18()4;  died  at  Memphis 
:\rarcli  25,  ISCS. 

Heed,  Samuel,  February  19,  HSG4. 

IJeed,  William,  February  16,  18(U. 

lluus,  Audrew  J.,  August  20,  1864. 

Steplieusou,  Geo.  II.,  March  30,  1862. 

Simmons,  P>aily  11.,  September  5,  1864. 

P.liler,  Franklin  F.,  November  10,  1862. 

Doak,  \Ym.,  October  1,  1862. 

Xelson,  James,  October  17,  1862. 

Uai-ris,  George  N.,  October  2(;,  1862. 

(^'rowe,  John  F.,  Sei)tember  25,  1862. 

1  )azey,  Charles  P. ,  October  17, 1 862. 

lioberts,  Abel  W.,  October  1,  1862. 

Webber,  John  T.,  September  20,  1864. 

MISCELLANEOUS    CAVALRY    REGIMENTS. 
FIRST. 

George  P.  UausloAV,  ('om])auy  (};  enlisted  August  26, 
1862;  discharged  November  30,  1864. 

John  i>.  McClelland,  ('om]»any  M;  enlisted  September  1, 
]S(;i;  died  November  18,  18()2,  at  St.  Louis. 

\\'iiliam  McGuire,  c<jm])any  unknown;  enlisted  Decem- 
ber 9,  1S(;3. 

('jc^iiieut  Pui-sou,  Company  ]);  enlisted  Februar\'  4,  1864. 

Jacob  KelTer,  enlisted  Se]iteud»er  20,  1864;  comjKUn"  un- 
l;no\A'n. 

James  II.  Scroggs,  eulist(-d  September  24,  1S64;  com- 
]>auy  unknown. 

Stewart  ^ladisou,  enlisted  Mar(4i  30,  1864;  com])auy  un- 
known. 


AXfJ  THE  CITY  OF  DE,s  MUIXES.  317 

James  A.  Weak,  enlisted  !>e])teiuber  24,  IS^U;  cniu- 
pauy  111) known. 

FOURTH. 

I'uriton,  J.evi'is  A.,  (.'(Uiipany  I;  enlisted  December  2(>, 
l.S(;:>. 

SIXTH. 

(larrett,  James  M.,  private,  ( '()n)])any  B;  enlisted  Xd- 
vember  l.",  1802. 

Stickney,  (.xaluslia  A.,  i»ri'>al('.  Company  F;  enlisted 
Se])tembeT  15,  18(i2. 

Jones,  John  ^^'.,  jirivate,  ('om])any  II;  enlisted  OctcdM^- 
2,  lS(i2. 

Brady,  Edward,  i»i-ivate,  (Jompauy  M;  enlisted  October 
27,  1S62. 

DODGE'S    BRIGADE    BAND. 

Edmnnd  X.  Cni-1,  enlisted  October  1(1,  1SG2. 

RECAPITULATION. 

I'cdk  Connty  may  well  be  prond  of  her  war  record.  Her 
soldiers  were  the  bravest  of  the  brave,  abnndantly  evi- 
denced by  the  rajiidity  of  promotion.  t>hc  was  r<^i)re- 
sented  in  tliirty-live  regimental  organizaticnis  ami  fnr- 
uislied  largely  in  excess  of  her  quota.  The  nnniber  of 
commissioned  officers  was  as  follows: 

lirigadier-genei'als,  3;  colonels,  5;  li(mteuant-colonels, 
(>;  majors,  10;  snrgeons,  7;  adjntants,  (i;  qnartermasters, 
2;  ca]itains,  10;  first  lientenants,  5(>;  second  lieutenants. 
4.3. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF. 
INFANTRY    REGIMENTS. 

Noah  "\\'.  Mills,  c(donel.  Second  Infantry  . 
Marcellns  M.  ('roid^er,  colonel  Seeond  Infantry. 


318  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Noe  W.  Mills,  lieutenant-colonel,  Second  Infantry. 

Marcellus  M.  Crocker,  major,  Second  Infantry. 

George  L.  Godfrey,  adjutant.  Second  Infantry. 

Edward  L.  Marsh,  sergeant-major.  Second  Infantry. 

Samuel  H.  Lunt,  sergeant-major,  Second  Infantry. 

Jared  Warner,  commissary-sergeant,  Secontl  Infantry. 

John  Lynde,  commissary-sergeant.  Second  Infantry. 

Ephriam  P.  Davis,  hospital  steward,  Second  Infantry. 

George  F.  Lyon,  hospital  steward.  Second  Infantry. 

Charles  H.  Eawson,  surgeon,  Fifth  Infautrj-. 

Nathaniel  McCalla,  major.  Tenth  Infantry. 

John  C.  Bennett,  major,  Tenth  Infantry. 

Wm.  P.  Davis,  surgeon.  Tenth  Infantry. 

J.  O.  Skinner,  assistant-surgeon.  Tenth  Infantry. 

Wm.  J.  Hanger,  drum-major.  Tenth  Infantry. 

John  E.  Smith,  fife-major.  Tenth  Infantrj'. 

Wm.  J.  Purdy,  chief  musician,  Tenth  Infantry. 

Chas.  Fox,  first  musician,  Tenth  Infantry. 

Samuel  Noble,  second  musician.  Tenth  Infantry. 

Adam  C.  Bausman,  third  musician.  Tenth  Infantry. 

John  W.  Warner,  third  musician.  Tenth  Infantry. 

Edward  J.  McGorrisk,  surgeon,  Ninth  Infantry. 

James  A.  Williamson,  colonel,  Fourth  Infantry. 

James  A.  Williamson,  lieutenant-colonel,  Fourth  In- 
fantry. 

Alex.  Shaw,  assistant-surgeon.  Fourth  Infantr3^ 

David  Beach,  assistant-surgeon,  Fourth  Infantry. 

James  A.  Wiliamson,  adjutant.  Fourth  Infantry. 

John  E.  Sells,  adjutant.  Fourth  Infantry. 

Marcellus  M.  Crocker,  colonel,  Thirteenth  Infantry. 

James  H.  Flynt,  quartermaster-sergeant.  Fifteenth  In- 
fantry. 

Louis  Boudinot,  hospital  steward.  Fifteenth  Infantry. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  iMOINES.  319 

Edward  J.  McGorrisk,  assistant-surgeon,  Seventeenth 
infantry. 

William  Eagan,  major,  Eighteenth  infantry. 

Charles  J.  Clark,  lieutenant-colonel,  Twenty-third  in- 
fantry. 

Charles  J.  Clark,  major,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Leonard  B.  Houston,  major.  Twenty-third  infantry. 

W.  II.  Ward,  assistant-surgeon.  Twenty-third  infautr}-. 

Matthew  C.  Brown,  adjutant,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Robert  C.  Cross,  quarter-master,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

William  Merrill,  quartermaster.  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Arthur  J.  Barton,  chaplain.  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Charles  S.  Hepburn,  hospital  steward,  Twentj^-third  in- 
fantry. 

James  R.  Crenshaw,  fife-major.  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Charles  H.  Sharman,  adjutant.  Thirty-third  infantry. 

Francis  M.  Slusser,  chaplain.  Thirty-third  infantry. 

John  S.  Davis,  hospital  steward.  Thirty-fourth  infantry. 

Joseph  M.  Griffiths,  colonel.  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 

Joseph  M.  Griffiths,  lieutenant-colonel,  Thirty-nith  in- 
fantry. 

George  C.  Tichenor,  adjutant.  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 

Josiah  Hopkins,  major.  Forty-fourth  infantry. 

George  J.  North,  major.  Forty-seventh  infantry. 

James  P.  Roach,  chaplain.  Forty-seventh  infantry. 

CAVALRY  REGIMENTS. 

P.  H.  Van  Slyck,  quartermaster-sergeant.  Third  cavalry. 

Joseph  E.  Jewett,  major,  Fourth  cavalrj^ 

Charles  Graham,  second  battalion  saddler-sergeant. 
Fourth  cavalry. 

Orren  F.  Mitchell,  commissary-sergeant.  Eighth  cav- 
alry. 

Edgar  T.  Ensign,  major,  Ninth  cavalry. 


320  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

CAPTAINS- 
INFANTRY   REGIMENTS. 

Xoali  V\'.  Mills,  i()mi)aii.Y  D,  Weeoud  infantry. 

Edgar  T.  Ensi<>n,  companv  D,  Second  infantry. 

Nathaniel  McCalla,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 

vSamnel  J.  Daui;ler,  United  States  Veterans. 

Henry  11.  (iriftlths,  r(!ni])any  E,  Fonrth  infantry. 

A'N'ilnier  S.  Simmons,  company  E,  Fonrth  infantry. 

Nathaniel  McCalla,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 

Ebenezer  E.  Howe,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 

K(d_)ert  Lnsby,  comi)any  K,  Tenth  infantry. 

Jnlien  Bansman,  companj^  K,  Tenth  infantry. 

"SA'illiam  Rahm,  company  K,  Tenth  infantry. 

T\'ilson  T.  Smith,  company  B,  Fifteenth  infantry. 

Adophns  G.  Stndor,  company  B,  Fifteenth  infantry. 

Christopher  E.  Tjanstrmm,  c-ompany  B,  Fifteenth  in- 
fantry. 

William  II.  (Joodrell,  company  B,  Fifteenth  infantry. 

AVilliam  11.  Iloxie,  eompany  B,  Seventeenth  infantry. 

John  H.  Browne,  company  F,  Seyenteenth  infantry. 

John  11.  Looby,  cmnpany  G,  Eighteenth  infantry. 

Le(mard  B.  Honston,  company  A,  Twenty-third  infan- 
try. 

Theodore  G.  Cree,  company  A,  Twenty-third  infantry 

Charles  J.  Clark,  company  B,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Joel  M.  Walker,  company  B,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

James  C.  Gregg,  company  C,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

John  A.  T.  Hnll,  company  C,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Benjamin  Jeiniings,  company  C,  Twenty-tliird  infantry. 

Robert  W.  Cross,  company  G,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Robert  W.  Cross,  company  H,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Andrew  T.  Blodgett,  company  B,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 

Angnstns  Yerger,  company  I,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  321 

Eobert  C.  Hunter,  company  I,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 
Josiah  Hopkins,  company  H,  Forty-fourth  infantry. 
David  J.  Pattee,  company  F,  Forty-seventh  infantry. 
Adoniram  J.  Merritt,  company  K,  engineer  regiment  of 
the  west. 

CAVALRY   REGIMENTS. 

George  C.  Graves,  company  D,  Second  cavalry.  | 

Francis  M.  Griftith,  company  D,  Second  cavalry. 
William  H.  Hoxie,  company  M,  Eighth  cavalry. 
Henry  Moreland,  company  M,  Eighth  cavalry. 

LIGHT    ARTILLERY. 

Henry  H.  Griffiths,  First  battery. 
Melville  C.  Wright,  Third  battery. 

FIRST   LIEUTENANTS. 
INFANTRY  REGIMENTS. 

Norton  L.  Dykeman,  company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Samuel  H.  Lunt,  company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Edgar  T.  Ensign,  company  D,  Second  infantry. 
George  L.  Godfrey,  company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Edward  L.  Marsh,  company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Wiliam  L.  Davis  (veteran),  company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Charles  J.  Clark,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 
John  J.  Hanna,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 
Hezekiah  Van  Dorn,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 
Ebenezer  E.  Howe,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry'. 
William  G.  Swim,  company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 
Wilmer  S.  Simmons,  company  E,  Fourth  infantry. 
John  E.  Sells,  company  E,  Fourth  infantry. 
Sheldon  C.  Treat,  company  E,  Fourth  infantry. 
Emerson  S.  Bramholl,  company  E,  Fourth  infantry. 


322  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Geoi'f^e  M.  Bentley,  Company  B,  Tenth  infantry. 
Hteel  Kenwortliy,  Company  B,  Tenth  infantry. 
Jnlien  Bausmau,  Company  K,  Tenth  infantry. 
^A'illiam  Ralini,  Company  K,  Tentli  infantry. 
William  C.  Baylies,  Company  K,  Tenth  infantry. 
Christopher  PI  Lanstrnm,  Company  B,  Tentli  infantry. 
David  Kinj;-,  Company  B,  Tenth  infantry. 
William  Goodrell,  Company  F,  Fifteenth  infantry. 
John  H.  Browne,  Companj'  F.,  Seventeenth  infantr;\. 
John  A.  Fullerton,  Company  K,  Seventeenth  infantry. 
William  Ragan,  Company  I,  Eighteenth  infantry. 
Charles  M.  Condon,  Company  I,  Eighteenth  infantry. 
Joel  M.  Walker,  Compan};-  B,  Twenty-third  infantry. 
Stephen  Waterbury,  Company  B,  Twenty-thii'd  infantry. 
MattheAV  C  Brown,  Company  B,  Twenty-third  infantry. 
Henry  Crabtree,  Company  B,  Twenty-third  infantiw. 
John  A.  T.  llnll.  Company  C,  Twenty-third  infantry. 
Benamin  Jennings,  Company  C,  Twenty-third  infantry. 
Lyle  A.  Garrett,  Company  C,  Twenty-third  infantry. 
William  E.  Houston,  Company  E,  Twenty-third  infantry. 
William  Merrill,  Company  E,  Twenty-third  infantry. 
Charles  H.  vSharman,  Company  G,  Thirty-third  infantry. 
Andrew  T.  Blodgett,  Company  B,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 
Franklin  R.  Thurber,  Compan}-  B,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 
Angnstus  Yerger,  Company  I,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 
Robert  C.  Hunter,  Company  I,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 
Erastus  Scott,  Companj'  I,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 
William  Van  Horn,  Company  H,  Forty-fonrth  infantry. 
Welden  England,  Company  F,  Forty-seventh  infantry. 

'      '  CAVALRY   REGIMENTS. 

Gnstavns  Washburn,  Company  D,  Seeond  cavalry. 
Samuel  J.  Dangler,  (^.'onipany  D,  Second  cavalry. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  323 

Frankliu  Deford,  Company  A,  Seventh  cavalry. 
Henry  Morelancl,  Comi^any  M,  Eighth  cavah'v. 

LIGHT   ARTILLERY. 

Selah  H.  Titus,  First  battery. 
John  Burli,  Second  batterj-. 

SECOND   LIEUTENANTS. 
INFANTRY   REGIMENTS- 

Noali  ^^^  Mills,  ('oiupaiiy  L),  Second  infantry. 
Edgar  T.  Ensign,  Company  D,  Second  infantry, 
(ieorge  L.  Godfrey,  Company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Edward  L.  Marsli,  Compau}-  D,  Second  infantry. 
Jolm  Lynde,  Company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Augustus  R.  Robinson,  Second  United  States  volunteers. 
Josiah  Hophins,  Company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 
^Villiam  P.  Meekins,  Company  A,  Tenth  infantry. 
Isaac  Whicher,  Company  E,  Fourth  infantry. 
Sheldon  C.  Treat,  Company  E,  Fourth  infantry. 
Richard  W.  Ross,  Company  E,  Fourth  infantry. 
Felix  T.  Gandy,  Company  E,  Fourth  infantrjr. 
Josiah  Hopkins,  Company  A,  Fourth  infantry. 
William  P.  Meekins,  Company  A,  Fourth  infantry. 
Jonathan  J.  Wright,  Comi^any  A,  Fourth  infantry. 
John  W;  Wright,  Company  B,  Fourth  infantry. 
John  H.  Watson,  Company  F,  Thirteenth  infantry. 
'Chris  E.  Lanstrum,  Ccjmpanj^  B,  Fifteenth  infantry. 
Reese  Wilkins,  Company  B,  Fifteentli  infantry. 
John  S.  Green,  Companj-  B,  Fifteenth  infantry. 
David  King,  Company  B,  Fifteenth  infantry. 
Robert  Lyon,  Company  B,  Fifteenth  infantry. 
Samuel  T.  Reese,  Company  B,  Seventeenth  infantry. 
John  II.  Browne,  Company  F,  Seventeenth  infantry. 


324  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

John  H.  Loobj^,  Company  G,  Eighteenth  infantrj^. 

Charles  M.  Condon,  Company  I,  Eighteenth  infantry. 

Theodore  Cree,  Companj^  A,  Twentj^-third  infantrj^ 

Stephen  A.  Waterbury,  Company  B,  Twenty-third  in- 
fantry. 

Chauncey  A.  Williams,  Company  B,  Twenty-third  in- 
fantry. 

Francis  Weitman,  Company  B,  Twenty -third  infantry. 

Benjamin  Jennings,  Company  C,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

William  H.  Downs,  Company  C,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

William  E.  Houston,  Company  E,  Twenty-third  infantry. 

Charles  H.  Sharman,  Company  G,  Thirty-third  infantry. 

Eobert  C.  Hunter,  Companj'  I,  Thirty-ninth  infantry. 

William  Van  Dorn,  Company  H,  Forty-fourth  infantry. 

Josiah  M.  Yale,  Company  F,  Forty-seventh  infantry. 

CAVALRY   REGIMENTS. 

Daniel  Hall,  Company  D,  Second  cavalry. 
Francis  M.  Griffith,  Company  D,  Second  infantry. 
Eli  Keeler,  Company  M,  Eighth  cavalry. 
Joseph  E.  Jewett,  Company  D,  Second  cavalry. 
Samuel  Noel,  Company  D,  Second  cavalry. 


CHAPTER  Xlll. 

GRAND   ARMY   OF   THE    REPUBLIC. 
OBJECTS. 

THE  objects  to  be  accomplished  by  this  organization 
are  as  follow,  thns  set  forth  in  the  Constitution  and 
J'.y-Laws  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic: 

I.  To  preserve  and  strengthen  those  kind  and  fraternal 
feelings  which  bind  together  the  soldiers,  sailors  and  ma- 
rines w  ho  united  to  suppress  the  late  rebellion,  and  to  per- 
petuate the  memory  and  history  of  the  dead. 

II.  To  assist  such  former  comrades  in  arms  as  need 
help  and  protection,  and  to  extend  needful  aid  to  the 
widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  have  fallen. 

III.  To  maintain  true  allegiance  to  the  United  States 
of  America,  based  upon  the  paramount  respect  for,  and 
fidelity  to  the  National  Constitution  and  laws;  to  discon- 
tinuance whatever  tends  to  weaken  loyalty,  incites  to  in- 
surrection, treason  or  rebellion,  or  in  any  manner  impairs 
the  efficiency  and  permanency  of  our  free  institutions;  and 
encourage  the  spread  of  universal  liberty,  equal  rights 
and  justice  to  all  men. 

Crocker  Post,  No.  12,  Department  of  Iowa,  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  which  is  now  the  largest  post  in  the  State, 
A\as  organized  March  11,  1879,  with  twentj^-two  charter 
members. 

The  post  was  named  after  Major  General  Marcellus  M. 
Crocker,  who  entered  the  service  of  his  country  from  Des 
Moines  as  captain  of  Company  D,  Second  Iowa  Infantry, 


326  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

and  tlirough  bravery  and  meritorious  service  won  his  way 
up  to  tlie  proud  position  of  major  general  of  volunteers 
before  the  close  of  the  war. 

(A-ocker  Post  has,  from  the  time  of  its  organization,  had 
a  steady,  constant  and  healthful  growth,  both  from  orig- 
inal applications  and  by  transfers  from  other  posts  in  the 
State  and  nation;  and  in  the  year  1888,  Joe  Hooker  Post, 
Xo.  21,  Iiaving  surrendered  its  charter,  the  majority  of  its 
members  joined  Crocker  by  transfer. 

The  total  enrollment  of  Crocker  Post  is  six  hundred  and 
tifly-one  members  ((151),  nearly  every  loyal  State  being- 
represented,  as  will  be  seen  b,y  the  folloAving  classilica- 
ti(.>n  of 

CROCKER    POST  MEMBERSHIP   BY  STATES. 

Maine 5 

New  Hampshire 3 

Vermont 5 

Massachusetts   11 

Connecticut t> 

Ehode  Island 1 

New  York 32 

Ml  ryland 1 

Pennsylvania   33 

Delaware 1 

West  Virginia 3 

Ohio n9 

Indiana 15 

Michigan K; 

Wisconsin 27 

Illinois 79 

Minnesota (I 

Iowa 250 

Kansas  1 

Nebraska   3 

Colorado       2 

California   3 

Kentucky 1 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOIXES.  327 

Missouri  10 

United  States  Colored  Troo^js 13 

Taiited  States  Anny 9 

Ignited  States  Na^-y 3 

District  of  Columbia 1 

And  its  present  membership  in  good  standing  is.  .  .  .    41(1 

Its  present  membership  comprises,  not  only  men  of 
proved  patriotism  and  good  citizenship,  bnt  a  goodly  per 
cent  of  Des  Moines'  most  progressive  and  pnblic-si)irited 
professional  and  business  men  will  be  found  ou  the  rolls  of 
Crocker  Post. 

Having  from  principle  seiTed  their  country  when  its 
very  existence  was  in  peril,  they  take  a  warm  interest  in 
their  comrades,  in  the  affairs  of  the  post,  and  in  preserving 
and  perpetuating  the  principles  that  they  and  their  com- 
rades maintained  in  the  war  at  such  terrible  and  priceless 
sacrifice. 

Crocker  Post  has  always  been  foremost  in  pati'iotic  work 
of  every  description.  In  addition  to  the  thousands  of  dol- 
lars raised  and  expended  in  assisting  worthy  comrades  winy 
were  in  distress  in  the  city  and  State,  it  sent  a  handsome 
amount  to  the  sufferers  by  fire,  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  most 
of  whom  were  confederates;  to  the  flood  sufferers,  Johns- 
town, I'a.;  to  the  flood  sufferers  of  Sioux  City  and  Chero- 
kee, Iowa ;  to  the  cyclone  sufferers,  Pomeroy,  Iowa,  and  to 
the  drouth  stricken  section  of  Nebraska. 

It  has  also  been  a  consistent  and  persistent  teacher  of 
patriotism,  having  during  the  construction  of  the  new 
High  School  building  in  Des  Moines,  presented  the  school 
with  a  beautiful  silk  flag  to  be  preserved  in  the  main  audi- 
ence room,  where  an  artistic  marble  shield,  permanently 
built  into  the  wall,  commemorates  the  occasion.  The  post 
has  since  presented  each  school  in  West,  North  and  South 
Des  Moines  with  an  elegant  flag  to  float  over  their  re- 


328  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

spective  buildings,  including  also  the  Des  Moines  Pnblic 
Library. 

Crocker  Post  took  the  initiatory  steps  that  resulted  in 
the  location  of  the  Department  Headquarters  in  our  beau- 
tiful State  Capitol — Iowa  being  among  the  first  to  thus 
recognize  and  honor  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic. 

On  Washington's  birthday  (by  action  of  the  G.  A.  E. 
called  Flag  Day)  and  on  Memorial  Day,  Crocker  Post  uni- 
formly appoints  committees,  sufficient  to  visit  each  school 
building,  who  assist  in  the  patriotic  exercises  of  the  day, 
intended  to  inspire  the  young  with  patriotic  teaching,  the 
comrades  always  emphasizing  the  sentiment  of  "One  covm- 
try  and  one  flag,  with  malice  towards  none,  with  charity 
for  all." 

The  following  have  been  post  commanders  since  its  or- 
ganization : 

Josiah  Given 1S79 

M.  T.  V.  Bowman 1880 

William  Merrill 1881 

M.  C.  Christy 1882 

W.  A.  Abbett 1883 

W.  H.  Sallada 1884 

F.  Olmstead 1885 

F.  J.  Cressey 1886 

J.  G.  Rounds 1887 

J.  W.  Muffly 1888 

H.  M.  Pickell 1889 

Lewis  Schooler,  M.  D 1890 

A.  Masser 1891 

M.  L.  Leonard 1892 

J.  H.  McCord 1893 

E.  E.  LTutchins .  .1891 

T.  B.  Eobinson 1895 

POST  OFFICERS  FOR   1895. 

Post  Commander — T.  B.  Eobinson. 
Senior  Vice  Commander — Fred  Babcock. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  329 

Junior  Vice  Commander — H.  C  Murjjhy. 

Adjutant — H.  C.  Bachrodt. 

Quartermaster — J.  S.  Ring. 

Surgeon — Dr.  C.  Thomas. 

Chaplain — J.  S.  Plumley. 

Officer  of  the  Day— M.  T.  Scanlan. 

Officer  of  the  Guard— A.  L.  Griffith. 

Sergeant  Major — J.  J.  Stuckey. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant — W.  H.  Balier. 

Guards — H.  Lucas,  W.  M.  Howell. 

Color  Bearers — S.  W.  Maltbie,  E.  N.  Dahlburg. 

Trustees — A.  L.  Smith,  H.  B.  Hedge,  J.  G.  Rounds. 

The  following  is  a  roster  of  National  and  Department 
officers  and  appointments  held  by  members  of  the  post: 

Department  Commander — P.  V.  Carey,  1881;  J.  M.  Tut- 
tle,  1887. 

Junior  Vice  Department  Commander — W.  H.  Sallada, 
1885. 

Department  Chaplain- D.  R.  Lucas,  1880, 1881, 1882. 

Medical  Director— E.  R,  Hutching,  1880;  G.  P.  Hanna- 
walt,  1886. 

Assistant  Adjutant  General— J.  W.  Muffly,  1887,  1888; 
M.  L.  Leonard,  1892,  1893. 

Judge  Advocate — J.  Given,  1895. 

Department  Mustering  Officer — F.  Olmstead,  1879;  W. 
W.  Fink,  1879. 

Chief  of  Staff— E.  R.  Hutchins,  1893. 

Department  Inspector — P.  V.  Carey,  1880. 

Council  of  Administration— J.  Given,  1880;  M.  T.  Rus- 
sell, 1880;  William  Merrill,  1881;  P.  V.  Carey,  1882,  1883, 
1884, 1885;  M.  T.  V.  Bowman,  1882;  W.  A.  Abbett,  1891. 

Assistant  Mustering  Officer — W.  H.  Sallada. 

Assistant  Inspector— W.  A.  Abbett,  1881;  J.  W.  Mufflv, 
1886,  1891;  M.  T.  Scanlan,  1891. 

Aid  de  Camp  to  Department  Commander — W.  H.  Sal- 
lada, 1881  to  1886;  W.  W.  Fink,  1881;  Jacob  Beaner,  1881; 
M.  T.  V.  Bowman,  1882;  W.  D.  Lncas,  1882;  George  E.  Grif- 
fith, 1884;  E.  R.  Hutchins,  1885,  1886,  1887,  1888,  1890;  L. 
Schooler,  1887;  H.  M.  Pickell,  1887;  Jesse  Cheek,  1890;  W. 
A.  Abbett,  1890;  J.  H.  Campbell,  1890;  J.  W.  Muffly,  1890; 
M.  T.  Russell,  1890;  W.  E.  Da\is,  1891;  C.  S.  Wilson,  1892. 


330  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

<  V)iiimittee  on  Soldiers'  Home — J.  (riven,  1886. 

Committee  on  Military  History— W.  W.  Fink,  1881. 

Escort  to  ( ieneral  Grant  on  his  retnrn  from  trip  around 
the  world— E.  K.  Hutehins,  AV.  W.  Fink,  P.  A\  Carey,  M. 
T.  V.  P>oAvman,  G.  L.  Godfrey,  and  W.  L.  Alexander. 

Delei^ates  to  National  Encampment — J.  Given,  1880, 
1880,  1888;  W.  A.  Abbett,  1881,  1893;  W.  H.  Sallada,  1883; 
H.  M.  Pickell,  1888;  T.  B.  Robinson,  1892;  W.  A.  Abbett, 
1893. 

National  Council  of  Administration — P.  X.  Carey,  1881; 
H.  M.  Pickell,  1889. 

Aide-de-Canm  to  Commander-in-Chief — E.  K.  Hutchins, 
1880,  1888,  1889,  1891,  1892,  1893;  F.  J.  Ci-essey,  1886;  W. 
H.  Sallada,  1884;  J.  Given,  1888;  H.  M.  Pickell,  1888;  J.  H. 
Caui]»bell,  1888,  1890;  H.  L.  Swords,  1890;  Lewis  Schooler, 
1892;  W.  A.  Abbett,  1892. 

ROSTER   OF    MEMBERS 

Alexander,  W.  L.,  captain,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Abbett,  W.  A.,  captain,  79th  Indiana  Infantrv. 

*****Ankeney,  P.  I). 

*Anderson,  J.  S.,  quartermaster  sergeant,  19th  Iowa  In- 
fantry. 

Andrews,  George,  private,  90th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Adams,  Dr.  J.  W.,  second  lieutenant,  Tth  Indiana  In- 
fantry. 

Anderson,  Ira  W.,  private,  45tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

Allabach,  E.  W.,  private,  52nd  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Ankeny,  K.  V.,  col.  bvt.  bg.  gen.,  lJ:2nd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Allen  lieuben,  private,  45th  Illinois  Infantry. 

**Anfenson,  Die,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

** Archer,  E.  W.,  corporal,  9tli  New  Hampshire  Infantry. 

Ashford,  E.  P.,  sergeant,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Anderson,  Milton,  corporal,  115th  Illinois  Infantrv. 

Allen,  John  II.,  private,  60t]i  U.  S.  C.  T. 

Anderson,  James,  private,  43rd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Ames,  H.  S.,  private,  11th  Michigan  Infantry. 

Ainsworth,  James  S.,  ])rivate,  6th  ^''ermont  Infantry. 

♦Died. 
**Transfen-pcl. 
*****Mexic.in  war  and  honorary. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  331 

Adams,  John  Q.,  second  lieutenant  U.  S.  Signal  Corps; 
private,  88th  Ohio  Volunteers. 

Addison,  F.  M.,  private,  46th  Wisconsin  ^'olnnteers. 

**Bristow,  (leorge  W.,  private,  Iowa  Infantry;  sergeant 
W.  Eng.  Co.;  major,  9th  U.  S.  Vt.  In. 

Bowman,  M.  T.  X.,  first  lieutenant,  1st  Maine  Cavalry, 
brigade  comma nder. 

Bristow,  P.  II.,  corporal,  45th  Iowa  Infantry. 

**Bitting,  W.  II.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Baylies,  R.  N.,  corporal,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Bushnell,  J.  P.,  private,  44th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Blake,  J.  S.,  sergt.  major,  2nd  Wisconsin  Cavalrv. 

*****Barcroft,  K.  L. 

Belknap,  David,  private,  29th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Baker,  W.  II.,  private,  17th  Ohio  Infantry. 

*Bro,yhill,  Martin,  ord.  sergeant,  108th  Illinois  Infantry. 

*Baker,  CJeorge  C,  corporal,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

**Baird,  R.  B.,  1st  lieut.,  Q.  M.,  35th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Babcock,  Fred,  Q.  M.  S.,  14th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Brewer,  J.  A.,  ca^jtain,  23rd  Missouri  Infantry. 

Bausman,  Julian,  1st  lieutenant,  10th  Iowa  Infantiy. 

Brown,  J.  W.,  corporal,  26tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

Bacon,  George  S.,  captain,  29th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Bryan,  P.  Gad,  lieut.  col.,  1st  Iowa  Infantry. 

Becker,  A.,  private,  129th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Beerbower,  Eli,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Bird,  W.  K.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Beckwith,  John,  private,  104th  New  Yf)rk  Infantry. 

Barger,  R.  W.,  private,  1st  Battery,  Cavalry  M.  M.  Br. 

Bliss,  Alvin,  private,  3rd  Massachusetts  II.  A. 

Blake,  Henry  W.,  private,  11th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

**Bliss,  James,  sergeant,  47th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Beaner,  Jacob,  private,  122nd  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Bachrodt,  II.  C,  private,  19th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Briggs,  Moore,  adjutant,  31st  Iowa  Infantry. 

Blair,  R.  L.,  sergt.  major,  20tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Blair,  John  G.,  private,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Bailey,  W^allace,  private,  4th  Massachusetts  II.  A. 

Barnett,  John  M.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 


*I)iecl. 
**  Transferred. 
*****Mexican  war  and  honorary. 


332  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Balliet,  kS.  F.,  private,  ITtli  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Bradshaw,  L.  H.,  private,  2ud  Illinois  Cavalry. 

*Beaner,  Fred,  private,  50th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Bradley,  Frank,  1st  Nebraska  Cavalry. 

Bruce,  Robert,  private,  11th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

Brown,  J.  W.,  sergeant,  3rd  New  York  Cavalry. 

Barton,  T.  E.,  sergeant,  110th  U.  S.  Cavalry. 

Bromley,  Owen,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Bishop,  J.  F.,  captain,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Boyd,  William  R.,  private,  22nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Buck,  William,  private,  151st  Indiana  Infantrj'. 

Burt,  E.  O.,  1st  sergeant,  19th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Bennett,  Joshua  S.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Butin,  A.  J.,  private,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Brownfield,  John  A.,  private,  1st  Wisconsin  H.  A. 

Beard,  EdAvin,  private,  2nd  U.  S.  Y.  Yol.,  2nd  Minnesota 
Infantry. 

Bibbins,  M.  W.,  private,  5th  Michigan  Cavalry. 

Belvel,  Henrj^  M.,  private,  34th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Bagley,  William,  chaplain,  35th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Burgess,  James  F.,  corporal,  15tli  Massachusetts  Infan- 
try. 

Burgin,  Edward  S.,  private,  1st  Maine  L.  A. 

Brown,  W.  IT.  H.,  private,  31st  Iowa  Infantry. 

Booth,  W.  E.,  com.  sergeant,  41st  Ohio  Infantry. 

Boyle,  F.  AV.,  private,  4th  Ohio  Cavaliy. 

Blatner,  Jacob,  private,  4t]i  Iowa  Infantry. 

Berger,  Benedict,  private,  51st  Pennsylvania  Yolnnteers. 

Benedict,  Don  A.,  20th  Wisconsin  Yolunteers. 

Bittinger,  John  M.,  94th  Illinois  Volunteers. 

Byers,  S.  IT.  M.,  1st  lieut.  5th  Iowa  Yolunteers. 

Brow)ie,  Oliver  L.  F.,  captain,  149tli  N.  Y.  Yolunteers. 

Burger,  F.  W.,  private,  15th  Iowa  Yolunteers. 

Clarkson,  R.  P.,  sergeant,  12th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Cheek,  J.  \Y.,  private,  15th  loAva  Infantrv. 

Cressey,  F.  J.,  captain,  lltli  U.  S.  C.  Infantry. 

r'hristy,  M.  C.,  corporal,  Sth  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Collins,  Frank,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Caldwell,  J.  J.,  private,  23rd  Iowa  Infantrv. 

*****Cressey,  Mrs.  J.  G. 


*Died. 
***Mexiean  war  and  honorary. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  33a 

Chiklers,  Frauk  X.,  private,  Totli  Indiana  lufantiy. 

*Catlett,  A\'.  O.,  i^rivate,  9J:tli  Illinois  Infantry. 

Childs,  A.  M.,  private,  Gth  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Connor,  William,  private,  13tli  jS'ew  York  CaAalry. 

Cowgill,  F.,  hospital  stew.,  STth  Illinois  Infantry. 

**Cain,  Kev.  W.  A.,  private,  39tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Crandale,  Dr.  W.  H.  H.,  captain,  Q.  M.  D.,  107th  Penn- 
sylvania Infantry. 

Christy,  W.  D.,  Q.  M.  sergt.,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

**Croswait,  Dr.  P.  R.,  1st  sergt.,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry.    • 

Clark,  J.  y.,  captain,  31th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Chambers,  E.  ^A^,  private,  ISTtli  Ohio  Infantry. 

Chapin,  "\\'.  E.,  private,  29th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Cole,  C.  W.,  corporal,  105th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Clifford,  8.  K.,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Chapman,  John,  private,  27th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Craig-,  Josiah,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Castell,  John,  captain,  13th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Chauey,  J.  II.,  sergeant,  24th  Ohio  Artillery. 

Case,  J.  W.,  private,  9th  Missouri  Cavalry. 

Carey,  P.  V.,  captain,  14th  New  York  11.  A. 

Cozier,  Rev.  B.  F.  W.,  chaplain,  3rd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Camp,  W.  M.,  lieutenant,  1st  Ohio  L.  A. 

Chapman,  L.  O.,  private,  9th  Michigan  Infantry. 

Campbell,  Wilson  M.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Battery. 

*Clark,  William  T.,  captain  A.  A.  C,  1st  Nebraska  lu- 
fantrj-. 

Cunw,  N.  G.,  private,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Carpenter,  W^.  L.,  adjutant,  32nd  Iowa  Infantry.     , 

Canine,  Cornelius,  private,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Carothers,  William,  private,  13th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Campbell,  John  H.,  private,  30th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Conner,  W.  A.,  private,  2nd  Minnesota  Cavalry. 

CuUem,  Patrick. 

*Crill,  C.  ^Y.,  8th  Iowa  Volunteers. 

*Cooper,  W^.  A.,  private,  8th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Curtis,  M.  J.,  private,  8th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Crandale,  George  A.,  private,  22nd  New  York  Infantry. 

Childress,  H.  J.,  private,  28th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Clark,  Whiting  S.,  captain,  18th  Maine  Infantry. 

Cassidy,  Lawrence,  private,  5th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

*Diea.  ,  '  .  '     . 


384  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

(Au'ter,  A.,  private,  100th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Cameron,  Robert,  seryeaut,  3r(l  New  York  CaA'alry. 

Cnlver,  D.  F.,  private,  38th  Iowa  Infantry. 

(Jliue,  George,  private,  95th  Illinois  Infautrj-. 

Cliase,  John  W.,  private,  145th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Collins,  Ephraim,  ijrivate,  40th  Indiana  Infantry. 

( 'arpeuter,  (ieorge  W.,  private,  9Gth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Cooper,  Charles,  private,  S9th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Callender,  \\^illiani,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infautrj'. 

Chambers,  John  W.,  1st  sergt.,  5th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Camp,  Henry  C,  private,  58th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Cowan,  Eichard,  private,  1st  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Classon,  Warren,  1st  lieiit.,  144th  Indiana  Infantry. 

(4ark,  Thomas  A.,  private,  41st  Illinois  Infantry. 

Cooper,  8.  A.,  sergeant,  5th  Iowa  Infantrv;  captain,  50th 
U.  8.  C. 

Campbell,  Frank  T.,  captain,  40tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

Cliai»man,  I\.  U.,  coiq)oral,  24tli  Ohio  Infantry. 

CoAvnum,  D.  F.,  private,  83rd  Illinois  Infantry. 

CraAvford,  J.  L.,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry;  2nd  Iowa 
Infantry. 

Clnre,  Joseph,  private,  22nd  Iowa  Volnnteers.  i 

Conger,  E.  II.,  bvt.  major,  102nd  Illinois  'S'olnnteers. 

Crenshaw,  II.  R.,  sergeant,  28th  loAva  A'olnnteers. 

Creighton,  James  II.,  1st  lient.,  18th  Iowa  A'olnnteero. 

Cook,  Friend,  private,  145tli  Pennsylvania  ^"olnnteers. 

Campbell,  Thomas  W.,  private,  59th  Ohio  Volunteers. 

Cline,  C.  E.,  private,  Ttli  Illinois  Y(dunteers. 

Davis,  W.  L.,  1st  lient.,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dimuiitt,  G.  M.,  private,  44th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Drady,  M.,  ])rivate,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Day,  James  G.,  captain,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dnnlap,  8.  M.,  private,  8th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dalrymple,  I).  W.,  sergeant,  l(3th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Drown,  D.  B.,  private,  106th  Illinois  Infantrv. 

Davis,  W.  L.,  captain,  35th  loAva  Infantry;  s'oth  U.  S. 

Dysart,  John  T.,  corporal,  3rd  Ohio  Infantrv. 

Dockstader,  Ezra,  ])rivate,  2(;th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Davis,  William  E.,  ]irivate,  20th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Davis,  A.  S.,  corpoi-al,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dixon,  Lnther,  private,  33r(l  Illinois  Infantry. 

Davis,  E.  C,  sergeant,  lltli  Missonri  Cavalry. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  335 

D()wiiin<;-,  A.  G.,  lltli  Iowa  Infantry. 

De(Joui'se,Y,  James  L.,  private,  5(Jtli  Peiiusylvania  In- 
fantry. 

*Davis,  Joseph  B.,  private,  1st  Iowa  Infantry. 

*DeVault,  James  G,  private,  16th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dewey,  E.,  sergeant,  UOth  AN'isconsin  Infantry. 

Davenj^ort,  W.  S.,  private,  5th  Wisconsin  Batter^'. 

*I)oyIe,  F.  J.,  private,  4()th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Denny,  Elza  M.,  private,  81st  Indiana  Infantry. 

*DeLung  Fenton  L.,  private,  15th  loAva  Infantry'. 

Dahlbery,  li.  N.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dixon,  (iec^rge  W.,  private,  Slst  Ohio  A'olnnteers. 

Dawson,  (i.  A.,  priA'ate,  9th  Indiana  Volunteers. 

Dunning,  Dj-er  D.,  sergeant,  8th  Illinois  Gavalrv. 

*--***Evans,Mrs!8.J. 

Evens,  George  H.,  1st  sergt.,  2nd  Michigan  Infantry. 

Ellis,  M.  J.,  private,  21)tli  Wisconsin  Volunteers. 

"Englebert,  J.  Lee,  cai)tain,  3rd  Penns^dvania  Cavalry, 
brevet  colonel. 

**Els()n,  E.  T.,  musician,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Elliott,  Henry,  private,  21st  Illinois  Infantry;  75th 
Illinois  Infantry. 

Eberliart,  A.  G.,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Eaton,  II.  G,  private,  7th  Indiaua  Infantry. 

Eatinger,  Richard,  i>rivate,  7th  Kansas  Gavalry. 

Fink,  W.  W.,  private,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Foster,  A.  M.,  i)i'ivate,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Funk,  vS.  G.,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Frazier,  George  S.,  private,  22nd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Frisbie,  Kev.  A.  L.,  chaplain,  20th  Connecticut  Infantrv. 

**Ford,  David  A.,  cori)oral,  21th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

Fuller,  If.  E.,  private,  75th  Illinois  Infantry. 

**Forbes,  W.  A.,  sergeant,  57th  Massachusetts  Infantry. 

Fenn,  E.  D.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Forgy,  John  D.,  private,  46th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Erase,' B.  B.,  McLaughlin;  Q.  M.  S.,  16th  Ohio  Infantrv. 

Field,  B.  R.,  private,  11th  New  York  H.  A. 

Forgrave,  John  H.,  musician,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Flynn,  Robert  Y.,  private,  1th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Ferree,  W.  D.,  private,  89tli  Indiana  Infantry. 


*Diecl. 
**Traiisferred. 


336  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Fagan,  J.  E.,  coi*poral,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Fike,  D.  M.,  musician,  llTtli  Illinois  Infantry. 

Fitzgerald,  J.  H.,  private,  11th  Pennsjdvania  Infantry. 

Fox,  I).  M.,  colonel,  27tli  Michigan  Infantry. 

Fickell,  Joel,  private,  6Tth  Ohio  Infantry. 

Foley,  Thomas,  airtiflcer,  2nd  Iowa  L.  A. 

FaiTington,  S.  !S.,  corporal,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Given,  Josiah,  captain,  21th  Ohio  Infantry;  brev.  brig. 

Griffith,  George  E.,  Q.  M.  8.,  37th  Illinois  V.  V. 

*(iriffiths,  H.  H.,  captain,  1st  Battery  Iowa  Artillery. 

*Grauis,  John  D.,  private,  115th  N.  Y.  Infantry. 

*****Githins,  Mrs.  K. 

*****Grifflths,  I.  W. 

Grigsby,  L.  M.,  i)rivate,  11th  Kansas  Cavalry. 

Goodwin,  G.  W.,  captain,  1st  Missouri  Cavalry. 

Griffith,  B.  L.,  private,  31st  Illinois  Infantry. 

Gatchell,  T.  F.,  1st  sergt.,  5th  Maryland  Infantry. 

Gough,  John  B.,  private,  192nd  Pennsjdvania  Infantry. 

Gatch,  C.  H.,  lieut.  col.,  133rd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Godfrey,  G.  L.,  lieut.  col.,  1st  Alabama  Cavalry. 

**Gurnsey,  Dr.  M.  A.,  corporal,  33rd  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Gray,  John  L.,  private,  24th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Garberich,  Dr.  E.  W.,  1st  lieut.,  48th  Pennsylvania  In- 
fantry. 

**Gates,  J.  A.,  2nd  lieut.,  1st  Battery,  13th  U. 

Green,  Charles  W.,  musician,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 

(Jarber,  Peter,  private,  24th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Garret,  W.  A.,  Q.  M.  S.,  15th  New  York  Cavalry. 

Gonden,  Louis  N.,  1st  lieut.,  2nd  Maryland  Infantry. 

Games,  John  M.,  private,  19th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Graham,  Alexander,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Garret,  Eeuben,  private,  1st  Missouri  L.  A. 

Gaston,  W.  J.,  2ncl  lieut.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantiw. 

Griffith,  C.  W.,  corporal,  4th  Maryland. 

Gaston,  W.  H.,  private,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Griffith,  A.  L.,  private,  8th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Gore,  John,  private,  13th  Ohio  Cavalry;  10th  Kentucky 
Cavalry. 

Gross,  Solamon  L.,  private,  36th'  Indiana  Infantry. 

*Died.  •         ■ 

"♦Transferred. 
*****Mexican  war  and  honorary. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0INES.  337 

Gammon,  Wan-en,  private,  52nd  Illinois  Infautiy. 

Garritt,  W.  H.  H.,  private,  1st  California  Infantry. 

Gill,  Seymour  T.,  private,  7th  Ohio  Infantiy. 

Gammon,  M.  W.,  private,  52nd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Graham,  William,  private,  9th  Ohio  Cavalry. 

Goss,  James  G.,  private,  40th  Iowa  Volunteers. 

Greenleaf,  Moses,  private,  9th  Minnesota  Volunteers. 

Hanawalt,  Dr.  G.  P.,  A.  A.  Surgeon,  U.  S.  A. 

Hotchkiss,  J.  C,  private,  4th  Michigan  Infantry. 

**Hawkins,  B.  E.,  sergeant,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hanger,  William,  musician,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hitchcock,  C.  H.,  private,  14th  Vermont  Infantry. 

Holland,  A.,  private,  45th  Indiana  Infantry. 

**Harrisou,  John  P.,  private,  47th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Hedge,  H.  B.,  com.  sergt.,  Ringgold  Cavalry. 

Hershe,  B.  F.,  2nd  lieut.,  35th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hunt,  Timoth}',  sergeant,  26th  Illinois  Infantiy. 

Hills,  M.  A.,  1st  lieut.,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Herbert,  S.  C,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Cavaliy. 

Hahn,  J.  F.,  sergeant,  8th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Heywood,  W^.  T.,  private,  44th  Massachusetts  Infantry. 

Harding,  W.  F.,  private,  3rd  Colorado  Cavalry. 

Harrison,  Henry,  private,  60th  U.  S.  C.  Infautrj'. 

Hess,  A.  T.,  private,  193rd  Ohio  Infantry. 

**Haworth,  George  W.,  private,  50th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Hutchins,  Dr.  E.  R.,  private,  U.  S.  Navy;  surgeon,  11th 
Massachusetts  Infantry. 

*Hanna,  Samuel  F.,  179th  Ohio;  musician,  135th  O.  N.  G. 

*Hetherington,  J.  E.,  private,  16th  Pennsylvania  Cav- 
alry. 

Hastings,  Horace  A.,  musician,  19th  Massachusetts  In- 
fantry. 

Hobbs,  J.  W.,  17th  Indiana  Artillery. 

*Hunting,  Rev.  S.  S.,  chaplain,  27th  Michigan  Infantry. 

*Hesse,  Franklin,  private,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Hannon,  Edward,  private,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Hoyt,  George,  corporal,  44th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Hanger,  B.  O.,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Holmes,  J.  S.  private,  19th  Michigan  Infantry. 
Hibler,  S.  W.,  private,  40th  Indiana  Infantry.  ■ 


*Dieci. 
**Transferred. 


338  A'NNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Hadley,  E.  D.,  lieutenant,  14tli  New  Hampshire  Infan- 
try; brev.  capt. 

Hill,  J.  G.,  private,  6Sth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Harding,  Tyler,  j)rivate,  1st  Massachusetts  Infantry. 

Hai-vey,  K.  W.,  private,  1st  Illinois  Artilleiy. 

Handy,  Stephen,  i^rivate,  93rd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Horton,  Alfred  M.,  musician,  59th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Hoover,  William  C,  musician,  148th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Hervey,  William,  private,  12(jth  Ohio  Infantry. 

Harbison,  Robert,  sergeant,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Harrelsou,  John  W.,  private,  28th  Illinois  Infantry;  1st 
M.  B.  M.  Cavalry. 

*Hahnen,  Jacob  F.  W.,  i^rivate,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Hatton,  J.  B.,  1st  lieut.,  31th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Harter,  Edwin  F.,  private,  19th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Hogan,  Martin,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Cavahy. 

Harris,  Frederick,  luivate,  1st  Nebraska  Infantry. 

Howell,  W.  M.,  private,  179th  New  York  Infantry. 

Ilurlburt,  E.  T.  M.,  private,  21th  New  York  Artillery. 

Uimes,  James  W.,  private,  175th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Harrison,  F.  M.,  private,  15th  Connecticut  Infantry. 

Hazen,  E.  H.,  private,  2nd  Michigan. 

House,  A.  D.,  private,  22nd  West  Virginia  Infantry. 

Hockett,  Jefferson  L.,  private,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Howe,  J.  G.,  private  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Hunt,  William  A.,  private,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Humphrey,  Benjamin,  private,  63rd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Head,  Albert,  captain,  10th  Iowa  Volunteers. 

IloUiday,  John  C,  private,  28th  Illinois  Volunteers. 

Ivers,  Joseph,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantr}^ 

** Johnson,  T.  L.,  surgeon's  stew.,  IT.  S.  Navy. 

James,  A.  D.,  private,  1st  Colorado  Cavalry. 

Johnson,  J.  M.,  private,  14tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

*  Jennings,  Samuel  T.,  private,  99th  N.  Y.  Infantry. 

Jeffries,  Benjamin,  191st  Pennsylvania  Infantr3^ 

Jones,  Palestine,  private,  39tli  Iowa. 

Johnson,  V.  P.,  cor|iOKil,  157th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

*Jenkins,  J.  W.,  private,  5th  Ohio  Cavalry. 

John,  Edward  D.,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Jordan,  W.  H.,  captain,  11th  Michigan  Cavalry. 

*Diecl. 
**Transferred. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  339 

Jones,  George  C,  private,  3rd  U.  S.  Cavalry. 

Joyns,  Daniel,  private,  3rd  Maryland  Infantry;  9th  Mary- 
land Infantry. 

Jackman,  Moses  A.,  private,  12th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Jay,  Thomas,  private,  Sttth  Ohio  Volunteers. 

Jones,  J.  B.,  private,  39th  Wisconsin  Volunteers. 

Jones,  Isaac,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Kiehle,  Jonas,  jjrivate,  39th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

**King,  Charles  H.,  private,  lIGth  Illinois  V.  V. 

**Kelso,  William,  corporal,  64th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Knox,  James  II.,  captiiin,  2Ith  Iowa  Infautry. 

Kivits,  A.  P.,  private,  23rd  Missouri  Infantry. 

Kahly,  Henrj',  private,  93rd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Kirk,  Cyrus,  corporal,  Purnell,  L.  M.  V. 

Kindred,  A.  P.,  corporal,  54tli  Indiana  Infantry. 

Kruger,  Ludwig  W.,  corporal,  18th  Iowa  Infautry. 

Kiehl,  J.  M.,  corporal,  22nd  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

Keazy,  Samuel  H.,  1st  sergt.,  19th  Michigan  Infantry. 

Kuhn,  J.,  private,  3rd  Connecticut  Artillery. 

Keables,  C.  F.,  private,  ISth  Connecticut  Volunteers. 

Kinkead,  Lemuel,  corporal,  Sth  Iowa  Volunteers. 

*Long,  J.  IL,  private,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Leonard,  M.  L.,  1st  lieut.,  29th  Connecticut  Infantry. 

Looby,  J.  IL,  major,  G2nd  U.  S.  C. 

*Laverty,  J.  E.,  sergeant,  105th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

*Lucas,  W.  D.,  captain,  Sth  New  York  Cavalry. 

Ltichte,  W.  L.,  1st  sergt.,  1st  Kansas  Infantry. 

Lucas,  Eld.  D.  R.,  chaplain,  99th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Lovelace,  Brinton,  corporal,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Lehman,  W.  H.,  musician,  17th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Lewis,  George  H.,  sergeant,  14th  Connecticut  Infantry. 

*Livermore,  Rev.  L.  S.,  chaplain,  16th  Wisconsin  In- 
fantry. 

Lucas,  H.  S.,  private,  40th  Indiana  Infantry. 

**Laverty,  L.  F.,  private,  34th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Layman,  John  P.,  1st  lieut.,  149th  Indiana  Infantry-. 

Layman,  Estes  H.,  captain,  149th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Luzader,  James,  private,  46tli  Indiana  Infantry. 

Lambert,  Peter,  19th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Lewis,  John,  corporal,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Died. 
♦♦Transferred. 


340  AIIl^ALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Longshore,  David,  1st  Iowa  Battery. 
Lynch,  M.,  private,  148th  Illinois  Infantry. 
'■'Ludlow,  J.  H.,  private,  1st  California  Infantry. 
*Luse,  M.  R.,  private,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Lee,  Frank  C,  musician,  Sth  U.  S.  Volunteers;  13th  Illi- 
nois Infantry. 

Langan,  Thomas  M.,  private,  16Gth  Ohio  Infantry. 

Lawson,  Jacob,  private,  2nd  Iowa. 

Lowery,  Austin  I*.,  private,  Gth  Iowa  Infantry. 

Lucas,  A.  G.,  sergeant,  12th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Likes,  E.  B.,  private,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Lynch,  T.  W.,  private,  22nd  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

Locke,  James  B.,  sergeant,  47th  Iowa  Volunteers. 

Lucas,  Joseph,  i^rivate,  19th  Indiana  Volunteers. 

Lockwood,  F.  G.,  private,  13th  Iowa  Volunteers. 

Merrill,  William,  1st  lieut.  Q.  M.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Murphjr,  H.  G,  com.  sergt.,  S4th  Indiana  Infantry. 

McFadden,  M.  K.,  private,  74th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Morgan,  Thomas,  private,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Moore,  W.  Wiley,  1st  lieut.,  9th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Merrill,  Samuel,  colonel,  21st  Iowa  Infantry. 

Martin,  V.  S.,  sergeant,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Mullen,  John,  private,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Merritt,W.  H.,  lieut.  col.,  col.  on  staff,  1st  Iowa  Infantry. 

McDonald,  H.  J.,  lieut.  col.,  11th  Connecticut  Infantry. 

Muffly,  J.  W.,  adjutant,  148th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. ' 

Mason,  D.  B.,  sergeant,  1st  N.  M.  Brig. 

McCord,  J.  H.,  Q.  M.  S.,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Masser,  A.,  artificer,  2nd  Indiana  Battery. 

Miller  James,  corporal,  133rd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Marsh,  E.  L.,  captain,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Morris,  E.  T.,  corporal,  2Rth  Illinois  Infantry. 

McGorrisk,  E.  J.,  div.  surgeon,  9th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Merrill,  John  H.,  captain,  88th  Illinois  Infantiy. 

*Mann,  Charles,  private,  142nd  New  York  Infantry. 

Morland,  I.  N.,  private,  1st  IT.  S.  Marine. 

Moorp,  W.  S.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Miller,  Aua\,  private,  1st  Iowa  Infantrv. 

***Mav,  Mrs.  Ella. 

*Metzler,  F.  F.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Tnfantr3^ 


*Died. 
***Hnnorarv  members. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  341 

Mitchell,  W.  F.,  private,  83rd  Illinois  Infantry. 
Milligan,  T.  G.,  2nd  lieut.,  34tli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Mason,  E.  R.,  corporal,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 
**Maxwell,  T.  S.,  private,  189th  New  York  Infantry. 
Moore,  J.  H.,  private,  2nd  Illinois  Cavalry. 
McDonald,  James  R.,  private,  17th  Illinois  Cavalry. 
McA^ey,  Alf  H.,  private,  79th  Ohio  Infantry. 
McAntee,  Charles  8.,  hvt.  lient.  col.,  43rd  N.  Y.  A^ol. 
Martindale,  Edward,  colonel,  U.  S.  C.  Infantry. 
Maltbie,  S.  W.,  captain,  4th  U.  IS.  Infantry. 
McCarthj^,  D.  F.,  lieutenant,  10th  Minnesota  Infantry. 
Moore,  J.  W.,  corporal,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Miller,  C.  D.,  hospital  stew.,  53rd  Illinois  Volunteers. 
McDunn,  Ezra,  act.  ensign,  U.  S.  Navy. 
*Mosher,  H.  B.,  private,  3rd  Massachusetts  Infantry. 
Montgomery,  L.  O.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Mitchell,  Charles  B.,  9th  Indiana  Infantry. 
McFarland,  H.  M.,  private,  28th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Millaird,  B.  D.,  sergeant,  41st  Ohio  Infantr3^ 
Miller,  George  A.,  private,  103rd  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 
Merrill,  John  H.,  private,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Macy,  Seth,  private,  12th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Matthews,  O.  J.,  private,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Mesler,  William,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 
McAninch,  William  S.,  corporal,  18th  Indiana  Batterj^. 
Moffett,  F.  G.,  1st  sergt.,  34th  Iowa  InfantrJ^ 
Martin,  D.  G.,  private,  33rd  New  York  Infantry. 
McClain,  Alonzo,  private,  9th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Mershon,  Jason  L.,  sergeant,  3rd  Michigan  Infantry. 
Mummert,  Jacob,  private,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 
McCormack,  J.  T.,  private,  27th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
McDonaldson,  Levi,  private,  5th  U.  S.  C.  T. 
Miller,  Paul  H.,  fireman,  U.  S.  NaA^  "Avenger." 
McKee,  R.  J.,  private,  70th  Ohio  Volunteers. 
McKenzie,  Charles,  adjutant,  9th  Iowa  Volunteers. 
Milliken,  F.  M.,  private,  63rd  Indiana  Volunteers. 
Marion,  John  P.,  private,  6th  Ohio  Volunteers. 
Moss,  David  W.,  private,  149th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. 
McKenzie,  James,  private,  30th  U.  S.  Infantry;  1st  Bat- 
talion U.  S. 


*Diecl. 
**Transferrecl. 


342  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Martin,  Andrew  P.,  157tli  Ohio  N.  G. 

Newhouse,  Morris,  2nd  lieut.,  13tli  Connecticut  Infantry. 

Newell,  Dr.  W.  H.,  asst.  surgeon,  12tli  Illinois  Infantry. 

*Noble,  Samuel,  private,  lOth  Iowa  Infantry. 

Noel,  Samuel,  lieutenant,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Newby,  William,  private,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Noel,  Charles  R.,  private,  11.5th  Indiana  lufantrj-. 

Newcomb,  S.  P.,  private,  42nd  Ohio  Volunteers. 

Nugent,  William,  private,  13th  New  York  S.  M. 

****01mstead,  F.,  captain,  22nd  Ohio;  lieut.  col.,  59th 
Ohio  Infantry. 

Owen,  Dr.  J.  W.,  private,  1st  M.  M.  Brig. 

***Orwig,  Mary  E. 

Orwig,  T.  Gr.,  captain,  1st  Pennsjdvania,  L.  A. 

Overton,  F.  C,  private,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Oliphant,  Joel,  private,  98th  Pennsylvania  Infantrj^ 

Oliver,  C.  N.,  private,  14th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Orr,  Charles  A.,  private,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Plumly,  J.  S.,  sergeant,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Penn,  W.  H.,  1st  lieut.,  13th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Pickell,  H.  M.,  1st  lieut.,  4th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

**Palmer,  J.  A.,  1st  sergt.,  54th  Massachusetts  Infantry. 

Prouty,  C.  C,  captain,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Philbrook,  D.  W. 

Plumb,  Henry,  1st  lieut.,  N.  Y. ;  brev.  capt.  59t.h  Veteran 
Volunteers. 

Patton,  J.  N.,  1st  lieut.,  com.  capt.,  36th  Ohio  Infantrj'. 

Porter,  John,  private,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Porter,  A.  N.,  private,  138th  New  York  Infantry. 

Perrin,  J.  O.,  private,  6th  Michigan  Infantry. 

*Parker,  W.  H.,  private,  1st  Vermont  Cavalry. 

*Parrish,  John  C.,  1st  lieut.,  Q.  M.,  4th  Arkansas  Cavalry. 

Price,  Henry,  private,  119th  Illinois  Infantry. 

**Phillips,  P.  O.  H.,  private,  65th  Illinois  Infantiw. 

*Park,  C.  B.,  surgeon,  1st  Vermont  H.  A. 

Pettit,  Thomas  T.,  private,  55th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Parker,  James  M.,  coi'poral,  15t]i  Iowa  Infantry. 

Poor,  John  M.,  private,  112th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Porter  A.  N.,  private,  138th  Ohio  Infantry. 

*Died. 
**Transf  erred. 
***Honorary  members. 
****Mexican  war.  , 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  343 

Price,  John,  sergeant,  21st  Iowa  Infantry. 

Pence,  Oliver  P.,  priyate,  lltli  Indiana  Infantry.  • 

Prirae,  Jolm  R.,  priyate,  27th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Purdy,  William  H.,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantry;  mu- 
sician, 109th  New  York  Infantry. 

Patrick,  J.  P.,  private,  3rd  Iowa  Volunteers;  2nd  lieut., 
2nd  U.  S.  Artillery. 

Purcell,  Dennis,  private,  4Tth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. 

Rounds,  J.  G.,  sergeant,  12th  Maine  Infantry. 

**Rhoades,  D.  G.,  chaplain,  42nd  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Russell,  M.  T.,  captain,  51st  Indiana  Infantry. 
,     **Randleman,  W.  H. 

*Rawson,  Dr.  C.  H.,  sui'geon,  5th  loAva  Infantry. 

*Rommell,  II.  A.,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Ryan,  W.  H.,  private,  8th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Rounds,  C.  B.  ord.  sergt.,  5th  U.  S.  Infantry. 

Ray,  W.  R.,  private,  11th  Indiana  Infantiy. 

Rabbitt,  James  B.,  private,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry. 

**Rowe,  F.  E.,  private,  9th  New  York  H.  A. 

Reed,  J.  W.,  captain,  52nd  Kentucky,  M.  Infantry. 

Ring,  J.  S.,  private,  24th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Robinson,  T.  B.,  corporal,  10th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Robinson,  nii^ani,  4th  Massachusetts  Infantry. 
,     Robbins,  T.  M. 

Rollins,  R.  A.,  private,  17th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Ray,  W.  C,  2nd  lieut,  151st  Pennsylvania  V.  R.  C. 

Ramey,  William,  private,  18th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Richardson,  Charles,  private,  60th  U.  S.  C.  Infantry. 

Ritchey,  J.  C,  private,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Re^'^nolds,  Silas  W.,  private,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Robinson,  L.  F.,  private,  16th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Riordan,  Michael,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantrs'. 

Reynolds,  Lucien,  private,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Russell,  John  L.,  private,  1st  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Roberts,  S.  T.,  private,  61st  Massachusetts  Infantry. 

Reed,  George  M.,  private,  42nd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Ragsdale,  George  H.,  private,  13th  Iowa  Volunteers. 

**Sallada,  W.  H.,  staff  ord.,  57th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Smith,  C.  W. 


*Died. 
**Transf  erred. 


344  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

*****Sims,  David. 
**Smith,  J.  M. 

Smith,  A.  L.,  sergeant,  123rd  Ohio  Infantry. 
St.  Clair,  A.,  2nd  lieut,  43rd  U.  S.  C. 
Sample,  George  W.,  corporal,  1st  Missouri  L.  A. 
Sweeney,  C.  H.,  captain,  119th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Sloan,  J.  W.,  private,  24th  Iowa  Infantry. 
**Smith,  W.  T.,  captain,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Smith,  M.  H.,  private,  97th  New  York  Infantry. 
Swan,  Robert  G.,  private,  3rd  Ohio  Infantry. 
**Scott,  J.  W.,  private,  8th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Simons,  Henry,  dmm  major,  4th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Shearer,  John  R.,  private,  16th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Shelladay,  J.  A.,  private,  5th  Iowa  Infantrj^ 
Shankland,  J.  M.,  1st  sergt.,  161st  Ohio  Infantry. 
Sheldon,  G.  W.,  1st  lieut.,  68th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Swords,  H.  L.,  major,  57th  Massachusetts  Infantry. 
Scanlen,  M.  T.,  private,  12th  U.  S.  Infantry. 
Spencer,  E.  K.,  corporal,  88th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Simonton,  Dr.  A.  C,  2nd  lieut.,  118th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Shannon,  John  D.,  1st  lieut.,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Shugart,  Robert  F.,  private,  21st  Illinois  Infantry. 
Sherman,  Hoyt,  major,  U.  S.  A.  P.  M. 
Smith,  Ed  C,  sergeant,  68th  Indiana  Infantrj^ 
**Stateler,  T.  K.,  private,  4th  Misouri  Cavalry. 
Stafford,  T.  J.,  sergeant,  17th  Iowa  Infantry. 
*Stillwell,  J.  R.,  chaplain,  79th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Smith,  W.  II.  M.,  private,  47th  Iowa  Infantiy. 
Smith,  Philander,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Sharp,  William,  private,  5th  Ohio  Battalion. 
Summers,  J.  B.,  private,  6th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Schooler,  Lewis,  coi-poral,  14,5th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Skinner,  William,  private,  13th  loAva  Infantry. 
Stuckey,  J.  J.,  private,  14th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Stuart,  Richard,  private,  26th  New  York  Infantry. 
Saum,  S.  A.,  private,  28th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Sturgis,  Henry  B.,  captain,  D.  C.  U.  S.  V. 
Studer,  Adolph  G.,  captain,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Starbuck,  Thomas  J.,  private,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 


*Died. 

**Transf  erred. 
*****Mexican  war  and  honorai-y. 


AiVD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  345 

Stark,  Alfred  E.,  private,  Sth  Rhode  Island  Infantry. 

Sehell,  W.  J.,  private,  1st  Iowa  Infantry. 

Seller,  Daniel,  sergeant,  llth  Iowa  Infantry. 

'•Smith,  Eli,  private,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Stevenson,  Grandson  F.,  private,  36th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Spencer,  George  M.,  private,  10th  Connecticut  Infantry. 

Still,  C.  C,  private,  5th  Kansas  Cavalry. 

Scott,  E.  J.,  private,  24th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Spencer,  John  A.,  private,  2nd  Wisconsin  Cavalry. 

Severine,  John,  private,  llth  Iowa  Infantry. 

Sidener,  Jospeh  E.,  private,  113th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Satchell,  William,  private,  73rd  Ohio  Infantr3^ 

Smith,  J.  D.  K.,  sergeant,  92nd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Sheeley,  J.  R.,  musician,  46th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Snyder,  A.  L.,  private,  12th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Scott,  Thomas,  29th  U.  S.  C.  T. 

Spellman,  A.  G.,  private,  93rd  Illinois  Vohiuteers. 

Stiindring,  John  T.,  captain,  5th  New  York  H.  A. 

Sickels,  H.  H.,  sergeant,  19th  Illinois  Volunteers. 

Steadman,  George,  private,  31st  Iowa  Volunteers;  17th 
Iowa  Volunteers. 

Swanagan,W.  S.,  private,  46th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. 

Snyder,  H.  W.,  sergeant,  19th  Iowa  Volunteers. 

Thomas,  Dr.  C,  private,  17th  Ohio;  captain,  98th  Ohio 
Infantry. 

**Toll,  S.  L.,  sergeant,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Tuttle,  J.  M.,  brig,  gen.,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

*Thomas,  Dr.  M.  W.,  surgeon,  13th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Tinsley,  W.  H.,  private,  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  Battery 
Artillery. 

Tinsley,  T.  A.,  lieutenant,  102nd  New  York  S.  N. 

Turner,  James,  private,  22nd,  Ohio  Infantry. 

Taylor,  R.  B.,  private,  105th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Taylor,  J.  C,  private,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Thompson,  R.  M.,  private,  42nd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Thomas,  G.  D.,  private,  4th  West  Virginia  Cavalry. 

Tregea,  Leonard,  1st  lieut.,  35th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Tuttle,  Lewis  F.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Trude,  G.  W.,  private,  8th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Tilden,  H.  W.,  private,  llth  Maine  Infantrj^. 

*Died. 
**Transf  erred. 


346  ANNALf<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Toms,  George  W.,  private,  .37th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Ufford,  T.  C,  private,  lltli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Vanliook,  M.  S.,  private,  Stli  Iowa  Infantry. 
A'igren,  Carl  Peterson,  private,.  1st  Minnesota  Infantry. 
Vanderburgh,  John  W.,  private,  9th  N.  Y.  Volunteers. 
Waers,  W.  H.,  private,  195th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Witmer,  J.  W.,  sergeant,  36th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 
** Walker,  J.  S.,  private,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Whiting,  F.  S.,  captain,  4th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
"Wilson,  C.  S. 

**Wingate,  C.  E.,  P.  M.  Clerk,  3rd  Missouri. 
W^right,  W.  II.,  x)rivate,  34th  Illinois  Infantry'. 
Woriv,  W.  A.,  1st  lieut.,  162nd  Ohio  Infantry. 
Wessel,  Andrew,  corporal,  28th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Weaver,  J.  B.,  private,  2nd  Iowa  lufantiy,  brig.  gen. 
W^ebster,  G.  A.,  private,  4th  Massachusetts  lufantrv. 
W^ork,  W.  G.,  lieutenant,  19th  U.  S.  C.  T. 
Wheeler,  D.  P.,  private,  126th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Webster,  I.  N.,  private,  llGth  Ohio  Infantry. 
W^right,  Thomas  S.,  adjutant,  3rd  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Williams,  .John  E.,  private,  36th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Wetmore,  Ira  P.,  corporal,  13th  Illinois  Cavalry. 
Ward,  Julius,  private,  72nd  Indiana  Infantry. 
*Wood,  Benjamin  F.,  saddler,  1st  New  York  L.  A. 
Wasson,  James  E.,  private,  34tli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wasson,  -J.  C.  S.,  1st  lieut.,  34th  Iowa  Infantry. 
W^alker,  H.  P.,  private,  47th  Illinois  Infantry. 
*Willett,  Charles,  private,  18th  U.  S.  C.  Infantry. 
Watrous,  C.  L.,  captain,  76th  New  Y'ork  Infantry. 
Walker,  James  A.,  corporal,  4th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Walker,  Martin,  private,  6tli  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Windsor,  H.  C,  private,  1st  New  York  Dragoons. 
*Winters,  William  S.,  ord.  sergt.,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wilson,  John  A.,  1st  sergt.,  24th  low^a  Infantry. 
Woods,  W.  D. 

Williams,  S.  N.,  private,  22nd  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Wright,  George  W.,  private,  16tli  Iowa  Infantr}^ 
W^ilcox,  Walter,  private,  4th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Worrell,  Barney,  private,  27th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wagoner,  Henry  D.,  private,  6th  Iowa  Cavalry. 


*Diecl. 
* '"Transferred. 


A.VD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  34T 

Wilkens,  Benjamin,  wagoner,  9th  Michigan  Cavalry. 

Wilson,  H.  W.,  private,  7th  California  Infantrv. 

Wilcox,  George  S.,  private,  11th  Wisconsin  Infantrv. 

White,  Henry  H.,  private,  23rd  New  York  Infantry. 

Waers,  J.  G.,  private,  1st  Pennsylvania  Artillery;  20th 
Ohio  Artillery. 

Wells,  Lewis  W.,  private,  17th  Ohio  Infautiy ;  lieutenant 
85th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Webb,  Samuel,  coi-poral,  145th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Wilcox,  W.  v.,  bugler,  8th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Wertz,  Elias,  private,  9th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Walker,  A.  M.,  private.  Cole's  Ind.  Battery. 

Wilcox,  Stephen  C,  private,  1st  Michigan  Artillery. 

Weaver,  James  H.,  private,  8th  New  York  N.  G. 

Woodin,  D.  W.,  private,  3rd  Michigan  Cavalry. 

Ward,  B.  C,  1st  lieut.,  2nd  Vermont  Volunteers. 

Young,  M.  E.,  private,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Young,  Amos,  corporal,  4th  Indiana  Batterj'. 

Yoder,  S.  C,  private,  101st  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Yeoman,  A.  L.,  private,  128th  Illinois  Infantry. 

York,  W.  J.,  private,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Zelle,  Godfrey,  sergeant,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Zinn,  E.  E.,  private,  4th  West  Virginia  Cavalry. 

Total,  651  members. 

ROLL    OF   HONOR. 

The  following  have  died  since  the  organization  of  the 

post: 

James  H.  Long,  July  24,  1880. 

Dr.  C.  H.  Eawson,  June  27,  1884. 

William  H.  Eyan,  November  11,  1884. 

H.  H.  Griffiths,  July  20,  1885. 

W.  O.  Catlett,  September  26,  1886. 

John  D.  Forgy,  May  19, 1887. 

Josiah  Craig,  July  25, 1887. 

J.  R.  Stillwell,  September  8,  1887. 

Dr.  W.  M.  Thomas,  October  17, 1887. 

W.  H.  Parker,  July  1,  1888. 

J.  Lee  Englebert,  December  22,  1888. 

Henrv  Elliott,  December  28,  1888. 

Joseph  B.  Davis,  June  24,  1889. 


348  ANNALS  OP  POLK  COUNTY 

F.  F.  Metzler,  August  6,  1889. 
Henrjr  Eummell,  April,  1890. 
,     C.  W.  Grill,  May  3,  1890. 

Edward  Hannon,  June  30, 1890. 

W.  T.  Clark,  August  16,  1890. 

J.  C.  Parrish,  September  26,  1890. 

Franklin  C.  Hesse,  November  28,  1890. 

William  S.  Winters,  .July  24,  1891. 

Eli  Smith,  February  7,  1891. 

Whiting  S.  Clark,  April  26, 1891. 

C.  B.  Park,  August  22, 1891. 

Samuel  F.  Hanna,  October  4,  1891. 

Charles  E.  Mann,  October  14,  1891.      ' 

James  C.  De  Vault,  December  11,  1891. 

M.  Jay  Curtis,  January  28,  1892. 

Farmer  J.  Doyle,  March  4,  1892. 

Eeuben  Garrett,  March  20,  1892. 

James  W.  Jenkins,  June  11,  1892. 

Fenton  L.  DeLoug,  June  27,  1892. 

Marvin  E.  Luse,  July  7,  1892. 

W.  D.  Lucas,  August  1.5,  1892. 

*James  M.  Tuttle,  October  24,  1892. 

Jacob  F.  Hahnen,  December  15,  1892. 

Fred  Beaner,  August,  1893. 

Charles  B.  Mitchell,  August  10,  1893. 

William  A.  Hunt,  September  27, 1893. 

H.  B.  Mosher,  December,  1893. 

John  G.  Blair,  December  23,  1894. 

George  C.  Baker,  March  23,  1894. 

Eev.  S.  S.  Hunting,  June  2,  1894. 

Eobert  G.  Swan,  June  2,  1894. 

Samuel  Noble,  September  13,  1894. 

Carl  Peterson  Vigren,  December  12,  1894. 

J.  H.  Ludlow,  April,  1895.  .    -  ., 

B.  F.  Woods,  May,  1895. 

J.  E.  Hetherington,  May,  1895.        - 

H.  P.  Walker,  June  23,  1895. 

James  H.  Weaver,  November  10,  1895. 


*Past  Department  Commander. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  349 

WARR   POST  G.    A.    R. 

Muster  roll  of  members  of  Warr  Post  at  Mitchellvillf, 
Polk  county,  Iowa. 

MUSTER    ROLL. 

T.  Seems,  M.  D.,  commander,  Mitcliellville,  physician  and 
surgeon,  June  1,  1861,  private,  Company  B,  5tli  Pennsyl- 
vania Infantry. 

Charles  Serberley,  senior  vice  commander,  Mitchellville,, 
farmer,  June  1,  1864,  private,  Company  E,  18.3rd  Ohio  In- 
fantry. 

George  W.  Eosenberger,  junior  vice  commander,  Mitch- 
ellville, retired  farmer,  August  13,  1862,  private,  Company 
E,  24th  Iowa  Infantry. 

James  Walter,  chaplain,  Mitchellville,  retired  farmer, 
August  30,  1861,  private,  Company  G,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Samuel  Hedrick,  officer  of  day,  Mitchellville,  August  17, 
18(51,  private,  Company  A,  23rd  Missouri  Infantry. 

G.  S.  Larimer,  surgeon,  Mitchellville,  blacksmith,  Sep- 
tember 24,  1861,  sergeant,  Company  C,  30th  Indiana  In- 
fantrj^ 

J.  W.  Rumple,  adjutant,  Mitchellville,  retired  farmer,, 
September  30,  1861,  private.  Company  B,  55th  Ohio. 

George  Heninger,  Mitchellville,  farmer,  February  25, 
1865,  Company  C,  9th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

C.  H.  Keeley,  Q.  M.,  Mitchellville,  retired  farmer,  August 
12, 1861,  2nd  lieut..  Company  F,  1st  Missouri  Cavalry. 

D.  W.  Fogg,  sergt.  major.,  Mitchellville,  harness  maker, 
May  25, 1861,  private,  Company  E,  ITth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Abel  Carson,  Mitchellville,  cabinet  shop.  May  13,  1864, 
corporal,  Company  K,  170th  Ohio  N.  G. 

B.  F.  Cottrell,  Rolfe,  la.,  farmer,  August  30, 1861,  private. 
Company  D,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

J.  W.  Hoffman,  Bondurant,  farmei',  July  25,  1862,  cor- 
poral, Company  B,  68th  Indiana  Volunteers. 

J.  H.  Jones,  Mitchellville,  merchant,  June  21,  1863,  pri- 
vate. Company  M,  8th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

J.  W.  Jones,  Mitchellville,  stock  dealer.  May  28,  1865, 
private.  Company  F,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 

J.  W.  Molone,  Santiago,  farmer,  February  28, 1865,  Com- 
pany C,  9th  Illinois  Cavalry. 


350  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

S.  P.  Oldfield,  Q.  M.  S.,  Mitchellville,  traveling  man,  Au- 
gust 19, 1862,  private,  Companv  E,  102u(;l  Oliio  Infantry. 

D.  C.  Eussell,  Mitcliellville,  clerk,  April  30, 1864,  private. 
Company  H,  132n(l  Indiana  Infantry. 

Asa  Turner,  Oldfield,  farmer,  January  11,  1864,  4tli 
sergt..  Company  I,  Sth  Iowa  Infantry. 

George  Spader,  offlcer  of  guard,  Mitchellville,  August  17, 

1861,  private.  Company  N,  2Stli  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 
David  Wilfong,  Mitchellville,  farmer,  July  15,  1863,  pri- 
vate. Company  M,  Sth  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Henry  Voss,  Mitchellville,  farmer.  May  14, 1861,  private. 
Company  G,  1st  Iowa  Infantry. 

Jacob  Zeek,  Mitchellville,  laborer,  December  10,  1861, 
private.  Company  B,  5Ttli  Indiana  Infantry. 

B.  F.  Johnson,  Bondurant,  farmer,  August  11,  1862, 
Company  B,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 

William  Berthroy,    Mitchellville,    farmer,    August  30, 

1862,  private.  Company  F,  50th  N.  Y.  Eng. 

KINSMAN   POST,   NO.   7,   G.   A.   R. 

This  large  and  flourishing  post  was  organized  on  Febru- 
ary 15, 1878,  and  named  in  lionor  of  Colonel  Kinsman,  com- 
manding the  Twenty-third  Iowa  Infantry,  who  led  the  his- 
toric charge  at  Black  River  Bridge,  Mississippi,  and  died 
on  the  field  of  battle.  This  post  is  the  second  largest  in 
tlie  state,  and  carries  on  its  rolls  the  names  of  many  of 
the  citizens  of  the  city,  county  and  state.  It  has  its  regu- 
lar meetings  on  the  East  Side,  coimer  of  Sixth  and  Grand 
avenue.  The  post  is  noted  for  its  lead  in  all  good  works, 
and  especialy  for  its  generous  help  to  all  needy  and  deserv- 
ing old  soldiers. 

PAST   COMMANDERS^ 

C.  W.  Nelson 1878 

W.  F.  Conrad 1879 

J.  A.  Boyer 1 880 

A.  H.  Botkin 1881 

W.  W.  Phillips 1882 

Sam  V.  West 1883 

B.  L.  Chnse 1884 

Georce  H.  Nichols 1885 

W.  T.  Wilkinson 1886 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  351 

J.  A.  T.  Hull 1S87 

A.  W.  Guthrie 1888 

Park  0.  Wilsou 1889 

G.  W.  Beall 18U0 

T.  J.  Doane 1891 

A.  S.  Carper 18!)2 

G.  C.  Sims 1893 

V.  P.  Twombly 1894 

OFFICERS   OF   1895. 

Commander — J.  J.  Moore. 
Senior  Vice  Commander — William  Brown. 
Junior  Vice  Commander — F.  F.  Blvler. 
Chaplain— W.  W.  Phillips. 
Surgeon — J.  O.  Skinner. 
Adjutant— W.  O.  Waldron. 
Quartermaster — J.  F.  Lane. 
Officer  of  Day— C.  E.  Stader. 
Officer  of  Guard — David  Groves. 
Sergeant  Major — D.  S.  McQuiston. 
Quartermaster  Sergeant — John  Shaffer. 
Sentinel — Robert  McNulty. 

ROSTER  OF   MEMBERS. 

Atmore,  E.  W.,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Akers,  John,  7th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Atchly,  George  W.,  31th  Ohio  infantry. 
Anderson,  John,  15th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Bolton,  Leander,  47tli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Barrack,  Joseph,  1st  Iowa  Infantry. 
Bryan,  P.  L.,  34th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Beal,  George  W.,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Burns,  John,  Steamer  Flambeau,  U.  S.  N. 
Brown,  William,  22nd  Pennsylvania  Infantrv. 
Botkin,  A.  H.,  79th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Barrett,  Alex.,  60th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Blyler,  F.  P.,  2nd  Iowa  Battery. 
Butterfield,  O.  W.,  184th  New  York  Infantry. 
Barcus,  Samuel,  120th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Bunce,  Dansforth,  71st  Illinois  Infantry. 
Burt,  G.  S.,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 


852  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Bennett,  H.  J.,  2ncl  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Betts,  Shepard,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Briggs,  Moore,  31st  Iowa  Infantry. 
Brown,  P.  W.,  14th  Iowa  Inf antrj-. 
Brown,  Z.  A.,  39tli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Brown,  Benjamin,  42nd  Ohio  Infantry. 
Boatwright,  David,  5th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Blakesley,  Joseph,  31st  Iowa  Infantry. 
Brockway,  N.  P.,  19th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Burdick,  George  L.,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Budd,  C.  W.,  27tli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Boyle,  William,  34th  Iowa  Infantrj^ 
Chase,  K.  L.,  3rd  NeAv  York  Cavalry. 
Carper,  A.  S.,  50th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Cady,  Charles,  19th  Iowa  Infantrj-. 
Clampitt,  R.  M.,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Conrad,  W.  F.,  25th  Iowa  Infantiy. 
Crumhaker,  J.  W.,  11th  Illinois  Cavalry. 
Carter,  W.  H.,  93rd  Illinois  Infantry.  " 
Cox,  James  H.,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Cunningham,  H.,  48th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Clinkenbeard,  J.  W.,  9th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Crawshaw,  J.  R.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Crosbie,  Simon,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Coleman,  R.  M.  J.,  113th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Coon,  J.  H.,  1st  Michigan  Infantry. 
Chapman,  Amasa,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Chapman,  Carlos,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Cox,  Jacob  H.,  34t]i  Iowa  Infantry. 
Conrad,  Edwin,  10th  Michigan  Cavalry. 
Christy,  William,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Crystal,  James  A.,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Cooper,  C.  H.,  4th  Illinois  Cavalry. 
Corigan,  Thomas,  88th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Colwell,  Lafayette,  9th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 
Cavana,  Lewis,  19th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Cochran,  Jesse  F.,  1st  Iowa  Battery. 
Chrisman,  L.  V.,  16th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Clements,  James  H.,  29th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Christian, ,  2nd  Ohio  Cavalry. 

Donovan,  J.  W.,  13th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Deakin,  J.  E.,  14th  low^a  Infantry. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  353 

Davis,  Samuel,  68th  U.  S.  C.  Infantry. 

Davis,  J.  B.,  34tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dell,  Moses,  1st  Pennsylvania  L.  A. 

Dean,  J.  H.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Devore,  David,  IStli  Iowa  Infantry. 

Dickens,  E.  S.,  60th  U.  S.  C.  Infantry. 

Downing,  J.  P.,  173rd  Ohio  Infautrj'. 

Dilworth,  Charles  H.,  124th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Douglas,  Clinton,  6th  Massachusetts  Infantry. 

Daily,  J.  I.,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Duulap,  kS.  M.,  8th  Iowa  Infantry. 

David,  Joshua,  107th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Dockstader,  C.  B.,  9th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Deemer,  Joseijh,,  10th  Iowa  lufautrv. 

Elwell,  J.  O.,  123rd  Illinois  Infantry' 

Edniondson,  Chris,  64th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Ellis,  J.  C,  16Sth  Ohio  Infantry.  '  :       i 

Elliott,  S.  M.,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Fisher,  ^y.  H.,  1st  New  York  Eng.  Cor^js. 

Fisher,  Linford,  25th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Foster,  J.  C,  1st  Kansas  Infantry. 

Fahnestock,  B.  J.,  15th  Pennsylvania  Infantry.  ; 

Ferree,  J.  M.,  130th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Fagan,  Ezra  B.,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Ford,  R.  E.,  44th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Gordon,  T.  F.,  139th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Green,  A.,  19th  Iowa  Infantry.  '^ 

Guthrie,  A.  W.,  13th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Good,  Samuel,  4th  Iowa  Cavalry.  ] 

Groves,  David,  9th  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Gregg,  J.  G,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Gari'ett,  J.  C,  18th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Graj^,  H.  O.,  35th  Missouri  Infantry.  i 

Gardner,  W.  A.,  124th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Gross,  C.  H.,  9th  Iowa  Cavalrj^ 

Gilchrist,  John  F.,  9th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Grace,  J.  L.,  14th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Humphrey,  W.  T.  K.,  44th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hague,  Joseph,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hawkins,  S.  E.,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hartman,  Orlando,  24th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hiatt,  Amos,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry.  '. 


iM 


354  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


Havens,  Jasper,  4tli  Illinois  CaA'alry. 

Hoopes,  T.  J.,  120th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Hull,  J.  A.  T.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Howard,  F.  A.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantrj^. 

Henry,  Charles  W.,  88th  U.  S.  C.  Infantry. 

Hawk,  L.  S.,  35th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Howard,  F.  M.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Herring,  Milton,  34th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Houseman,  Isaiah,  100th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Hall,  A.  C,  1st  Illinois  L.  A. 

Houseman,  W.  H.,  14th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Hussey,  F.  D.,  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  A. 

Hammer,  G.  B.,  12th  Pennsylvania  Cavali-y. 

Hollis,  E.  B.,  musician,  20th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Haines,  George  W.,  8th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Haines,  Jesse,  98th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Hushman,  Emanuel,  147th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Halstead,  Samuel,  3rd  Maryland  Infantry. 

Hubbard,  R.  G,  116th  New  York  Infantrj^ 

Houseman,  J.  W.,  18th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Haulman,  Harry,  21st  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Hanah,  C.  E.,  39th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Hammer,  Elisha,  7th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
I  ,  Hockett,  I.  L.,  2nd  Indiana  Cavalry. 

Hammer,  John  H.,  7th  Iowa  Cavalr3^ 

Hayward,  D.  L.,  2nd  Ohio  Artillery. 
j  I  Iseminger,  H.  G.,  7th  Indiana  Cavalry. 

I  i  Isham,^.  M.,  1st  U.  S.  S. 

i  i  Jennings,  Benjamin,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Jones,  C.  T.,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Johnson,  A.  S.,  27th  Pennsylvania  Cavalrv. 

Johnson,  J.  W.,  60th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Jones,  A.  J.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Johnson,  Lewis  H.,  92nd  Ohio  Infantry. 

Kelley,  Joseph,  12th  Michigan  Infantry. 

Keuhner,  Frank,  35th  Indiana  Infantry.  ■■  ■ 

Kennedy,  J.  F.,  surgeon,  U.  S.  A. 

Koons,  J.  H.,  1st  Indiana  Artillery. 

Ivirkpatrick,  I.  G.,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Kimes,  Jacob,  19th  Iowa  Infantry.  '  , 

Ivuble,  Frank,  98th  New  York  Infantry. 

Kostenbader,  E.,  93rd  Illinois  Infantry. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  355 

Kidd,  Thomas  C,  9tli  Illinois  Infantry. 

Lane,  James  F.,  IGitli  Oliio  Infantry. 

Lacy,  T.  A.,  168tli  Ohio  Infantry. 

Luter,  John,  116th  New  York  Infantry. 

Litton,  John  N.,  53rd  Ohio  Infantiy. 

Lemon,  John  M.,  135th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Lynch,  M.,  148th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Lee,  Joseph,  45th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Lamme}^,  W.  N.,  149th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Lewis,  James,  4th  Iowa  Infantry.        * 

Lutter,  George,  4th  U.  S.  Artillery. 

Martin,  S.  E.,  SGth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Martin,  G.  W.,  tTh  Iowa  Infantry. 

Martin,  E.  A.,  14th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

McCauley,  C.  H.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

McGarraugh,  J.  D.,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 

McNulty,  Kobert,  4tli  Iowa  Infantry. 

Mcl^uiston,  D.  S.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantiy. 

Martindale,  W.  S.,  92nd  New  York  Infantry. 

Minelows,  George,  93rd  Illinois  Infantrj'-. 

Markham,  L.  H.,  49th  New  York  lufantrj-. 

Manbeck,  E.,  39th  low^a  Infantry. 

Mead,  Orson,  93rd  Illinois  Infantry. 

Moore,  J.  J.,  9th  low^a  Infantrj^ 

Myers,  R.  R.,  30th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Moorehead,  James  A.,  9th  Iowa  Cavahy. 

Mock,  Henry,  84th  Indiana  Infantry. 

Mitchell,  F.  T.,  3Gth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Manbeck,  Isaiah,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Mattoon,  L.  B.,  1st  New  York  Artillery.  , 

Mills,  J.  W.,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 

McMillan,  J.  E.,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Monnett,  H.  V.,  SGth  Ohio  Infantry. 

Nelson,  George  B.,  104th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Novinger,  Isaac,  30tli  Iowa  Infantr3^ 

Neidig,  Samuel,  24th  Iowa  Infantrj^ 

Nagle,  Webster,  1st  Iowa  Infantrj^ 

Noble,  William,  23rd  Iowa  Infantrj\ 

Nelson,  Frank,  4th  U.  S.  Artillery. 

Oxberger,  Irvin,  112th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Oder,  Frederick,  19th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 

Olsen,  Ole,  82nd  Illinois  Infantry. 


356  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Phillips,  W.  W.,  99th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Painter,  J.  C,  2nd  Iowa  InfantiT. 
Pickett,  G.  D.,  50th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Pointer,  W.  L.,  83rd  Illinois  Infantry. 
Preston,  Shandler,  36th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Plummer,  B.  F.,  16th  Kansas  Infantry. 
Paul,  J.  M.,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Plummer,  Hiram,  112th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Plantz,  A'.  A.,  i6th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Plummer,  A.  L.,  Ith  Iowa  Infantry. 
Payne,  J.  J.,  Sth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 
Pray,  A.  L.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Pease,  G.  A.,  S3rd  Illinois  Infantry. 
Eyden,  C.  A.,  12th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Reel,  Charles,  11th  Missouri  Infantry. 
Eeigart,  E.  H.,  surgeon,  35th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Rozelle,  N.  W.,  123rd  Indiana  Infantry. 
Riddle,  William,  2nd  loAva  Infantry. 
Robinson,  Adam,  lUth  Iowa  Infantry. 
Reeves,  J.  II.,  92nd  Ohio  Infantry. 
Ring,  T.  R.,  83rd  Pennsj'lvauia  Infantry. 
Reigart,  C.  K.,  11th  Iowa  lufantiy. 
Reeves,  Lafayette,  110th  Oliio  Infantry. 
Rej'ger,  Thomas,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Riddle,  O.  C,  20th  Illinois  Infantry.' 
Ross,  George  W.,  139th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Rice,  Peter,  16th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Rocbj',  M.  C,  33rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Sims,  George  G,  1th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Swearinger,  J.  B.,  12th  West  Virginia  Infantry. 
Sharp,  David,  18th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Steadman,  George  O.,  31st  Iowa  Infantry. 
Shaffer,  J.  I-T.,  112nd  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 
St-aves,  M.  C,  lltli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Stader,  C.  E.,  1st  Louisiana  Infantry. 
Stevenson,  J.  P.,  19tli  Iowa  Infantry. 
Strickland,  Perry,  9th  Illinois  Cavalry. 
Stutsman,  Sol,  1st  Iowa  Batterj'. 
Swope,  H.  H.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Southwick,  A.  H.,  11th  Iowa  Infantry.  , 
Sat;e,  J.  R.,  121st  New  York  Infantrv.' 
Shanly,  John,  39th  Iowa  Infantry.' 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  357 

Skinner,  J.  O.,  surgeon,  lOth  Iowa  Infantry. 
Smith,  Andrew,  4th  Illinois  Cavalry. 
Shimer,  A.  M.,  4th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Scott,  Martin,  11th  Indiana  lufantiy. 
Scott,  A.  W.,  46th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Scholes,  A.  J.,  43rd  Indiana  Infantry. 
Smith,  Charles  P.,  54th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Stuart,  Brazil,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Stuart,  John  W.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Sajdor,  Thomas  J.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Swift,  Fremont  E.,  8th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Swick,  P.  D.,  1st  Illinois  Artillery. 
Shea,  John  E.,  35th  Iowa  Infantrj^ 
Sims,  F.  W.,  92nd  Illinois  Infantry. 
Shipley,  William,  Battery. 
Springer,  O.  H.  P.,  9th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Swiggert,  Philip,  57th  Illinois  Infantrw. 
Tyron,  S.  W.,  14th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Tliompson,  Hiram,  45th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Trout,  H.  C,  11th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 
Thurber,  Frank,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Taft,  Joel,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Tolliver,  Henry,  60th  U.  S.  C.  infantry. 
Twombly,  V.  P.,  2nd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Thonuis,  William,  7th  Missouri  Infantry. 
Tweed,  N.  S.,  170th  Ohio  Infantiy. 
Updyke,  Charles  E.,  9th  Ohio  Infantry. 
A'angundy,  Lafayette,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Ahorse,  Mahlon,  26th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Walker,  J.  S.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Weems,  George  W.,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Worthington,  C.  B.,  0th  Wisconsin  Battery. 
Wuest,  Jacob,  95th  New  York  Infantry. 
Walker,  M.  K.,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 
West,  S.  v.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wicks,  B.  D.,  17th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Weston,  A.  C,  36th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Wilkins,  J.  E.,  112th  Illinois  Infantry.' 
Wilkinson,  W.  T.,  1st  West  Virginia  Cavalry. 
Wilkinson,  J.  S.,  15th  West  Virginia  Infantry. 
Waldron,  W.  O.,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Witter,  W.  L.,  4th  Iowa  Cavalry. 


358  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Waller,  E.,  172nd  Ohio  Infantry. 
Wright,  Ed,  major  24th  Iowa  Infantrj'. 
Williams,  J.  D.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wagoner,  Gideon,  34th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Waltz,  H.  E.,  1st  Wisconsin  Cavalry. 
Webster,  George  P.,  13th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Wilson,  Charles,  48th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wilkins,  Kesin,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Ward,  Milo  W.,  139th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Williams,  Shadrack,  63rd  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 
Winters,  Isaac,  39th  Iowa  Infantry'. 
West,  Joseph  M.,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Walters,  John,  40th  Ohio  InfantrJ^ 
Williams,  James,  11th  Ohio  Cavalry. 
Walker,  Aug.  D.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 
Wagner,  H.  D.,  6th  Iowa  Infantry. 

HONORED   DEAD. 

Brown,  A.  T.,  13th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Berry,  G.  L.,  8th  Iowa  Cavalry. 
Burch,  F.  A.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantiy. 
Cully,  Albert,  147th  Indiana  Infantry. 
Cooper,  S.  A.,  88th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Carpenter,  E.  M.,  106th  New  York  Infantry. 
Day,  William,  6th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Donner,  T.  J.,  70th  Indiana  Infantry. 
DeWitt,  K.  M.,  9th  New  York  Artillery. 
Dodd,  Albert,  45th  Iowa  Infantiy. 
Emmert,  Jacob  M.,  34th  Illinois  Infantrj'. 
Ensminger,  H.  C,  71st  Indiana  Infantry. 
Fram,  Eandolph,  70th  Ohio  Infantrj-. 
Foote,  W.  D.,  9th  New  York  Cavalry. 
Fuller,  S.  L.,  30th  Wisconsin  Infantry. 
Fleming,  Samuel,  15th  Iowa  Infantry. 
Griffith,  F.  M.,  2nd  Iowa  Cavalr3^ 
Gunder,  Joseph,  1st  Pennsylvania  Cavalrv. 
Griffith,  E.,  139th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Hamilton,  R.  W.,  129th  Ohio  Infantry. 
Holmes,  G.  B.,  1st  Wisconsin  Cavalrv. 
Hatfield,  G.  D.,  58th  Illinois  Infantry. 
Howe,  W.  B.,  14th  Indiana  Infantrv. 
Hall,  Levi  M.,  22nd  Iowa  Infantry.' 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINE^"^.  359 

Hunter,  Joseph,  211th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

Hedge,  George  E.,  44th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Havens,  Jasper,  4th  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Luddington,  W.  W.,  Sth  Indiana  Infantry. 

McNutt,  Rober-t,  surgeon,  38th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Miller,  R.  K.,  14th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Mills,  Levi  W.,  45th  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 

McCall,  G.  W.,  6th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Norris,  T.  M.,  40th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Reed,  W.  N.,  10th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Roach,  J.  B.,  23rd  Iowa  Infantry. 

Spry,  G.  W.,  34th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Smith,  J.  A.,  58th  Illinois  Infantry. 

Shober,  Paul  F.,  15th  New  York  Artillery. 

Sorrell,  Nelson,  Sth  Pennsylvania  Cavaliy. 

Wolf,  J.  W.,  47th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Wilson,  Park  C.,  30th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Whinery,  Columbus,  16th  Ohio  Infantry. 

Wheaton,  J.  S.,  39th  Iowa  Infantry. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

NOTES  ON   VARIOUS   TOPICS. 

IN  1846  the  first  regular  tax  was  levied  and  collected  in 
Polk  County.  The  total  amount  of  this  tax  was  |375.14. 
The  tax  levy  of  Polk  County  in  1894  was  |1,041,155.95. 
In  1857,  Will  Porter  was  paid  .pTS.SO  for  publishing  the 
list  of  delinquent  taxes  of  that  year. 

In  1894,  Lafe  Young  was  paid  .fl,583.80  for  publishing 
the  deliquent  tax  list  of  that  year. 


Among  the  first  constables  of  Des  Moines  townships 
were  Samuel  Dilley  and  Thaddeus  Williams,  who  were 
appointed  in  January,  1847. 


The  first  dealer  in  ice  in  Des  Moines  was  E.  E.  Clapp, 
and  he  was  followed  by  George  R.  and  Charles  Cranston. 
Albert  Grefe  followed  the  Cranstons,  and  afterwards  with 
his  sons  enlarged  the  business  and  successfully  conducted 
it  for  a  number  of  years. 


A.  B.  Fuller  and  P.  H.  Burrows  claim  to  have  made  the 
first  plow  and  first  wagon  manufactured  in  the  county. 


The  first  drayman  in  Des  Moines  was  Michael  Kennedy, 
who  settled  here  in  1855.  lie  followed  the  business  for 
years,  and  is  yet  living,  an  honored  and  well  to  do  citizen. 


The  first  steam  power  was  used  in  the  mill  built  by 
Charles  C.  Van  in  1848,  and  the  first  steam  power  applied 
to  a  printing  press  was  by  John  Teesdale  in  the  Eegister 
office  in  1859. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXE^.  361 

The  first  stove  store  was  opened  by  Jesse  S.  Dicks,  wlio 
came  to  Des  Moines  in  1849.  His  son  and  tjTandson  are 
engaged  in  the  same  business  in  Des  Moines  today.  The 
senior  Dicks  was  at  times  given  the  soubriquet  of  "Buggy"' 
Dicks,  we  learn,  because  he  was  tlie  first  man  at  his  former 
home  in  Indiana  to  purchase  and  use  one  of  these  now  gen- 
erally used  vehicles. 


The  first  power  press  brought  to  Des  Moines  was  an  old- 
fashioned  Guernsey,  run  by  hand,  and  the  hands  operating 
it  considered  it  a  back-breaker.  It  was  brought  by  T.  H. 
Sypherd  and  used  in  the  Citizen,  now  the  Register  office. 


Eev.  Spurlock  was  a  noted  character  in  the  early  days. 
He  was  a  preacher  of  the  Methodist  Church,  but  it  is  al- 
leged loved  not  only  chickens,  but  also  horses  and  money. 
It  was  time  and  again  charged  that  he  made  or  handled 
counterfeit  money,  and  was  more  or  less  connected  with 
horse  thieves.  But  he  was  shrewd  and  could  never  be  con- 
victed, because  of  the  lack  of  evidence  against  him. 


According  to  the  court  record  P.  M.  Casady  was  the  sec- 
ond attornej^  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Polk  County.  William 
D.  Frazee  was  the  first.  William  McKay  and  Thomas 
Baker  were  practicing  attorneys  before  this,  having  been 
admitted  in  other  counties. 


When  Thomas  Mitchell  settled  at  Apple  Grove  there 
was  a  vast  stretch  of  prairie  to  the  east,  and  on  what  was 
afterwards  the  Iowa  Gitj  road  not  a  dwelling  house  until 
the  travelers  came  to  Bear  Grove,  not  far  from  the  present 
town  of  Marengo.  And  this  was  only  a  little  over  fifty 
years  ago! 


362  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

In  the  early  days  the  County  Board  did  not  propose  en- 
couraging the  bringing  of  charges  against  persons  before 
the  Grand  Jury,  especially  when  they  were  of  a  frivolous 
character,  and  perhaps  inspired  more  by  malice  than  a 
desire  for  justice.  Hence,  under  date  of  October  10,  1850, 
we  find  the  following:  "Ordered,  that  the  Board,  upon  < 
mature  deliberation,  consider  that  no  fees  should  be  al- 
lowed to  any  person  for  serving  as  witness  before  the 
Grand  Jury."    This  might  be  a  good  order  now. 


The  County  seal,  adopted  by  the  County  Commissioners 
April  13, 1846,  was  the  eagle  side  of  a  half  dollar.  In  1851 
one,  Robbins,  was  allowed  flS.OO  out  of  the  lot  fund  for  a 
new  county  seal.  April  7, 1846,  the  District  Court  ordered 
that  the  seal  of  the  court  should  be  the  eagle  side  of  a 
twenty-five  cent  piece,  American  coinage.  The  Board  of 
Supervisors  for  a  time  used  the  same  kind  of  a  seal. 


The  first  apple  and  peach  orchard  in  Polk  County,  it  is 
claimed,  was  set  out  by  Eli  Mosier  in  1848  on  what  was  aft- 
erwards called  the  Burnham  Farm,  now  in  the  northwest 
portion  of  the  city.  Heavy  crops  of  peaches  were  produced 
in  1855  and  1856,  but  the  trees  were  killed  bj^  the  severe 
cold  weather  of  January,  1857. 


It  is  related  that  the  noted  pomologist,  James  Smith, 
when  he  settled  at  an  earlj'  daj^  in  what  is  now  Douglas 
Township,  made  a  temporary  home  for  himself  and  son  by 
excavating  a  hole  in  the  side  of  a  hill  on  his  land,  and  mak- 
ing a  slab  door.  There  the  father  and  son  lived  for  some 
time,  very  snugly  and  not  very  uncomfortablj'.  Near  this 
they  started  the  first  nursery  of  frviit  trees  in  Polk  County. 


At  the  first  sale  of  lots  in  Fort  Des  Moines  the  highest 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  S63 

price  paid — 1160 — was  paid  hj  W.  W.  Clapp  for  the  lot 
nearest  "the  point,"  corner  of  First  and  Elm  streets.  The 
lowest  price  paid  for  a  lot  was  -flO. 


At  first  wood  was  more  used  than  coal  in  town  and 
county,  but  after  a  time  coal  came  into  more  general  use, 
though  it  was  years  before  it  was  used  to  any  extent  for 
the  puriDOse  of  cooking.  In  April,  1847,  A.  D.  Jones  pre- 
sented a  bill  for  eightj-eight  bushels  of  coal  furnished  the 
clerk's  office,  but  the  Board  refused  to  allow  it,  and  he  had 
to  appeal  to  the  District  Court  for  relief.  This  was  one  of 
the  earliest  coal  deals,  though  it  is  known  the  soldiers  dug 
and  used  considerable  coal  while  here.  This  they  obtained 
near  where  the  dam  was  afterwards  built,  but  it  is  stated 
their  best  coal  was  found  near  the  corner  of  Barlow 
Granger's  place,  south  of  'Coon. 


The  first  regular  venire  for  petit  jurors  included  the  fol- 
lowing named  persons,  brought  into  court  September  29,. 
1846:  Samuel  Dille,  Aaron  Coppick,  G.  B.  Clark,  James 
White,  John  Parrot,  Thomas  Morris,  George  Rivers,  Eli 
Smithson,  Alfred  Bowman,  Benjamin  Frederick,  Simeon 
Ballard  and  John  Eoop.  On  the  same  day  the  first  jury 
trial  in  Polk  County  was  had  with  eleven  jurors,  Benjamin 
Frederick  being  unwell. 


William  Lamb  is  credited  with  having  built  one  of,  if 
not  the  first,  dwelling  houses  in  the  county.  It  was  located 
on  Agency  Prairie,  not  far  from  the  presentpacking  houses. 


During  the  administration  of  Byron  Rice  as  County 
Judge,  he  organized  the  counties  of  Hardin  and  Story.  The 
former  he  divided  into  two  townships,  Washinton  and  Kos- 


36Jt  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

vsutli,  and  the  latter  into  two,  named  Scott  and  Pierce, 
after  the  then  tAvo  candidates  for  President.  In  1852  Polk 
<Jount3'  had  jurisdiction,  for  election  and  revenue  purposes, 
over  nearly  all  Northern  and  Western  Iowa,  except  Dallas 
and  Boone  Counties. 


The  second  stock  of  drugs  ever  brought  to  Des  Moines 
was  by  W.  W.  Moore,  who  started  a  new  drug  store  on  Sec- 
ond street,  below  Vine. 


It  is  stated  that  two  negro  women  were  held  as  slaves 
in  Fort  Des  Moines.  This  statement  is  that  Joseph  Smart, 
the  at  that  time  well  known  interpreter  for  Major  Beach, 
the  Indian  Agent,  purchased  two  slave  women  in  Missouri 
and  brought  them  to  the  agency,  where  he  held  them  for 
some  time  as  his  slaves.  He  afterwards  took  them  South 
and  there  sold  them,  though  Chief  Justice  Mason  of  the 
Territorial  Court  had  previously  held  that  if  a  master 
brought  his  slave  into  Iowa  Territorj^  he  therebj^  lost  all 
ownership  or  control  over  said  slave. 


W.  W.  Moore,  locating  in  Des  Moines  in  1847,  was  for 
many  yeai'S  a  merchant,  having  a  large  store  called  "The 
Hoosier,"  on  Second  street,  and  afterwaixls  on  Walnut, 
near  Fourth.  He  owned  the  lots  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Walnut  and  Fourth,  and  upon  this  corner  built  the  first 
regular  theatre  or  opera  house.  This  is  now  the  Wonder- 
land Museum.  Mr.  Moore  yet  owns  the  most  of  this  valu- 
able property.  He  has  also  been  interested  in  the  Grand 
Opera  House,  and  has  for  years  contr(dled  the  bill  posting 
of  the  city.  He  now  has  control  of  the  Wonderland  Mu- 
seum, and  also  operates  a  book  and  news  room  in  the 
building. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  365 

Mrs.  Nettie  Sanford,  in  lier  Early  Slvetches,  says  that 
in  early  days  tlie  prairie  schooner  was  the  bed  and  boarding- 
place  until  the  pioneer  cabin  was  bnilt,  which  generally 
measured  about  fourteen  feet  square.  Logs  Avere  split  foi 
puncheon  floors  and  sometimes  Mother  Earth  was  left  t(^ 
bare  her  bosom  to  the  shai"p  toes  of  split-bottomed  chairs 
and  pole  bedsteads.  A  dry  goods  box  with  two  or  three 
shelves  was  the  pantry.  This  often  tried  the  nerves  of  the 
housekeeper,  as  the  dishes  rebelled  at  the  small  cribbing 
up  and  dashed  to  the  floor  in  the  most  rebellious  fashion. 
Sometimes  there  were  four  panes  of  glass  in  the  window 
of  the  cabin,  but  if  there  were  no  glass  the  good  housewife 
greased  a  paper,  oftentimes  an  old  letter  and  covered  the 
window  ajjerture,  emitting  a  soft  translucent  light,  favor- 
able to  brunettes.  In  the  fireplace  of  the  cabin  blazed  a  pile 
of  logs  or  a  chunk  fire  by  the  door  in  summer,  where  the 
camp  kettle  and  skillet  did  service,  and  left  the  cabin  cool 
and  comfortable. 


It  is  stated  the  first  shoemaker  was  Nathaniel  Campbell,, 
who  in  1845  had  a  shop  in  a  log  cabin  which  stood  where  is 
now  Ewing  &  Jewett's  lumber  yard,  and  where  the  new- 
market  house  is  planned  to  be. 


For  lack  of  regular  pipe  Peter  Newcomer  used  bark  for 
stove  pipe  when  he  first  built  his  cabin  on  Agency  Prairie. 
Subsequently  he  came  near  losing  his  home  by  reason  of 
his  bark  getting  on  fire. 


When  first  established  the  postoffice  here  was  called 
'Raccoon  River." 


Two  of  the  most  valuable  lots  in  the  city  at  this  time 
were  put  up  on  the  Presidential  election  of  1848.    A  Demo- 


366  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

crat  then  holding  a  county  office  bantered  a  Whig  business 
man  to  wager  a  lot  he  had  purchased  against  one  the  latter 
had  made  a  payment  upon,  that  Lewis  Cass  would  be  elect- 
ed President.  The  Whig  took  him  up  and  won.  According 
to  agi'eement  the  Democrat  paid  what  was  due  the  county, 
some  .$40,  on  the  lot,  and  then  deeded  it  to  the  Whig.  The 
latter,  caring  little  for  the  lots,  offered  them  to  his  brother 
for  the  original  cost  from  the  county  and  gave  him  his  OAvn 
time  to  pay  for  them.  The  brother  took  the  lots  and  in  a 
few  years  they  added  materially  to  his  wealth.  The  lots 
today  would  sell  for  a  considerable  fortune. 


Hon.  Joseph  Williams,  one  of  the  early  Territorial  and 
State  Judges,  was  one  of  the  most  jovial  of  men  and  at  the 
same  time  a  strict  "teetotaller."  In  going  the  judicial 
rounds  in  each  county  he  had  the  following  pledge  re- 
corded, and  induced  as  many  as  possible  of  the  members 
t)f  the  bar,  coui't  officials,  and  others  to  sign  it:  "We,  the 
undersigned,  hj  hereunto  setting  our  names,  pledge  our 
sacred  honor,  each  to  the  other,  that  we  will  abstain  from 
all  intoxicating  drink  as  a  beverage."  This  was  at  a  time 
Avhen  drinking  among  the  members  of  the  bar  was  more 
common  perhaps  than  at  this  day,  and  the  Judge's  pledge 
no  doubt  did  much  good,  even  if  it  was  often  broken.  Judge 
Williams  was  a  fine  scholar,  a  wit  and  humorist,  and  the 
life  and  soul  of  a  feast  or  social  party.  He  was  also  a 
musician  who  could  plaj^  almost  any  instrument.  He  lived 
for  many  years  at  Muscatine,  but  being  appointed  a  United 
States  Judge  in  Kansas,  became  a  resident  of  that  Terri- 
tory and  State,  and  died  there  some  years  ago.  "Judge 
•Joe,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  was  a  prominent  and 
much  loved  man  in  the  early  days  of  Iowa. 


Major  Hoyt  Sherman  in  1850  attended  a  judicial  sale 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  867 

of  the  Pursley  estate,  with  the  intention  of  purchasing  one 
of  the  five-acre  tracts  if  the  bidding  did  not  go  beyond  Ms 
means.  He  went  early  and  Judge  J.  C.  Jones,  guardian  of 
the  minor  heirs,  asked  him  to  act  as  clerk  of  the  sale  for  the 
sum  of  |5.  When  the  tract  the  Major  wanted  was  offered 
he  bid,  but  others  bid  also.  He  had  placed  his  limit  at  flOO 
and  some  other  man  bid  this  amount.  The  Major  stopped, 
but  soon  concluded  to  add  his  day's  work,  bid  -f  105  and  got 
the  land.  He,  years  afterwards,  built  his  residence  \\\i(n\  it, 
owns  it  now,  and  the  land  is  now  worth  close  to  .$50,000. 


It  is  claimed  that  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  county, 
and  in  the  territory  which  is  now  a  part  of  the  city,  was 
that  of  J.  M.  Thrift  and  wife,  and  Thrift  was  the  first  tailor 
in  the  town,  coming  here  with  the  soldiers. 


In  the  records  of  the  District  Court  of  Polk  County  lor 
the  May  term,  1849,  we  find  the  following  entries: 

"On  motion,  Barlow  Granger  produced  to  the  court  a 
certificate  given  by  three  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  State  of  Iowa,  licensing  him  to  practice  in  the  Supreme 
Court  and  the  District  Courts  of  this  State,  which  certifi- 
cate being  satisfactory  to  the  court,  Barlow  Granger  ap- 
peared in  open  court  and  took  the  oath  required  by  law. 

"Hoyt  Sherman  presented  to  the  court  a  certificate 
granted  by  the  Supx*eme  Court,  licensing  him  to  practice 
in  the  Supreme  and  District  Courts,  which  being  satis- 
factory to  this  court,  Hoyt  Sherman  appeared  in  open  court 
and  took  the  oath  required  by  law." 


Isaac  Cooper  was  not  a  shoemaker,  and  yet  to  him  is 
awarded  the  claim  of  having  made  the  first  pair  of  shoes 
put  together  in  Polk  County.  Winter  was  coming  on,  his 
children's  feet  were  bare,  shoemakers  and  leather  scarce, 
and  out  of  the  discarded  saddles  of  officers  of  the  Fort  he 
procured  leather  from  which  he  made  the  shoes.    Cooper 


368  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

says  be  never  purchased  of  a  merchant  such  durable  shoes, 
though  there  may  have  been  more  handsome  ones. 


Taylor  Pierce,  a  well  known  citizen  and  early  settler, 
who  was  much  among  the  Indians,  says  the  latter  called 
the  vicinity  of  Des  Moines  Ase-po-lo,  which  means  Raccoon. 
The  river  was  called  Ase-po-lo-sepo,  sepo  meaning  river. 
Des  Moiues  River  was  called  Keosauqua  always,  from  its 
source  to  its  mouth.  The  words  mean  dark,  or  inky,  and 
originated  probably  from  the  drainage  into  it  of  the  char- 
red, blackened  debris  from  burned  prairies.  The  Indians 
spoke  of  the  Des  Moines  River  as  "Keosauqua  sepo."  If 
coming  to  Des  Moines  and  asked,  their  answer  would  be: 
"Posse  puckachee  Ase-po-lo,"  meaning,  "We  are  going  to 
the  Raccoon." 


Luther  D.  Johnson,  a  young  lawyer  of  much  promise, 
came  to  Des  Moines  from  Iowa  City,  in  the  spring  of  1850, 
to  take  charge  of  the  Iowa  Star,  which  had  been  established 
the  year  previous  by  Barlow  Granger.  During  the  summer 
he  Avas  called  back  to  Iowa  City  by  the  serious  illness  of 
his  brother.  Then  he  himself  was  taken  sick  and  died. 
The  Des  Moines  Bar  subsequently  passed  appropriate  reso- 
lutions and  wore  mourning  for  thirtjr  days. 


Dr.  H.  H.  Saylor  came  to  Polk  County  in  1846  and  located 
in  a  cabin  on  Sajdor  bottom,  where  he  commenced  thc^ 
practice  of  medicine.  He  afterwards  practiced  in  Des 
.Moines  for  many  years  and  up  to  his  death.  He  built  one 
of  the  first  brick  residences  in  the  town  on  Front  street, 
below  A'ine. 


In  the  fall  of  1846  J.  J.  McCall,  of  Camp  Township,  made 
a  contract  with  Ballard  to  haul  hisc(u*n  to  Fort  Des  Moines, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  369 

Ballard  to  have  himself  one  load  of  corn  for  every  load  he 
hauled  to  the  Fort. 


The  first  peddler's  license  was  issued  January  7,  1847, 
to  William  Forsythe,  allowing  him  to  peddle  goods  or  mer- 
chandise in  Polk  County  for  three  months  upon  the  pay- 
ment of  .|7.50.  He  must  have  been  delinquent,  as  on  the 
same  date  P.  M.  Casady  was  allowed  $5.00  for  professional 
services  in  the  case  of  Polk  County  vs.  William  Forsythe, 
before  Squire  Meachem. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

SOCIAL   REMINISCENCES. 
BY  BINA  M.   WYMAN. 

AS  WE  grow  older  our  hearts  turn  backward  at  times  to 
the  pleasures  aud  associations  of  youth,  when  "hope 
"was  3'oung  and  life  was  all  abloom."  Toda)^  I  have 
been  living  over  again  the  scenes  of  thirty  and  thirty-five 
years  ago,  with  the  society  of  loved  ones,  some  of  whom  are 
now  gone  forever,  who  were  the  very  life  and  light  of  every 
social  event. 

In  1859  and  18G0  Des  Moines  was  a  small  village  of  be- 
tween two  thousand  and  three  thousand  inhabitants,  with 
no  railroad  nearer  than  Iowa  City,  a  distance  of  a  hundred 
and  Mtj  miles.  Those  who  came  here  in  a  stage  coach 
well  remember  their  experiences,  some  of  which  were 
thrilling.  Then  everybody  knew  everybody  else,  and  every 
party  was  made  up  of  all  the  young  people,  married  and 
single  (there  were  very  few  old  persons  in  town  then),  and 
every  stranger  who  came  as  a  visitor  was  hailed  with  de- 
light, because  he  or  she  swelled  our  numbers,  and  jolly 
good  times  we  used  to  have. 

About  the  first  person  of  the  procession  who  looms  up  to 
memory's  view  was  the  Episcopal  rector,  Dr.  Peet.  Always 
cheery,  even  humorous,  he  carried  sunshine  Avith  him  aud 
was  ever  a  welcome  visitor.  It  was  the  fashion  in  those 
days  to  have  surprise  parties,  and  one  could  be  aiTanged 
for  on  short  notice,  because  there  was  no  need  of  much 
formality. 

Dr.  Peet  lived  about  a  mile  north  of  town  on  the  river 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  371 

road,  as  we  used  to  call  it,  now  First  street.  His  house 
is  gone  and  the  place  laid  out  in  lots,  so  that  we  can  hardly 
find  it.  Then  he  had  one  of  the  coziest  homes  in  town, 
made  bright  and  cheerful  by  himself,  his  good  wife  and 
family. 

One  winter  night  we  planned  a  surprise  partj^  on  them 
and  started  out  full  of  glee,  a  goodly  company — -carrying 
our  supper  with  us.  The  snow  lay  thick  upon  the  ground 
and  the  sleighing  was  fine.  Mr.  Hoyt  Sherman  took  his 
two-seated  sleigh  aild  fast  stepping  bays,  and  away  we 
sped  to  the  music  of  the  bells;  Mrs.  Sherman,  Mrs.  B.  F. 
Allen  and  the  writer  occupied  the  back  seat,  while  Mr. 
Sherman  and  the  driver  were  in  front.  Mrs.  S.  was  carry- 
ing, very  carefullj^,  a  pail  of  cream  and  Avatching  the 
driving. 

All  went  merrily  until  we  came  to  the  "bad  place,"  a 
very  narrow  strip  of  road  bordering  on  the  river  bank  ou 
one  side  and  a  steep  bank  on  the  other,  so  that  if  the  sleigh 
should  swerve  but  a  few  inches,  over  we  would  go,  and 
being  so  narrow  there  was  no  room  to  turn  out  if  we  should 
meet  another  team.  Altogether  we  felt  rather  nervous  and 
"scarry,"  and  were  holding  oiir  breaths  till  we  should  pass 
this  dreadful  place,  when  all  of  a  sudden  we  missed  Mrs. 
Allen,  and  looking  back  saw  her  sitting  in  the  snow  in  the 
middle  of  the  road !  We  halted  and  Mr.  S.  went  back  to  her 
and  after  some  arguing  and  coaxing  got  her  back  into 
the  sleigh,  although  she  declared  she  would  "rather  walk 
any  time."         '    '  .     ■ ,  ■       ■ 

We  drove  on  and  soon  reached  our  destination  in  safety. 
The  house  was  brilliantly  lighted,  and  there  was  a  great 
wood  fire  in  the  fireplace,  which  I  can  see  now,  with  a  groujj 
of  friends  standing  around,  who  welcomed  us  with  real  old- 


372  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

fashioned  hospitality.    How  we  did  enjoj'  that  supper,  and 
the  games  and  charades  that  followed. 

There  was  Col.  and  Mrs.  S.  F.  Spoiford,  Col.  and  Mrs. 
E.  F.  Hooker,  Mr.  C.  W.  Keyes,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Mitchell,  Misses  Ella  and  Abbie  Mitchell,  Miss  Kate 
Stanley,  Mary  and  Lucy  Love  (Mary  was  Miss  Ella 
Quick's  mother).  Judge  and  Mrs.  Rice,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Finch,  Miss  Mary  Calder  (Mrs.  Rice's  sister),  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  A.  Kasson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ira  Cook,  Warren 
and  Tac  Hussey,  Lizzie  and  Abbie  Cleveland,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thomas  F.  Withrow,  Mr.  J.  B.  Stewart,  W.  S.  Pritcliard, 
the  Callanans  and  Ingliams,  the  Reeds,  Terrys  and  our 
party,  and  many  more  who  have  slipped  from  memory. 

Dr.  Peet  was  a  good  story  teller,  and  could  keep  "the 
table  in  a  roar"  any  time  with  humorous  stories.  Mai)y 
associations  cluster  around  his  memory;  weddings,  chris- 
tenings and  funerals  in  that  little  old  church  on  Seve]ith 
street,  where  Mrs.  Kasson  used  to  play  the  organ  and  Mrs. 
Sherman  and  Mrs.  Keyes  to  sing. 

One  of  the  "oldest  young  men"  was  Col.  S.  F.  Spofford 
(who  now  sleeps  in  Woodland),  "mine  host"  of  the  old  "De- 
Moine"  house,  that  stood  on  the  corner  of  First  and  Walnut 
streets.  He  had  the  finest  turnout  of  fast  going,  black 
horses  and  a  big  sleigh,  and  he  used  to  take  turns  in  giving 
everybod)'  a  ride.  Sometimes  he  would  get  a  big  wagon- 
bed,  put  it  on  runners,  fill  it  up  with  a  gay  party  and  drive 
through  the  streets  and  out  to  somebody's  house  in  the 
countiy,  get  supper  and  have  a  dance,  and  then  go  home 
singing,  "We  Won't  Go  Home  Till  Morning." 

Mr.  O'Kell,  who  afterwards  married  Mary  Teesdale,  was 
the  wit  of  the  company,  and  often  convulsed  us  with  his 
mock  schoolboy  speeches.  Many  a  pleasant  evening  was 
passed  at  the  old  De  Moine  House,  where  O'Kell,  Col.  Spof- 


A.YZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DEti  MOINEt<.  373 

ford  and  Charlie  Spofford  were  the  leading  spirits.  And 
here  we  are  reminded  of  Billy  Woodwell,  another  wit.  He 
still  lives  in  Pittsburg,  and  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Reece  Stew- 
art, lives  here.  He  is  a  cousin  of  Mrs.  John  Mitchell  and 
Mrs.  Mott.  Mrs.  Mitchell  visited  him  this  summer  and 
reported  him  well  and  as  jolly  as  ever.  His  sister.  Miss 
Gerty  Woodwell,  married  John  H.  Stewart,  who  was  Con- 
sul to  France.  She  was  a  beautiful  girl,  and  he  was  a  pol- 
ished gentleman.  Both  died  abroad  within  a  few  years  of 
■each  other. 

We  did  not  have  many  concerts  or  theatres.  Occasion- 
ally a  stray  troupe  of  actors  or  a  lecturer  would  come  this 
way,  but  we  generally  got  up  our  own  entertainments.  Mr. 
Jocelyn,  the  Methodist  minister,  gave  a  series  of  lectures 
one  winter  that  were  well  attended. 

One  of  our  pleasures  in  summer,  was  to  get  up  a  party 
and  drive  out  to  "Swans,"  a  few  miles  southwest  of  town. 
There  we  always  found  a  good  supper  and  music  for  danc- 
ing. And  then  those  drives  by  moonlight!  No  matter 
whether  we  lost  our  waj,  and  run  into  sloughs  or  trees  or 
upset,  the  glamour  of  youthful  romance  was  over  it  all,  and 
nothing  was  serious  then. 

How  well  I  remember  one  summer  night,  after  we  had 
stayed  in  the  house  as  long  as  we  could,  some  of  us  started 
out  to  serenade  our  friends.  There  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  D. 
O.  Finch,  Mary  Calder,  J.  B.  Stewart,  W.  S.  Pritchard, 
George  O'Kell  and  myself.  We  had  a  three-stringed  guitax, 
a  tin-pan  and  a  flute,  coarse  comb  with  paper  wrapped 
around  it,  an  accordeou  and  a  sheet  of  music  rolled  up  for 
a  horn.  Mr.  Finch  and  Mr.  O'Kell  took  the  lead  across  the 
open  lot  where  Kurtz's  bakery  and  the  rest  of  the  buildings 
in  the  rear  of  Lkhty's  drug  store  now  stands.  Mr.  Sher- 
man's house  stood  facing  on  Walnut  street,  where  the  drug 


874  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

store  is,  aud  Judge  Eice  lived  exactlj^  opposite  on  Locust 
street,  wliere  tlie  book  store  building  stands.  Their  houses, 
by  the  way,  were  built  at  the  same  time  and  exactly  alike. 
Judge  Eice  moved  his  house  up  near  Twelfth  and  Locust, 
where  he  now  lives.  Mr.  Sherman's  house  was  burued  about 
1873.  Our  serenading  partj^  stopped  in  front  of  Judge 
Eice's  and  gave  one  of  the  best  selections,  and  was  re- 
warded by  a  bunch  of  onions,  and  because  we  didn't  go 
away  with  that  Mrs.  Eice  threw  out  an  old  calico  wrapper, 
which  Mr.  O'Kell  put  on  aud  made  much  fun  for  us,  as 
a  very  shy  old  maid,  who  was  dreadfully  shocked  by  Mr. 
Finch's  advances.  From  here  we  went  over  to  Mr.  Allen's, 
who  liA'ed  on  Court  avenue  (where  the  Aborn  House  is  uoav), 
aud  after  some  more  fine  selections  Mrs.  Allen  threw  out 
a  withered  bouquet  of  flowers,  over  which  the  prima 
donnas  quarreled  until  we  laughed  heartily,  when  we  all 
went  home. 

Can  we  ever  forget  our  first  fancy  dress  party?  It 
was  giA'en  at  Mr.  Edwin  Sanford's,  who  liA^ed  on  Seventh 
street,  below  Mulberry  street.  There  were  some  fifty  or 
sixty  invitations  issued  (that  was  about  all  the  society 
people  there  were  here  then),  and  a  great  event  it  was.  We 
prepared  our  costumes  with  much  secrecy,  and  great  was 
the  surprise  when  we  unmasked.  Mr.  Sherman  was  a 
Chinaman,  Wesley  Eedhead  an  Esquimaux,  B.  F.  Allen 
a  Turk,  Mr.  O'Kell  a  sailor,  who  called  off  the  cotillions, 
"Ladies  to  larboard,  gents  to  starboard,"  in  true  nautical 
stjde.  Mr.  C.  W.  Keys  was  Brother  Jonathan,  Mrs.  Sher- 
man was  Mrs.  Partington,  and  Jed  Warner  her  son  Ike, 
Mrs.  John  A.  Kasson  was  Pocahontas,  the  Indian  Maiden, 
whom  she  represented  well,  with  her  long  black  braids,  gay 
dress  and  feather  trimmed  leggings.  Mrs.  Judge  Eice  ap- 
peared as  Kitty  Clyde,  "with  her  basket  to  put  in  her  fish,'" 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  375 

while  tlie  Judjie  followed  her  with  a  huge  codfish  hanging 
down  his  back  as  a  take-off;  Mrs.  Allen  was  a  Spanish 
gypsy,  Mary  Calder,  Morning,  Bina  Moulton,  Night,  Miss 
Fanny  McCain,  Walter  McCain's  sister,  who  died  years  ago, 
a  lovely  young  blonde,  was  also  Night.  Miss  Jennie  Chit- 
tenden was  a  flower  girl,  Mr.  Friday  Eason  a  soldier.  The 
house  was  full  of  these  strange  characters,  and  just  as  fun 
and  frolic  was  at  its  height,  all  were  suddenly  liushed 
and  amazed  by  the  appearance  of  four  ghostly  looking  in- 
dividuals led  by  another,  who  introduced  the  party  as  the 
"Hard  Family" — a  take-off  on  the  Hart  Family,  who  had 
recently  given  a  concert  in  town.  The  leader  arranged 
the  men  in  a  row  and  beating  time  vigoroiislj^  with  a  dust 
brush,  saying  "sing''  and  they  "sang"  the  most  doleful, 
lugubrious  tune  we  ever  heard.  It  suggested  "Hark,  from 
the  Tombs,''  sure  enough.  The  quartette  consisted  of  B. 
F.  Allen,  Hojt  Sherman  and  Mr.  Sanford,  with  Mr.  Keyes 
for  leader.  That  evening  was  a  gerat  event  in  Des  Moines 
social  life — because  it  was  the  first  of  the  kind. 

We  had  some  dramatic  talent  in  those  early  days.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  of  '59  and  '60  the  writer  taught  in  the  first 
High  School  in  the  place.  Among  her  pupils  were  Hon.  H. 
Y.  Smith,  Mr.  P.  G.  Noel,  now  a  prosperous  banker  of  To- 
peka,  Kan.;  Mr.  Charles  Green,  who  still  lives  here;  Miss 
Louise  Napier,  a  beautiful  brunette  (since  Mrs.  Ham 
Brown);  Miss  Rachel  Winters,  who  was  quite  a  belle. 
"Hy"  Smith  was  one  of  our  most  talented  young  men  at 
that  time  (he  was  about  seventeen).  He  was  fond  of  the 
drama,  and  got  up  some  scenes  from  the  "Lady  of  the 
Lake,"  quite  creditably.  Rachel  Winters  was  the  Lady, 
and  he  was  James  Fitz  James,  her  spirited  lover.     His 

lines, 

"  Come  one,  come  all,  this  rock  shall  fly 
From  its  base  as  soon  as  I," 


376  A'NNALB  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

quite  brought  down  the  house — Sherman  Hall,  corner  of 
Second  street  and  Court  avenue — which  was  filled  two 
nights  to  hear  it. 

Later  on  when  our  town  library,  which  has  grown  to 
such  proportions,  and  which  Mr.  Smith  was  instrumental 
in  starting,  needed  a  benefit,  we  got  him  to  take  the  char- 
acter of  Claude  Melnotte  in  the  "Lady  of  Lyons,"  with  Miss 
Florence  McKay  as  Pauline.  Mrs.  James  C.  Savery  was 
Pauline's  haughty  mother,  while  the  writer  was  Claude's. 
This  was  another  success,  and  Moore's  old  hall  was  filled 
two  nights.  I  shall  never  forget  the  scene  where  the 
mother  welcomes  her  son,  and  proceeds  to  give  him  some 
supper.  The  teapot  was  empty,  and  all  efforts  to  make  it 
appear  otherwise  were  in  vain,  and  as  she  tipped  it  up, 
in  the  act  of  pouring  out  the  tea  which  never  came,  we 
heard  Mrs.  Allen's  musical  voice  laugh  from  the  audience, 
which  made  us  realize  the  absurdity  of  the  situation.  But 
we  were  all  friends,  and  lack  of  detail  was  considered  ama- 
teurish and  the  more  charming.  The  library  netted  a 
handsome  sum,  and  that  was  the  great  object. 

Old  folks'  concerts  were  very  popular  at  one  time,  and 
many  were  the  "stars"  brought  out  in  them.  We  gave  one 
for  "Bleeding  Kansas,"  in  which  every  one  that  took  part 
was  a  star,  and  some  who  couldn't  even  sing  were  in  cos- 
tume. Mrs.  Webb  Mills  (now  Mrs.  E.  R.  Clapp)  took  lead- 
ing part  as  soprano,  and  Mrs.  Hoyt  Sherman;  the  latter 
sang  "Barbara  Allen"  to  Mr.  Hatton's  violin  accompani- 
ment, which  was  encored  loudly.  Then  the  public  tab- 
leaux and  charades,  for  church  and  other  benefits,  were 
a  great  feature.  Some  of  them  were  decidedly  realistic, 
especially  "Blue  Beard's  Wives,"  the  execution  of  Mary, 
Queen  of  Scots,  and  the  burning  of  Joan  of  Arc  at  the 
stake. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  BIOINEt^.  377 

We  had  no  fire  department  in  those  days,  and  when 
a  fire  broke  out,  we  all  assisted  in  extinguishing  it.  One 
cold  winter  night  we  heard  the  cry  of  "fire,"  and  all  rushed 
out  to  see  where  it  was,  and  found  that  the  new  Savery 
House  (noAV  the  Kirkwood)  was  on  fire.  The  women  and 
children  formed  in  line  and  passed  the  pails  of  water  that 
some  of  the  men  drew  from  the  wells  on  to  those  who 
threw  it  on  the  fire,  and  so  extinguished  it.  The  dining 
room  of  this  hotel,  by  the  waj^,  was  where  we  held  our 
dancing  parties  for  a  long  time. 

New  Year's  calls  were  a  gTeat  feature;  when  everj^body 
called  on  everybody  who  kept  open  house.  This  promis- 
cuous calling  became  wearisome,  to  say  the  least;  the 
ladies  got  tired  of  waiting  on  droves  of  strangers  whom 
they  never  saw  before  and  never  expected  to  see  again, 
and  so  one  after  another  closed  their  doors  on  New  Year's 
day,  and  gradually  the  calls  ceased,  and  up  to  this  date 
liave  not  been  revived. 

The  cards  that  the  young  men  got  up  in  those  days  were 
curiosities,  if  not  monstrosities.  They  vied  wdth  each  other 
as  to  who  should  ^ave  the  largest  and  most  absurd  cari- 
catures of  themselves.  The  young  ladies  Avho  could  secure 
the  greatest  number  of  these  cards  were  happy. 

As  the  town  gTew  larger,  society  became  more  formal 
and  exclusive;  surprise  parties  were  replaced  by  recep- 
tions and  dinner  parties.  Amateurs  retired  from  the  stage, 
professionals  taking  their  place,  and  society  became  di- 
vided, first  into  church  circles  and  cliques,  which  in  turn 
evolved  the  general  societj^  we  have  now.     • 

Among  the  pleasant  "evenings  at  home"  in  the  early 
seventies  were  those  given  hy  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  ITat- 
ton,  who  lived  where  the  U.  P.  Church  now  stands,  corner 
of  Seventh  and  Grand  avenue.    We  were  always  sure  of  a 


378  AND  THE  CITY  .OF  DES  MOINES. 

good  time  there,  for  tliey  not  only  had  a  musical  treat  in 
store  for  ns,  of  their  own,  but  we  were  sure  of  meeting- 
some  musical  or  literary  celebrity,  if  there  were  any  in 
town.  Mrs.  Hatton  was  a  fine  pianist  and  Mr.  H.  often  ac- 
companied her  with  his  violin;  Miss  Nellie  Reeder  was  one 
of  the  finest  pianist  we  ever  had,  and  she  would  sometimes 
play  for  us,  and  others  since  famous,  were  there  and  sang. 
Our  own  church  choir,  with  V.  C.  Taylor  organist,  Mrs. 
Childs,  Mrs.  Mosher,  Joe  Sharman  or  Mr.  Moody  gave  ns 
exquisite  quartettes,  solos  and  duets.  Marshall  Talbott, 
the  artist,  would  sometimes  be  there,  reminding  us  of  King- 
Lear  (wliich  he  personated  well),  Avith  his  long  white  hair 
and  beard. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  Griffiths,  who  lived  in  East  Des 
Moines  at  that  time,  used  to  give  the  most  delightful  dinner 
parties.  How  well  I  remember  the  faces  around  their  hos- 
pitable board:  The  Kassons,  the  Aliens,  the  Shermans, 
"Friday"  Eason,  Mr.  Miller,  Mr.  Luut,  Mrs.  Keene  (since 
Mrs.  Sypher),  Wheeler  Carpenter  and  his  good  father  and 
mother,  long  since  gone  to  their  rest;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank 
Mills,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webb  Mills  and  many  more.  Then 
there  were  the  Callanans  and  Inghams,  the  Nourses,  the 
Robertsons,  the  Reeds,  the  Williamsons,  the  Hulls,  the 
Cattells,  the  Elliotts  and  the  Hepburns,  the  Lyons,  the 
Deweys.  Everybody  remembers  Major  Kavanagh,  with 
his  polite  smile  and  bow;  he  Avas  a  very  large  and  fine  look- 
ing man,  whose  best  friend  Avas  little  Mr.  Hanna.  These 
two  would  go  about  together  Aasiting  schools  and  other 
places,  entirely  unconscious  of  exciting-  any  comment  by 
the  difference  in  their  size.    Both  have  gone  to  their  rest, 

too.  ,        ■     ■:      1       ■     ,■'  ■■ 

The  greatest  social  eA^ent  up  to  that  date  or  since  AA'as  the 
party  g-iven  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  F.  Allen,  when  they  moved 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DEH  BIOINES.  379- 

into  their  uew  house  on  Terrace  Hill,  where  Mr.  F.  M.  Hub- 
bell  now  lives.  It  was  on  January  28th,  1871,  and  the 
whole  town  was  invited  and  looking  forward  to  the  great 
event.  The  great  house  was  crowded;  everj'body  went,  if 
they  never  went  to  a  partj^  before.  There  were  members 
of  the  legislature,  strangers  from  out  of  town,  even  from 
the  East.  There  was  music,  feasting  and  dancing;  brilliant 
faces  and  handsome  gowns,  and  many  stayed  until  the  wee 
small  hours.  The  newspapers  said  next  day  that  it  was 
the  greatest  social  event  west  of  the  Mississippi;  that  a 
caterer  from  Chicago  furnished  the  refreshments,  and 
that  the  flowers  and  decorations  alone  cost  a  thousand  dol- 
lars. The  Aliens  were  in  the  height  of  their  prosperity 
then,  and  Mrs.  Allen  Avas  the  leader  in  society.  She  was 
a  lovely  woman,  kind  and  genial  and  unspoiled  by  her 
wealth.  Her  friends  were  numbered  by  hundreds,  and  all 
felt  sorrj"-  when  she  and  her  family  moved  to  Chicago,  and 
grieved  as  for  a  personal  friend  when  she  died.  She,  too, 
lies  in  Woodland,  with  so  many  of  her  and  our  dear  friends 
— Mrs.  Sherman,  Mrs.  Hatton,  Mrs.  Savery,  Mrs.  Ingersoll 
— all  leaders  in  society  and  charming  women. 

The  writer  has  kept  a  list  from  memorj'  of  the  personal 
friends  who  have  died,  and  those  who  have  moved  away 
from  Des  Moines,  since  the  early  sixties,  and  when  counted 
up,  there  are  nearly  seven  hundred  moved  a,waj,  and  nearly 
three  hundred  who  have  died,  making  a  grand  total  of 
nearly  one  thousand  friends  and  acquaintances,  who  have 
been  taken  right  out  of  one's  life,  as  it  were.  But  there 
are  still  some  of  the  older  society  left  here;  the  Griffiths, 
the  Casadys,  the  Hippees,  the  Shermans,  the  Tuttles,  the 
Husseys,  the  Stewarts,  the  Cooks,  the  Clapps,  the  Robert- 
sons, the  Hubbells,  the  McCains,  the  Polks,  the  Eices,  the 
AV rights,  the  Wests,  the  Talbotts,  the  Rawsons  and  many 


380  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

more  who  have  come  to  Des  Moines  from  time  to  time,  but 
who  properly  belong  to  a  more  recent  date.  The  memory 
of  those  good  old  times  will  remain  with  us  forever. 

"  You  may  break,  yon  may  shatter  the  vase,  if  you  will, 
The  scent  of  tlie  roses  will  cling  to  it  still." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

COUNTY    AND   CITY,    1865   TO    1875. 

THE  war  being  over,  during  the  few  years  following 
times  were  what  is  sometimes  termed  flush,  and  both 
city  and  county  enjoyed  what  in  later  times  was 
called  a  "boom."  One  cause  of  this  was  that  during 
the  war  thousands  of  men  had  become  soldiers. 
They  had  for  a  few  years  participated  in  dan- 
gers and  stirring  adventures.  They  had  been  away 
from,  and  to  a  large  extent,  had  broken  away  from 
their  former  home  attachments  and  surroundings. 
New  hopes,  new  desires  and  ambitions  had  been  aroused 
in  them,  and  after  months  and  years  of  military  service 
they  could  not  contentedly  settle  down  in  their  old  homes 
and  quietly  pursue  the  occupations  they  had  left  at  tlie 
time  of  their  enlistment  into  the  army.  The  return  of 
peace  brought  to  many  of  them  restlessness  and  a  desire 
for  a  change  of  residence,  if  not  of  occupation.  Many  of 
those  in  the  East  during  their  soldier  life  had  visited  the 
West  or  become  more  or  less  acquainted  with  Western 
men.  They  heard  of  the  openings  for  young  and  middle 
aged  men  in  the  West,  and  they  heard  of  Iowa  as  one  of 
the  very  best  of  what  were  then  temied  the  Western 
States. 

Under  the  foregoing  circumstances  it  was  but  natural 
that  Iowa  should  attract  at  that  time  within  her  borders 
many  thousands  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Union  and  even  hun- 
dreds of  those  who  had  served  in  the  Confederate  ranks. 
And  chief  among  the  attractions  of  Iowa  were  the  County 
of  Polk  and  City  of  Des  Moines.    In  the  five  years  following 


382  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  war  the  immigration  from  this  source  into  the  county 
and  city  was  verj;-  heavj^,  and  with  the  old  soldiers  came 
many  others  who  had  not  been  in  the  militaiy  service. 
Those  who  came  first,  being  pleased  with  the  country  and 
the  prospects  before  them,  naturally  attracted  others  from 
their  old  homes  in  other  States.  The  influence  of  new  set- 
tlers in  this  half  of  a  decade,  1865-1870,  was  a  verj'  notice- 
able one  and  among  them  came  a  large  number  of  the 
prominent  citizens  of  today  in  county  and  city.  The  larger 
part  of  these  neAV  citizens  were  young  men  and  women, 
or  others  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  they  soon  adapted  them- 
selves to  their  new  surroundings  and  commenced  to  labor 
for  tlieir  own  advancement  and  the  betterment  of  the  com- 
munity of  which  the}^  soon  formed  a  goodly  part. 

The  figures  giving  the  population  show  this  rapid  in- 
crease: Polk  Countj^  in  1865  had  a  population  of  15.244; 
in  1867,  22,630;  in  1869,  26,408;  in  1870,  27,857.  Tlie  City 
of  Des  Moines  had  a  population  in  1865  of  5,722;  in  1867, 
10,511;  in  1870,  12,035.  The  City  of  Des  Moines  more  than 
doubled  its  population  in  the  live  years  immediateh'  follow- 
ing the  Civil  War.  The  next  five  years  show  much  less 
gain.  In  1875  Des  Moines  had  increased  to  only  14,443  in 
pojiulation.  Among  the  leading  citizens  of  Des  Moines  aiid 
the  count,y  today  who  have  been  or  are  now  engaged  in 
active  business  in  town  or  agriculture  and  other  pursuits 
in  the  country,  it  will  be  found  a  proportionately  large 
number  of  them  settled  here  during  these  five  years. 

Then  following  the  war  saw  the  advent  of  railroads  into 
the  county  and  citj',  adding  immensely  at  once  to  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  botli,  and  to  all  classes  of  busi- 
ness, giving  as  they  did  our  people  immediate  and  close 
connection  with  the  cities  and  towns  of  the  East  and  Soutli. 
The  city  and  county  had    to    Avait  many  years  beyond 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOIKES.  383 

their  first  expectation  for  the  advent  of  a  completed  rail- 
road. As  mentioned  in  another  chapter  the  citizens  had 
frequently  been  deceived  by  promises,  which  were  not  ful- 
filled in  letter  or  spirit.  The  financial  troubles  of  the  latter 
fifties  had  stopped  the  extension  of  the  two  roads  pointing 
toward  Des  Moines,  and  during  the  war  period  not  many 
extensions  of  railroad  lines  were  made  in  Iowa.  But  when 
the  war  was  ended  and  "flush  times"  followed  in  its  wake, 
at  last  new  life  was  given  to  railroad  construction.  The 
great  Union  Pacific  Kailroad  across  the  Continent  was  not 
only  surveyed  and  platted,  but  actual  work  commenced 
upon  its  construction.  Several  roads  across  Iowa  com- 
peted as  to  which  would  be  the  first  to  make  a  connection 
with  the  great  railroad  for  which  the  general  government 
was  granting  millions  of  acres  of  land  and  other  millions 
of  dollars  in  bonds.  The  now  Northwestern  Railroad  was 
rapidlj''  constructed,  and  for  a  time  it  was  hoped  it  would 
be  diverted  with  its  main  line  to  pass  through  Des  Moines, 
but  this  movement  was  a  failure  and  it  passed  on  a  few 
miles  north  of  the  Polk  County  line. 

The  sole  dependence  of  the  city  and  count}^  for  a  main 
east  and  west  line  was  then  upon  the  old  Mississippi  and 
Missouri  Railroad  Company,  which  had  stopped  construc- 
tion for  years  at  Iowa  City,  and  had  later  on  slowly  pushed 
its  way  west  from  there  in  a  halting,  hesitating  manner. 
Finally  in  1866  the  old  company  becoming  bankrupt  new 
men  took  hold  and  a  new  company  was  organized  under 
the  name  of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific  Rail- 
road Company.  Then  work  was  pushed,  the  whole  line  was 
let  through  to  Council  Bluifs,  and  on  Monday,  September 
9,  1867,  the  first  regular  passenger  train  on  this  road  ran 
into  Des  Moines.  The  road  through  to  Council  Bluffs  was 
opened  for  trafiic  in  June,  1869.  /  ■    •  :       '. 


384  A'NNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

But  this  was  not  the  first  railroad  opened  to  Des  Moines. 
The  Des  Moines  Valley  Eailroad  had  been  for  years  strug- 
gling up  the  valley  from  Keokuk,  and  in  war  times  was 
opened  to  Eddyrille.  Then  toward  the  close  of  the  war 
new  vigor  came  to  this  line.  It  was  rapidly  pushed  on  to 
Oskaloosa,  Pella,  Prairie  City,  and  then  a  bold  and  rapid 
push  was  made  for  Des  Moines,  and  the  result  was  that 
it  led  them  all  into  this  county  and  city.  On  August  29, 
ISGG,  the  first  passenger  train  on  this  road  and  the  first 
railroad  train  ever  here,  reached  Des  Moines  and  was  given 
a  most  hearty  and  enthusiastic  reception.  At  last,  after 
a  weaiy  waiting  of  many  years,  Des  Moines  had  a  railroad 
connection  with  the  East.  The  daj's  of  stage  coaches  and 
freight  wagons  were  gone,  never  to  return.  The  effect  upon 
the  business  of  the  city  and  county  was  at  once  apparent. 
The  advent  of  the  railroad  was  the  commencement  of  a 
new  era. 

Among  the  public  buildings  erected  during  this  decade 
was  the  State  Arsenal,  built  of  iron,  brick  and  red  rock 
stone,  two  stories  high,  with  marble  floor  and  iron  stair- 
ways. This  was  erected  on  West  Fi'ont  street  in  1867,  an 
appropriation  having  been  previously  made  for  the  same 
by  the  General  Assembly,  through  the  representations  and 
influence  of  the  then  popular  Adjutant  General  Baker. 
Here  were  placed  the  arms  and  military  records  of  the 
State,  together  with  the  flags  and  many  other  trophies 
of  the  war.  The  flags  have  since,  by  the  order  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  been  placed  in  the  Capitol,  where  they  can 
now  be  seen,  preserved  in  glass  cases. 

Here,  when  A\'Titing  of  the  State  Arsenal,  may  be  a  fitting 
place  to  write  of  Nathaniel  B.  Baker,  than  whom  no  man 
that  ever  lived  in  Iowa  was  more  loved.  He  was  born  Sep- 
tember 29, 1818,  in  New  Hampshire.    Prepared  for  college 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  385 

at  Phillips  Academy  he  entered  Cambridge,  graduating  in 
the  class  of  1839.  He  then  studied  law  with  Franklin 
Pierce,  afterwards  President,  and  others,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1842,  but  soon  connected  himself  with  news- 
paper work.  In  1845  he  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas,  and  the  next  year  promoted  to  Clerk  of 
the  Supreme  Court  for  his  home  county.  In  1852  he  re- 
signed the  clerkship  and  re-entered  the  praetice  of  law. 
In  1852  and  1853  he  was  a  representative  from  Concord, 
and  Speaker  of  the  House  both  terms.  In  1854  he  was 
elected  Governor  of  New  Hampshire,  and  his  administra- 
tion was  characterized  by  the  promptness,  energy  and 
liberality  so  characteristic  of  the  man.  In  1856  he  removed 
to  Iowa,  settling  in  the  young  city  of  Clinton,  where  he 
followed  his  profession.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
General  Assembly  as  a  Democrat  and  served  in  tlie  House 
in  the  regular  session  of  1860,  at  once  taking  high  rank 
among  the  members. 

Jnlj  25,  1861,  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Kirkwood 
Adjutant  General,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  discharge 
of  the  onerous  duties  of  the  office.  His  energy,  administra- 
tive ability  and  generous  enthusiasm  made  him  the  one 
beloved  by  the  soldiers  of  Iowa,  and  gave  to  Mm  a  glorious 
name  far  beyond  the  limits  of  the  State.  He  was  not  only 
great,  but  always  good,  a  generous,  great-hearted  man. 
After  the  war  was  over  he  continued  his  deep  interest 
in  the  soldiers,  and  would  always  give  kind  words,  and  if 
need  be,  his  last  dollar  to  one  of  "my  boys."  And  when  the 
settlers  in  Northwestern  Iowa  were  suffering  from  the 
ravages  of  grasshoppers.  Gen.  Nathaniel  Baker  came 
quickly  to  their  relief,  and  by  his  energy  and  organizing 
capacity,  and  touching  appeals  to  the  people,  soon  had  food 
and  other  supplies  in  the  homes  of  the  sufferers.    He  orig- 


386  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

inated  and  carried  out  promptly  this  help  for  them.  Gen. 
Baker  held  the  office  of  Adjutant  General  until  his  death 
in  Des  Moines,  September  13, 187G.  The  people  of  the  State 
universally  mourned  his  death,  and  his  funeral  was  one 
of  the  most  imposing  and  at  the  same  time  caused  more 
general  sorrow  and  regret  than  almost  any  other  ever  held 
in  the  city  or  State.  He  lies  buried  in  Woodland  Cemetery 
under  a  monument  erected  hj  his  fellow  citizens,  guarded 
by  cannons  donated  for  this  purpose  by  the  government  he 
had  so  well  and  faithfullj^  served. 

In  the  acute  and  generous  mind  of  Adjutant  General  N. 
B.  Baker  originated  a  scheme  Avliich  resulted  in  the  great- 
est reunion  of  old  soldiers  ever  held  in  Iowa  or  any  other 
State.  Gen.  Baker  enlisted  others  in  the  work,  and  secur- 
ing an  endorsement  and  appropriation  from  the  General 
Assembly  of  1870,  arrangements  upon  a  large  and  gener- 
ous scale  were  made  for  a  grand  reunion  of  the  soldiers 
at  Des  Moines,  commencing  August  30,  1870,  and  continu- 
ing several  days.  It  was  made  an  extraordinary  success 
through  the  executive  ability  of  Gen.  Baker,  the  prompt 
and  efficient  help  of  others,  and  the  generous  liberality 
of  the  citizens  of  Des  Moines  and  of  the  State  general]}''. 
At  the  time  it  was  estimated  that  there  were  at  one  time 
7.5,000  people  present,  of  whom  at  least  30,000  had  been 
soldiers.  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  was  present  and  received 
a  hearty  welcome.  Biit  it  was  the  privates  who  swept  the 
field  with  their  uiimbers  and  enthusiasm. 

The  churches  and  other  public  buildings  were  thrown 
open  for  the  crowds,  while  arrangements  had  been  made 
for  the  accommodation  of  old  soldiers  in  tents.  Thou- 
sands of  them  camped  by  companies  and  regiments  on  the 
grounds  east  of  and  around  the  Capitol.  Tliere  the  various 
Iowa  regiments  and  batteries  Avere  reorganized  under  their 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  387 

commanders.  They  were  wasted  by  time  and  casualties  of 
war,  but  they  presented  a  grand  and  affecting  spectacle 
as  they  marched  through  the  streets  of  the  city  on  their 
last  grand  parade.  It  was  the  grandest  demonstration 
ever  witnessed  in  Iowa. 

To  feed  this  army  of  men  not  only  were  all  the  houses 
of  the  city  freely  thrown  open,  bn.t  otlier  extensive  arrange- 
ments were  made.  The  large  packing  house  of  Murphy 
&  Go.  was  conTerted  into  a  mammotli  cook  house,  run  by 
steam,  and  a  dozen  Iowa  beeves  were  cool^ed  at  one  time, 
and  sixty-four  barrels  of  coffee  were  served  up  at  one  meal. 
In  all  over  one  hundred  beeves  Avere  slaughtered  and 
cooked,  and  five  hundred  barrels  of  coffee,  nearly  30,000 
gallons,  were  drank  in  the  camp.  Other  supplies  were  in 
the  same  proportion,  and  all  were  bountifully  fed  during 
the  few  days  of  this  grand  encampment  and  reunion  of  the 
old  soldiers  of  Iowa  and  their  comrades  of  other  States. 

Today,  twenty-five  years  and  more  after  its  occurrence, 
this  grand  reunion  is  often  mentioned  among  the  remain- 
ing old  soldiers  and  their  friends,  and  it  will  be  many  years 
yet  before  it  is  forgotten  and  only  remembered  in  history. 
It  was  a  grand  conception,  intelligently  and  faithfully 
carried  out,  and  was  in  every  respect  a  grand  success. 

And  with  the  flush  times  following  the  war,  and  the 
influx  of  new  people  at  that  time  came  the  era  of  rapid 
building  in  the  city  and  the  opening  up  to  cultivation  of 
thousands  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county.  Not  only  were 
the  old  farms  extended  and  new  farms  opened,  but  great 
improvements  were  made  in  the  character  of  farm  houses, 
barns  and  outbuildings.  Times  were  what  is  termed  good, 
all  the  products  of  the  farm  were  in  demand  and  com- 
manded good  prices,  and  the  farmers  were  encouraged  to 
improve  their  living  comforts  and  luxuries  and  extend  their 


388         ,  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

operations.  The  farmers  were  prosperous,  and  their  pros- 
peritj^  extended  not  only  to  Des  Moines,  but  also  to  the 
smaller  towns  and  Tillages  of  the  county.  In  Des  Moines 
many  hundreds  of  business  and  dwelling  houses  were 
erected  during  this  period,  and  not  a  few  of  these  were  large 
business  blocks,  highly  creditable  to  the  city,  and  many 
of  the  tine  residences  then  built  are  yet  regarded  as  elegant 
and  comfortable  homes.  It  would  be  difficult  to  give  a  list 
of  the  business  houses  erected  during  these  years,  and  we 
must  be  content  with  writing  of  these  generally. 

In  looking  over  tlie  files  of  the  State  Register  we  find 
a  detailed  review  of  the  buildings  and  improvements  dur- 
ing the  year  1869,  some  figures  of  which  may  give  the 
reader  an  idea  of  the  onward  march  of  improvements  dur- 
ing that  one  year  of  this  period — 1869.  The  money  value 
of  the  building  and  improvements  of  that  year  are  thus 
aggregated : 

Dwelling  houses  and  improvements .f  1,221,700 

Hotels,  stores,  offices,  churches,  etc 359,150 

Total : .|1,5S0,850 

Other  buildings  and  improvements  not  included  in  the 
above : 

Baptist  University .f  3,500 

Des  Moines  Valley  Railroad 80,000 

Rock  Island  Railroad 10,000 

School  houses.  West  Side  (improvements) 2,000 

State  Arsenal 2,000 

Streets 25,000 

Walnut  Street  Bridge 7,356 

Fire  cisterns 2,600 

Sidewalks 12,000 

Driving  park 3,000 

Gas  company .» 20,000 

While  lamenting  that  it  has  been  a  very  unfavorable 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  389 

year  for  building  purposes,  the  Register  states  that  dur- 
ing the  year  225  dwelling  houses  and  12  business  blocks 
had  been  erected. 

At  that  time  the  Walnut  street  bridge  was,  as  it  yet  is, 
though  the  old  bridge  long  since  passed  away,  the  main 
thoroughfare  between  the  East  and  West  Sides  of  the 
river,  and  the  Register  gives  the  following  figures  as  to 
crossings  made  in  one  day  over  that  bridge: 

Country  teams 603 

Countrj'-  saddle  horses 91 

City  teams 420 

Saddle  horses 40 

Making  in  one  day  a  total  of 1,158 

The  amount  expended  in  1868  in  Des  Moines  in  the  erec- 
tion and  improvements  of  the  business  houses  and  dwell- 
ings was  placed  at  higher  figures  than  of  1869,  being  for 
the  former  year  |1,600,000,  and  the  city  is  credited  with 
having  expended  $60,000  on  streets  and  bridges. 

In  May,  1869,  occurred  one  of  the  most  disastrous  fires 
then  known  in  the  city.  This  was  on  Walnut,  between 
Third  and  Fourth  streets,  and  among  those  who  suffered 
the  heaviest  losses  were  Laird  Brothers,  Frank  Butler, 
Comparet  &  Stark,  W.  A.  Reed,  W.  W.  Williamson  and 
others. 

In  September,  1879,  one  span  of  the  Walnut  street  bridge 
was  broken  down  and  for  a  time  that  imj)ortant  thorough- 
fare was  necessarily  closed.  At  the  time  of  the  break  down 
a  drove  of  Texas  horses  or  mustangs  were  being  driven 
over  it,  and  it  Avas  supposed  their  restless  and  uneasy 
movements  were  the  cause  of  the  disaster.  A  number  of 
the  horses  were  killed  or  crippled,  and  out  of  this  grew 
a  number  of  law  suits. 


390  AHlS^^LS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

lu  the  fall  of  1869,  the  first  German  newspaper  was  es- 
tablished in  Des  Moines  by  Yoight  &  Co.,  with  Prof.  Con- 
rad Beck  as  editor.  This  is  now  the  Staatz  Anzeiger,  so 
long  and  ably  conducted  by  Col.  Joseph  Eiboeck. 

In  August,  1869,  came  the  total  eclipse  of  the  sun.  It 
was  known  that  at  Des  Moines  this  eclipse  would  be  total, 
and  hence  preparations  were  made  hj  scientists  from  the 
Smithsonian  Institute  and  from  other  societies  and  col- 
leges to  here  take  close  obseiwations  of  this  important 
event.  Among  those  who  established  headquarters  at  Des 
Moines  for  observation  was  S.  V.  White,  a  former  resident 
of  this  city,  but  then  and  now  a  prominent  broker  and 
financier  of  New  York,  who  had  devoted  much  of  his  time 
to  the  study  of  astronomy  and  kindred  sciences.  When  the 
time  arrived  the  scientists,  as  well  as  all  the  people  of  the 
city  and  county  were  on  the  alert,  and  as  an  early  settler 
remarked :  "There  was  no  postponement  or  fake  about  that 
show."  Tliere  may  have  been  a  few  drawbacks  in  the  way 
of  clouds  at  the  time,  but  on  the  whole  the  observations 
fcTken  by  the  scientists  were  satisfactory,  while  the  people 
generally  looked  on  with  mingled  feelings  of  awe,  fear  anil 
admiration  at  the  seldom  witnessed  total  obscuration  of 
tlie  sun  during  the  time  when  he  is  ordinarily  sending  out 
over  the  earth  his  brightest  rays  of  ligiit.  It  may  be  ti*ue  as 
told  the  chickens  began  to  hunt  their  accustomed  roosts, 
tliinking  night  was  suddenly  upon  them,  and  it  is  certainly 
true  that  not  a  few  men  and  women,  wlio  knew  little  of 
eclipses  of  this  character,  were  badly  frightened  at  this 
obscuration  of  the  sun — this  turning  of  day  into  night,  at 
an  unusual  hour.  This  eclipse  was  a  fruitful  subject  for 
comment  and  conversation  among  our  people  for  months 
and  years  after  its  occurrence. 

In  October,  1868,  the  District  Agricultural  Society,  com- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  3 'J  I 

« 

posed  of  members  of  some  twenty  counties  adjoining  ov 
west  of  Polk,  lield  a  very  successful  fair  on  the  grounds 
between  Horseshoe  Lake  and  the  Raccoon  River.  P.  F. 
Bartle  was  then,  and  for  some  years,  the  efficient  secre- 
tary of  the  society,  and  much  of  the  credit  of  its  success 
was  due  to  his  untiring  and  efficient  management. 

In  May,  1870,  Gilcrest  Bros.'  planing  mill,  on  East  Vine 
and  Second  streets,  was  destroyed  by  fire,  entailing  a  very 
heayy  loss.  In  June  seven  buildings  near  Sixth  and  Wal- 
nut streets  were  badly  damaged  by  fire,  entailing  a  loss  of 
some  17,000,  and  in  November  the  Foster  planing  mill  nn 
East  Court  avenue  was  burned. 

More  than  twenty-five  years  ago  some  of  the  leading 
women  of  the  city  were  advocating  female  sufirage,  and 
in  the  old  newspaper  files  we  find  the  proceedings  of  a  con- 
vention, in  which  we  note  the  names  of  Mesdames  Calla- 
nan,  Coggeshall,  Savery,  Cattell,  Wriglit,  Cutler,  Pomeroy, 
etc.  This  was  not  the  begining  of  this  movement  in  Des 
Moines.  Years  before  that  date  there  had  been  advocates 
of  this  change  in  the  suffrage  laws  in  the  city,  and  they 
then  and  since  have  worked  zealouslj'  for  what  they  re- 
garded and  now  regard  as  their  just  rights,  and  thej^  cer- 
tainly have  greatly  increased  in  numbers  during  this  last 
quarter  of  a  centurj^  Be  our  opinions  what  they  may  upon 
this  question,  and  the  writer  certainly  does  not  lean  much 
in  that  direction,  ,yet  all  must  give  due  credit  to  such  esti- 
mable ladies  as  Mrs.  Callanan,  Mrs.  Coggeshall  and  their 
associates,  for  the  ability,  zeal  and  energy  with  which  they 
have  during  all  these  j'ears  sought  to  accomplish  what  they 
and  many  others  regard  as  a  most  worthy  object,  far-reach- 
ing in  its  future  benefits  to  both  man  and  woman  kind. 

The  good  times  financially  continued  in  county  and  city 
during  the  last  half  of  the  sixties  and  on  into  the  first  of 


392  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  seventies,  but  speculation  was  overdone  and  tlie  reac- 
tion was  sure  to  come.  In  1873  came  the  noted  financial 
panic,  entailing  much  loss  to  many  and  causing  great 
financial  distress  and  disaster  throughout  the  entire  coun- 
try. This  city  and  county  were  in  better  shape  to  meet 
this  trouble  than  were  many  other  communities,  but  there 
was  much  suffering  and  complaint  here.  The  financial 
troubles  naturally  stopped  at  once  many  contemplated 
improvements  and  checked  the  rapid  advance  which  had 
been  continuously  going  on  in  the  prices  of  farms  and  city 
lots  and  real  and  personal  property.  However,  upon 
the  whole  Des  Moines  and  Polk  County  worried  through 
this  financial  crisis  with  much  less  loss  and  suffering  than 
did  many  other  cities,  towns  and  counties.  Its  effects  were 
nevertheless  felt  here  for  several  j^ears.  Illustrative  of 
this  is  the  fact  that  while  the  census  returns  of  1870  gave 
Des  Moines  a  population  of  12,035 — more  than  doubling  in 
the  previous  five  years — and  an  enumeration  in  1873  gave 
15,0G1,  the  census  of  1875  showed  a  falling  ofi:  in  popula- 
tion from  the  latter  figures,  the  total  being  only  14,148, 
an  actual  loss  in  two  years  of  618.  This  is  the  only  known 
instance  of  the  kind  in  the  entire  history  of  the  city.  It 
is  also  only  fair  to  state  that,  as  with  a  more  recent  census, 
the  citizens  claimed  this  census  of  1875  had  not  been  prop- 
erly taken  and  that  the  city  had  many  more  inhabitants 
than  the  census  taken  had  given  it  credit  for.  To  correct 
what  was  claimed  to  be  a  gross  and  injurious  error  by  order 
of  the  mayor  another  census  of  the  citj^  was  taken  in  Au- 
gust and  September,  1875,  and  this  proved  up  a  total  popu- 
lation of  16,141,  showing  a  small  gain  instead  of  a  loss 
over  the  census  of  two  years  previous. 

These  financial  troubles  also  brought  a  new  element  into 
politics  which  for  a  time  influenced  and  partially  con- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  393 

trolled  the  legislation  and  policj^  of  political  parties  and 
of  the  State.  The  "Grangers"  became  very  active  and 
influential,  not  only  in  this  city  and  county,  but  also 
throughout  Iowa,  and  many  other  States,  especially  in 
those  of  the  West  and  South.  Starting  in  a  humble  way, 
Avith  granges  or  lodges  of  "Patrons  of  Husbandry,"  owing 
to  financial  and  otlier  causes,  the  order  or  society  spread 
with  great  rapidity  all  over  the  country.  It  was  a  time 
of  unrest,  politically  and  financially  and  otherwise.  These 
helped  the  spread  of  the  "Grangers,"  as  they  were  gener- 
ally termed,  and  as  a  matter  of  course  the  little  and  big 
politicians,  who  first  laughed  at  and  ridiculed  the  move- 
ment, had  to  join  the  "Grangers"  when  they  found  that 
they  were  becoming  a  great  political  and  social  power 
in  the  country.  So  rapid  was  the  growth  of  the  "Grangers" 
that  in  a  few  years  they  were  strong  enough,  with  the  aid 
of  the  Democrats,  to  tie  the  lower  house  of  the  General 
Assembly,  and  also  control  to  a  large  extent  the  election 
of  county  and  other  local  olficers,  and  naturallj^  influence 
the  election  of  members  of  the  General  Assembly  and  of 
Congress.  The  strength  of  the  "Grangers,"  however,  cul- 
minated in  a  year  or  two,  though  in  that  time  they  brought 
about  some  needed  reforms,  and  its  influence  waned.  This 
order  yet  remains  in  existence,  but  has  little  of  the  influ- 
ence it  had  in  the  first  few  years  of  its  existence. 

This  "Granger"  movement  gave  an  impetus  to  what  was 
termed  the  "Greenback  party,"  which  for  several  years 
wielded  a  large  amount  of  power  in  this  city  and  county 
and  throughout  the  State.  By  fusion,  or  rather  concert  of 
action  with  the  Democratic  party,  a  "Greenbacker,"  Hon. 
E.  H.  Gillette,  was  elected  to  Congress  from  this  dis- 
trict, and  William  H.  McHenry  was  twice  elected  Judge 
of  this  judicial  district,  together  with  a  number  of  local 


394  AWNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

officers.  In  the  adjoining  Sixth  Congressional  District, 
Gen.  James  B.  Weaver  was  tliree  times  elected  to  Congress 
as  a  "Greenbacker,"  and  "Greenbackers"  Avere  elected  in 
the  Fonrth,  Fifth  and  Eighth  Congressional  Districts.  The 
members  of  these  independent  parties  were  variously 
termed  at  the  same  or  different  times — Grangers,  Anti- 
Monopolists,  Greenbackers,  etc.  In  the  past  f ewyears  those 
of  them  who  have  not  returned  to  their  membership  of  the 
older  parties,  ar;^  generally  known  as  Populists,  or  mem- 
bers of  the  People's  Party. 

In  tlie  closiiig  year  of  the  decade  Dr.  Aborn  came  to  Des 
Moines,  and  after  being  here  but  a  short  time  became  im- 
bued with  faith  in  the  future  growth  and  prosperity  of  the 
city.  At  that  time  the  Savery  House,  now  Kirkwood,  was 
the  one  and  only  leading  hotel  in  the  cit}^,  and  the  Doctor 
thought  there  was  a  good  opening  for  one  other  large  first- 
class  hotel.  Accordingly  he  purchased  tlie  lots  on  the 
southwest  corner  of  Court  avenue  and  Fourth  street, 
owned  by  and  for  years  occupied  by  the  residence  of  P>.  F. 
Allen.  This  brick  building  was  torn  clown  and  upon  t]ie 
lots  was  erected  tlie  large  and  spacious  brick  building  since 
so  widelj'  known  as  the  Aborn  House.  Dr.  Aborn  yet  owns 
this  valuable  property,  and  has  recently  refitted  and  refur- 
nished the  same  in  a  most  complete  and  tasteful  manner, 
and  under  his  supervision  it  uoav  holds  its  rank  as  one  of 
the  best  of  the  leading  hotels  of  the  citj'. 

Early  in  the  seventies  B.  F.  Allen,  the  banker,  then  con- 
sidered the  most  wealthy  man  in  the  county,  if  not  in  the 
State,  commenced  the  erection  of  a  magnificent  residence 
in  the  Avestern  part  of  the  city.  This  was,  when  completed, 
much  the  finest  residence  in  the  city,  and  equal  if  not  su- 
perior to  any  in  the  State.  Considerably  more  than 
•1100,000  was  expended  upon  and  in  it.    An  opening  party 


A^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  395 

was  giveu,  wliirli  sui-passed  all  previous  social  events  in 
this  citv.  There  Avere  hundreds  of  guests  present  and  they 
were  entertained  in  a  most  lavish  and  hospitable  manner. 
For  a  short  time  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  dispensed  many  hos- 
pitalities at  this  fine  residence,  and  it  was  an  attractive 
social  center  until  Mr.  Allen's  removal  to  Chicago.  Some 
time  after  his  financial  failure  and  much  litigation,  it  be- 
came the  property  of  Fred  M.  Hubbell.  There  for  years 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hubbell  and  family  liaA'e  had  their  delightfxil 
home,  and  have  not  been  behind  in  their  hospitable  enter- 
tainment of  many  of  their  old  and  new  friends. 

The  reunion  of  the  Anny  of  the  Tennessee  was  held  in 
Des  Moines  on  September  29-30,  1S75.  Among  the  distin- 
guislied  veterans  present  were  President  Grant,  Secretary 
of  War  Belknap,  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  and  daughters,  to- 
gether Avith  a  large  number  of  other  prominent  officers  of 
the  army.  Elaborate  preparation  had  been  made  and  a 
warm  welcome  Avas  given  b}^  the  citizens  to  their  guests. 
Arches  trimmed  with  flags  and  cA^ergreens  were  erected 
across  ATalnut  and  Fourth  streets  and  Court  aA^enue.  Pub- 
lic buildings  and  many  residences  were  profnselA^  decor- 
ated and  brilliantly  illuminated  at  niglit  in  honor  of  the 
occasion.  The  residence  and  extensive  grounds  of  Maj. 
Hoyt  vSherman  were beautif nil}'-  decorated  and  illuminated, 
and  there  Gen.  Sherman  was  the  welcome  guest  of  his 
brother.  President  Grant  AA^as  the  guest  of  Hon.  C.  C.  Cole, 
at  his  spacious  residence  on  Fourth  street,  which  was  also 
profusely  decorated  and  illuminated.  On  the  second  day 
the  children  of  the  public  schools,  by  invitation,  assem- 
bled at  the  Opera  House  and  there  President  Grant  deliv- 
ered a  short  address  which  was  quickl.y  distributed  OA'er 
the  country,  attracting  much  attention  and  eliciting  many 
comments.     The  reunion  was  a  A'ery  sucecssful  one,  and 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

the  visiting  members  of  tlie  Army  of  the  Tennessee  gave 
mucli  praise  to  the  citizens  of  Des  Moines  for  the  hearty 
welcome  and  hospitalities  so  liberally  and  freely  showered 
uj)on  them. 

The  original  capitol  building  had  been  erected  at  a  day 
when  it  was  difficult  or  impossible  to  jjrocure  the  best  of 
material,  and  it  was  necessarily  somewhat  hastily  con- 
structed. In  the  course  of  a  few  years  it  became  apjiarent 
that  a  new  capitol  or  state  house  must  be  built.  From  the 
first  this  had  been  anticipated,  and  the  original  building 
had  been  designed  and  intended  as  only  a  temporary  capi- 
tol. The  increase  in  population  of  the  State  also  increased 
the  work  to  be  done  in  the  State  offices,  and,  the  result 
was  the  old  building  soon  became  crowded  and  uncom- 
fortable for  those  who  were  compelled  to  be  or  transact 
business  there.  Then  when  the  General  Assembly  met  it 
was  worse.  The  iialls  were  illy  heated  and  ventilated,  and 
this  caiised  much  sickness,  if  not  several  deaths.  Added  to 
the  discomfort  was  the  more  than  suspicion  that  the  build- 
ing was  not  entirely  safe,  and  many  entertained  fears  that 
a  hori'ible  accident  or  catastroplie  might  at  any  time  occur, 
by  or  through  the  collapse  of  the  building.  In  the  latter 
part  of  the  sixties  agitation  was  commenced  in  favor  of 
the  building  of  a  new  capitol  upon  the  magnificent  grounds 
originally  set  apart  for  that  purpose  and  then  belonging 
to  the  State.  Of  the  struggle  over  this  question — the  com 
meucement  of  the  erection  of  a  new  capitol  building — more 
will  be  said  in  another  chapter.  After  preliminary  work 
at  previous  sessions  this  battle  was  fought  to  a  finish  in 
tlie  General  Assembly  at  the  session  of  1870.  After  a  pro- 
longed and  earnest  fight  the  friends  of  the  new  capitol  were 
finally  successful.  The  bill  passed  both  houses,  was 
promptly  approved  by  the  Governor,  and  steps  were  taken 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  EIOINES.  397 

to  at  once  commence  the  work  which  in  some  ten  years 
after  culminated  in  the  completion  of  the  magnificent 
building  which  now  graces  Capitol  Hill,  and  sheds  honor 
upon  all  those  connected  with  it  and  upon  the  State.  The 
commencement  and  carrying  on  of  this  great  work  ma- 
terially helped  the  county  and  city,  and  was  of  special 
benefit  to  the  East  Side.  It  settled  for  many  years  to  come 
the  site  of  the  capitol,  and  made  many  other  matters  fixed 
and  certain,  and  was  eminently  satisfactory,  not  only  to 
the  people  of  this  city  and  county,  but  also  generally  to  the 
people  of  the  State. 

During  the  period  embraced  in  this  chapter  a  number 
of  bridges  were  erected  over  the  Des  Moines  and  Kaccoon 
Elvers  in  the  city,  and  also  a  number  of  good  bridges  over 
streams  in  the  county,  among  the  latter  being  a  new  and 
costly  one  over  the  Skunk  Elver.  Not  onlj^  were  many  of 
these  public  improvements  made,  but  also  old  roads  were 
much  improved,  and  many  new  ones  laid  out  and  worked 
more  or  less.  A  few  new  towns  were  located  in  the  county, 
and  the  older  ones  were  much  improved  witli  new  buildings 
and  other  evidence  of  material  prosperity.  As  previously 
stated  many  new  farms  were  opened  up  and  old  farms  en- 
larged, new  buildings  erected,  and  the  farmers  generally 
invested  heavily  in  all  the  latest  improved  agricultural 
implements.  Great  improvement  was  also  made  in  the 
character  and  quality  of  farm  live  stock.  Choice  herds  of 
blooded  cattle  were  to  be  found  in  every  township,  and 
hundreds  of  fine  horses,  for  the  road  or  farm,  or  heavy 
drafts,  were  reared  in  the  county,  while  much  attention 
was  given  to  the  rearing  of  improved  breeds  of  swine.  Corn 
and  hogs  have  been  from  the  first  almost  a  specialty  with 
the  farmers  of  the  county,  and  through  these  much  lias 
been  added  to  the  wealth  and  consequent  prosperity  of  the 


398  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

people,  especiall}'  the  farmers.  Timber  culture  was  also 
eutered  into  extensive!}^,  uotwithstandiug  the  more  thau 
average  amount  of  native  timber  in  the  county.  Much 
attention  was  also  paid  to  farmers'  houses,  barns  and  other 
outbuildings,  and  many  of  these  country  homes  were  beau- 
tified with  shrubbery,  trees,  orchards  and  grassj^  lawns. 
The  value  of  farms  and  farm  lands  steadily  advanced  in 
prices,  and  this  advance,  though  not  as  rapid  as  the  ad- 
vance sometimes  made  in  other  property,  was  steady  and 
healthj',  and  this  advance  has  continued  up  to  the  Y>resent 
time,  when  a  Polk  County  farm  is  generallj^  considered  a 
most  valuable  property  to  hold.  It  is  noticeable  that  when 
financial  panics  or  "hard  times"  come  upon  a  community 
many  of  the  town  people  retire  to  the  country  and  become 
farmers.  And  it  is  further  noticeable  that  a  large  major- 
ity of  these  former  town  people  become  attached  to  a  farm 
life  and  remain  farmers  on  to  the  end.  Some  of  them,  too, 
make  the  verj'  best  of  progressiA^e,  successful  farmers. 

One  fact  is  woi-thy  of  making  a  special  note  of  in  connec- 
tion with  county  affairs  during  this  period.  This  is,  that 
in  the  years  1872  and  1873,  the  county  was  entirely  out  of 
debt.  Fortunately  for  Polk  County  there  never  was  any 
heavy  bonded  indebtedness  hanging  over  the  taxpayers. 
Back  in  the  fifties  the  county,  like  unto  other  counties  then 
in  existence,  anxious  to  secure  railroad  connection  with  the 
rest  of  the  world,  by  a  vote  of  the  people  agreed  to  give 
its  bonds  to  the  amount  of  .|300,000  to  the  old  Mississippi 
and  Missouri,  now  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific 
Railroad  Company.  But  fortunately,  perhaps,  for  the 
county  that  railroad  company  did  not  comply  with  the 
conditions  imposed,  tlie  bonds  were  not  issued,  and  the  vote 
was  subsequently  rescinded.  Thus,  in  the  years  after  the 
war,  when  other  counties  and  cities  in  Iowa  were  being 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  399 

sued  in  the  United  States  courts,  upon  railroad  and  other 
bonds  issued  by  them,  and  heavy  judgments  were  being- 
obtained  against  them,  the  County  of  Polk  and  City  of  Des 
iloines  were  not  harassed  in  this  way.  And  while  there 
may  have  been  at  times  needless  expenditure  of  county 
funds,  yet  upon  the  whole  the  finances  of  Polk  County  have 
been  well  managed. 

During  the  ten  years  embraced  in  this  chapter  Polk 
County  more  than  doubled  its  population,  jumping  from 
15,2U  in  1865  to  31,.55S  in  1875.  The  City  of  Des  Moines 
also  nearly  tripled  its  population  in  the  same  time — the 
census  of  18G5  showing  a  total  population  of  only  5,722, 
while  the  census  of  1875  gave  the  city  14,443  inhabitants. 
In  1865  there  were  in  the  county  3,135  voters,  and  1,419 
voters  in  the  city.  In  1875  there  were  41,842  voters  in  the 
county,  over  2,000  of  whom  were  in  the  City  of  Des  Moines. 

October  8, 18G7,  a  vote  was  taken  in  the  county  upon  the 
proposition  to  restrain  sheep  and  hogs  from  running  at 
large  and  was  defeated  by  the  following  vote:  Yeas,  851; 
najj-s,  1,144.  But  two  years  later,  October  12,  1869,  the 
same  proposition  was  submitted  and  carried  by  a  large 
majority:  Yeas,  2,066;  naj^s,  930.  October  12,  1875,  came 
a  vote  upon  the  question,  shall  stock  be  restricted  from 
running  at  large?  This  proposition  was  defeated  by  a 
vote  of:  Yeas,  1,747;  nays,  2,500.  Two  years  later  the 
same  proposition  was  again  defeated,  but  in  1880  it  carried 
by  a  majority  of  853. 

For  several  years  this  same  question  caused  more  or  less 
agitation  in  the  city.  It  was  an  easy  matter  to  pass  an 
ordinance  requiring  horses  and  hogs  to  be  restrained  from 
running  at  large,  though  for  several  years  the  hogs  were 
allowed  to  make  free  raids  upon  the  gardens  of  the  citi- 
zens, but  when  it  came  to  restraining  cows  that  was  an- 


400  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

other  matter.  In  the  early  days  a  coav  was  considered  a 
necessarjr  adjunct  to  every  well  regulated  family,  and  when 
the  City  Council  attempted  to  pass  or  enforce  an  ordinance 
compelling  the  owner.s  to  keep  their  cows  in  stables  or 
pastures  the  indignation  of  many  men  and  women  was 
aroused  at  once  and  they  proceeded  without  delay  to  "make 
it  warm"  for  the  offending  aldermen.  At  that  time,  too, 
there  were  vacant  lots  and  parcels  of  land  in  and  about 
The  city  where,  in  the  season,  the  cows  could  find  an  abun- 
dance ot  good  grazing,  and  when  they  desired  a  change  of 
diet  they  could  make  raids  upon  the  gardens  or  lands  of 
the  citizens.  In  the  winter  time  the  cows  picked  up  much 
sustenance  from  the  wagons  and  sleds  of  the  farmers  in 
tlie  streets  of  the  city,  and  they  were  not  at  all  particular 
as  to  what  they  took  therefrom.  Finally,  this  nuisance 
became  so  great  that  the  Council  at  last  passed  a  cow  ordi- 
nance, and  had  the  courage  to  enforce  it,  and  this  now 
meets  the  approbation  of  a  large  majority  of  the  citizens. 
To  a  great  extent  the  milkman  has  taken  the  place  of  the 
family  cow,  while  the  market  gardener  supplies  what  was 
formerly  procured  from  the  family  vegetable  garden.  Bnt 
seldom  now  we  find  the  irate  family  man,  armed  with  a 
bean  pole,  frantically  chasing  an  invading  cow  from  his 
lot,  swearing  vengeance  upon  both  cow  and  owner.  The 
cow  has  about  disappeared,  save  a  few  that  the  boys  drive 
to  and  fro,  or  herd  during  the  day  and  stable  at  night,  and 
the  family  vegetable  gardens  are  only  to  be  found  now  out- 
side of  the  more  densely  settled  portions  of  the  city.  Many 
of  the  old-time  fences  have  also  disappeared,  and  fine 
laAvns,  shrubbery  and  flowers  are  unenclosed  and  open  to 
the  street.  The  restraining  ordinance  protects  them  more 
safely  than  did  the  fences  of  an  earlier  day. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

.     'J     ''  '  *■'      ■'  •  "       THE  SALOON.  '         ■  ^  'S - 

THE  sale  of  iutoxicatiug  liquors  aucl  the  regulatioL 
or  prohibition  of  the  same  has  always  played  a  more 
or  less  prominent  part  in  the  political  and  social 
liistory  of  every  city  and  county,  e,sx>ecially  in  Iowa.  So 
this  question  lias  in  the  history  of  Des  Moines  and  Polk 
County.  Wliile  the  United  States  troops  were  here  the 
sale  of  intoxicating-  liquors,  especially  to  the  Indians, 
was  strictly  prohibited,  and  the  soldiers  used  prompt  and 
summai'y  measures  to  prevent  the  sale  and  punish  the 
sellers.  And  yet,  notwithstanding  this  military  vigilance, 
the  settlers,  soldiers  and  Indians,  managed  lime  and  time 
again  to  procure  intoxicating  liquors  of  \'arious  kinds. 
Tlie  sale,  purchase  and  use  of  iutoxicatiug  liquors  from 
the  beginning  up  to  this  time  has  never  been  entirely 
suppressed  in  this  city  and  county,  no  matter  hoAV  strin- 
gent the  laws  may  have  been  and  h()A\'ever  7>ealous  the 
officers  in  the  enforcement  of  the  same.  Tliis  is  a  fact 
of  history  that  cannot  be  denied  truthfully. 

The  County  of  Polk  was  organized  by  election  on  April 
(5,  ISIti.  The  first  Board  of  County  t'ommissioucu's  met 
April  13,  and  organized.  Tlie  following  day  aluiost  the 
first  business  transacted  was  granting  a  license  to  Wal- 
lace W.Clapp,  and  also  to  Addison  Michael,  allowing  eacli 
of  these  persons  to  keep  a  grocei'y  wlierein  intoxicating 
liquors  w^ere  to  be  sold.  Tlie  license  fee  tlien  was  very 
low  compared  with  the  .f  1,200  now  paid,  being  only  .$0.25 
per  quarter,  or  .f25  for  each  year.  A  number  of  such 
licenses  were  granted  by  the  Board  prior  to  the  enactment 


402  AiVi\^AL*S'  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

of  the  tirst  t^tate  prohibitory  hiw.  There  was  occasional 
trouble  over  the  sale  of  liquors,  and  some  prosecutions, 
but  they  were  comparatively  few  in  number,  and  those 
licensed  "groceries"  w  ere  allowed  to  conduct  this  business 
with  but  little  molestation  from  the  officers  of  the  law. 

The  theory  of  kState  prohibition  of  the  manufacture  and 
sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  had  taken  a  strong  hold  upon 
the  people  East  and  West  in  the  early  fifties.  Many  en- 
thusiasts saAV  in  tliis  the  means  of  finally  banishing  intem- 
perance from  the  land.  vSeveral  of  the  States  about  this 
time  adopted  what  was  called  the  "Maine  law,"  that  state 
having  been  among  the  first  to  adopt  prohibition  in  its 
entirety.  The  first  prohibitory  law  of  Iowa  w^as  adopted 
or  passed  by  the  General  Assenrbly  in  1855,  and  was  sub- 
mitted to  a  vote  of  the  people  at  tlie  April  election  of  that 
year.  The  vote  upon  it  was  not  large  and  the  majority 
were  in  favor  of  the  adoption  of  the  law.  By  its  jirovisious 
the  law  went  into  effect  July  i,  1855,  and  being  sustained 
by  the  courts  became  the  law  of  the  State.  This  law  legally 
(dosed  all  the  saloons  or  groceries  in  the  State,  although  as 
a  fact  in  many  localities  the  law  was  not  enforced.  In 
Des  Moines  and  Polk  County  it  was  enforced  with  more  or 
less  strictness,  yet  at  no  time  was  it  impossible  or  even 
very  difficult  for  those  who  desired  to  obtain  intoxicating 
beverages.  The  drug*  stores,  tlien,  as  now,  sold  more  or 
less  of  liquors, and  what  are  called  "lioles  in  the  wall"  were 
in  existence  even  in  those  early  days.  There  were,  how- 
ever, no  open  saloons  in  Di's  Moines  for  a  short  time  after 
the  law  went  into  effect,  and  tlie  town  and  county  officers 
of  that  day  had  not  discovered  the  mine  of  wealth,  snbse- 
quently  discovered  by  their  successors,  which  existed  in 
the  searches  after  violators  of  tlie  law  and  the  seizure  and 
confiscation  of  their  iirohibited  goods.     Yet  there  were 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  403 

some  seizures,  one  of  the  most  notable  being  the  seizure 
and  the  destruction  of  some  forty  barrels  of  high  wine  and 
other  liquors  belonging  to  Charles  Good.  In  1856,  if  not 
before,  there  were  again  several  open  saloons  in  the  town, 
one  or  two  of  them  being  finely  fitted  up,  and  they  were  not 
much  troubled  by  the  law  or  its  officers. 

By  the  provisions  of  this  law  we  had  for  a  year  or  two 
what  was  called  "The  County  Grocery.''  Under  the  law  the 
County  Judge  appointed  an  agent,  Dr.  D.  V.  Cole,  who 
bought  for  the  county  an  excellent  stock  of  lirpiors  and 
sold  the  same  for  "medical,  mechanical  and  culinary  pur- 
poses." This  "County  Grocery'"  was  located  on  the  south 
side  of  Court  avenue,  between  Second  and  Third  streets, 
where  G.  Munzenmaier's  saloon  now  is.  Dr.  Cole  and  J. 
Fleisliman,  his  assistant,  tried  to  live  up  to  the  law,  but 
liaving  to  take  the  word  of  the  purchasers  for  the  truth, 
their  sales  became  large  and  frequent,  and  it  is  at  least 
doubtful  about  the  liquors  purchased  being  generally  ap- 
plied for  the  purposes  prescribed  by  the  law.  In  fact,  it 
is  not  improbable  that  not  a  few  "good  drunks"  were  had 
by  the  early  settlers  of  that  day  from  or  upon  the  liquors 
purchased  at  the  "County  Grocery."  The  T\Titer  has  a  dis- 
tinct recollection  of  one  of  the  enterprising  citizens  of  that 
day  who,  purchasing  his  stock  at  the  agency,  made  the 
rounds  of  stores,  offices  and  shops,  peddling  out  the  liquors 
by  the  drink.  He  was  well  knoAvu  and  took  the  title  of 
"Doctor"  from  his  calling,  and  was  generally  given  a 
hearty  welcome  by  the  thirsty.  lie  did  a  prosperous  busi- 
ness for  a  time. 

One  of  the  official  duties  of  the  Grand  Jury  was  to  in- 
spect the  stock,  books,  etc.,  of  the  "County  Grocery,"  and 
it  is  needless  to  say  this  duty  was  never  neglected.  Tlie 
writer  on  one  occasion  was  appointed  by  Judge  McFarland 


404  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

special  bailiff  of  the  Grand  Jury  for  this  duty  and  no  other, 
and  in  his  official  capacity  marched  the  jury  down  to  the 
"County  Grocery"  to  make  this  examination.  The  Grand 
Jury  was  then  composed  of  fifteen  men,  and  the  jovial  Dr. 
T.  K.  Brooks  was  the  foreman.  Several  hours  was  occu- 
pied in  this  work,  the  most  of  the  time  being  spent  in  test- 
ing the  quality  and  purity  of  the  liquors.  The  law  re- 
quired the  liquors  to  be  pure  and  unadulterated,  and  Dr. 
Brooks  said  that  they  must  be  thorough  and  general  in 
their  tests.  The  tests  were  duly  made,  in  fact  any  number 
of  tests,  and  the  jury  finally  returned  to  their  room  full  of 
the  subject  of  their  investigation — so  full  they  immediately 
adjourned  for  the  day.  Thereupon  the  bailiff  was  summar- 
ily called  before  the  Judge,  who  eagerly  enquired,  "Did 
you  leave  anything  for  me?"  Upon  being  informed  a  two- 
gallon  jug  of  the  best  whisky  was  in  the  sheriff's  office,  the 
Judge  thanked  and  discharged  the  bailiff'  from  further 
duty,  adjourned  the  court  for  a  time,  and  hastened  with 
some  of  the  attorneys  to  the  sheriff's  room,  and  in  a  short 
time  there  was  a  sound  of  approaching  emptiness  in  that 
jug. 

The  "County  Grocery"  became  unpopular,  or  too  popular 
with  some,  and  the  General  Assembly  in  ]  S56-57  abol- 
ished that  feature  of  the  law.  Thereupon  Polk  County  sold 
out  the  stock  on  hand  and  retired  from  the  saloon  or  groc- 
ery trade.  There  had  also  arisen  much  complaint  among 
the  people  about  the  law  and  manj^  urged  its  repeal.  Tlie 
immigration  into  the  State  was  then  large,  and  among 
them  had  been  many  Germans,  and  many  more  were  about 
ready  to  follow,  but  they  wanted  to  have  the  beer  and  the 
wine  they  had  always  been  accustomed  to  in  their  old  and 
also  their  new  home.  They  cared  little  about  whisky  and 
the  other  strong  drinks,  but  they  must  have  their  beer  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  405 

wine.  At  that  time  the  two  main  political  parties  were 
struggling  for  supremacy  in  the  State,  and  the  German 
voter  was  an  important  factor.  These  Germans  held  the 
balance  of  power.  The  newly  formed  Republican  party 
could  not  antagonize  them  and  hold  political  power.  The 
Germans  were  opposed  to  the  sweeping  prohibitory  law. 
A  compromise  was  effected.  To  retain  the  native  prohibi- 
tionists the  prohibitory  law  in  its  general  features  was  re- 
tained, and  to  placate  the  Germans  the  law  was  amended 
so  as  to  allow  towns  and  cities  to  license  the  sale  of  beer 
and  wine.  This  is  why  the  celebrated  "beer  and  wine 
clause"  came  to  be  engrafted  upon  the  so-called  prohibitory 
laws  of  Iowa.  Efforts  were  made  time  and  again  to  repeal 
this  clause,  but  it  remained  the  law  of  the  State  until  the 
prohibitory  constitutional  amendment  was  adopted  in  1882 
and  the  subsequent  enactment  of  a  more  stringent  prohib- 
itory law  by  the  General  Assembly  in  1884. 

Not  long  after  the  adoption  of  the  "wine  and  beer  clause" 
the  City  Council  of  Des  Moines  licensed  the  sale  of  beer  and 
wine  at  first  placing  the  annual  license  fee  to  be  paid  at 
•f200.  The  number  of  saloons  increased  as  rapidly,  if  not 
more  so,  than  the  growth  of  the  city  in  population.  There 
were  a  few  saloons  in  the  outlying  towns  of  the  county,  but 
there  were  not  many  of  them,  and  their  careers  were  gener- 
ally short  and  full  of  trouble.  In  the  city  few,  if  any,  of 
these  saloons  confined  themselves  to  the  sale  of  wine  and 
beer.  They  all  sold  more  or  less  whisky  and  other  strong 
liquors  in  violation  of  the  law.  In  fact  it  was  expected 
they  would  sell  strong  liquors,  as  they  could  not  confine 
their  sales  to  the  legal  drinks  and  pay  the  amount  charged 
by  the  city  for  license.  This  amount  was  from  time  to  time 
increased  from  |300  to  $500,  to  $800,  and  finally  to  $1,000, 
and  even  this  latter  large  sum  was  being  jjaid  about  1882 


406  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

hj  more  tliau  fifty  saloon  keepers  in  the  City  of  Des  Moines. 
Bnt  with  all  their  payments  to  the  City  of  Des  Moines 
these  saloon  keepers  had  their  legal  troubles,  and  many 
of  them.  They  were  continually  violating  the  St<ite  law 
and  being  indicted  therefor  by  grand  juries.  Especially 
was  this  the  case  during  the  eight  years  Judge  Maxwell 
was  on  the  District  bench.  He  was  a  strong  believer  in 
and  adA'ocate  of  prohibition  and  had  but  little  sympathy 
for  any  saloon  keeper.  lie  charged  grand  and  petit  juries 
strongly  against  them  at  every  term  and  upon  every  trial 
of  one  of  the  keepers,  and  if  found  guiltj^  by  a  jurj^  always 
administered  severe  punishment.  The  only  escape  for  the 
saloon  keei^er  was  when,  as  sometimes  happened,  grand 
juries  refused  to  indict,  and  as  more  often  was  the  case 
petit  juries  refused  to  convict  despite  tlie  charges  and 
instructions  of  the  Judge. 

Occasionally,  but  generally  for  onlj^  a  brief  period,  the 
Citj  Ckjuncil,  bowing  to  some  temporary  prohibition  wave 
of  public  opinion,  would  refuse  to  license  any  saloons. 
Then  there  would  be  a  "dry"  time  among  the  citizens.  At 
one  time  the  saloons  closed  tightly  all  their  doors  for  a 
few  weeks.  Then  the  prohibitionists  rejoiced  over  a  vic- 
tory won.  These  rejoicings  were  premature.  The  saloon 
men  were  quietly  at  work.  They  took  the  best  legal  coun- 
sel, carefully  prepared  their  books  and  papers,  and  one 
morning  the  doors  of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  saloons  were 
thrown  open  again.  But  they  were  no  longer  piiblic  sa- 
loons. They  were  legally  organized  "Social  Clubs,"  and 
every  one  who  wished  could  become  a  member  thereof  and 
enjoy  his  fill  of  drinks.  And  these  clubs  paid  no  license 
fee  whatever  to  the  city.  The  city  officials  looked  on  for  a 
time,  and  then  acknowledged  defeat,  passed  a  license  ordi- 
nance more  satisfactory  to  those  especial],y  interested,  and 


Ai\^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  407 

in  a  short  time  tlie  social  clubs  disappeared  and  the  ohl 
familiar  saloons  reappeared. 

Many  of  these  saloons  were  not  conducted  as  they  should 
have  been,  or  as  required  by  the  State  law  and  the  ordi- 
nance of  the  city,  and  the  result  was  the  anti-saloon  feel- 
ing grew  stronger  each  year.  While  a  majority  of  the 
people  of  the  city  were  never  perhaps  what  might  be 
strictly  called  prohibitionists,  jet  the  feeling  from  the 
beginning  up  to  the  present  day  was  at  no  time  strongly 
in  favor  of  open  saloons,  but  upon  the  contrary,  more  or  less 
opposed  to  them.  When  they  did  exist  it  was  more  by  tlie 
mere  sufferance  than  the  good  will  of  a  majority  of  the  citi- 
zens of  both  county  and  city.  At  the  same  time  it  must  be 
admitted  by  the  student  of  its  history  that  prohibition  has 
never  been,  and  judging  the  future  by  the  past,  ne^-er  will 
be  strictly  enforced  in  the  City  of  Des  Moines.  This  is  a 
condition,  not  a  theory. 

The  General  Assembly  in  1882  adopted  for  the  second 
time  a  proposed  amendment  to  the  Constitution  prohibit- 
ing in  this  vState  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  all  spirituous 
and  malt  liquors,  including  wine  and  beer.  This  proposed 
amendment  was  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people  on  June 
27,  18S2,  and  adopted  by  a  majority  vote  of  nearlj^  thirty 
thousand.  The  vote  cast  in  Polk  County  upon  this  prohib- 
itory amendment  stood 

For  adoption 4,630 

Against 2,519 

Majority  for 2,111 

On  October  11,  1870,  less  than  twelve  years  previous  to 
the  last  vote  of  the  people  of  Polk  County  had  refused  to 
prohibit  the  sale  of  ale,  beer  and  wine,  by  the  following 
vote: 


408  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

For  prohibition 1,430 

Against 1,670 

Majority  against 244 

The  adoption  of  this  amendment  was  generallj^  regarded 
as  the  death  knell  of  the  saloon  in  Iowa,  and  that  as  soon 
as  the  General  Assembly  would  meet  and  pass  laws  for 
carrying  the  amendment  into  effect,  the  saloons  would 
disappear  from  Polk  County  and  other  counties  of  the 
State.  But  the  legality  of  the  adoption  of  the  amendment 
was  contested  in  the  courts,  and  after  a  number  of  months 
of  doubt,  and  a  great  legal  contest,  the  Supreme  Court 
finally  decided  the  amendment  to  be  null  and  void,  and 
no  part  of  the  Constitution  as  had  been  officiallyproclaimed 
by  the  Governor,  because  of  grave  legal  defects  in  the 
manner  in  which  it  had  been  agreed  to  by  the  General  As- 
sembly. This  gave  a  new  lease  of  life  to  the  saloons.  But 
the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  only  maddened  the 
prohibitionists  and  increased  their  hatred  of  the  saloon. 
They  had  won  a  great  victory  over  the  latter  only  to  be 
robbed  of  the  legitimate  fruits  of  that  victoiy.  At  the 
first  opportunity  they  strack  down  Judge  Day,  the  Chief 
Justice  who  delivered  the  opinion  against  the  validity  of 
the  amendment,  though  he  was  an  able,  honest  judge,  and 
had  been  before  this  a  very  popular  man.  They  made 
special  efforts  at  the  next  election  for  members  of  the 
General  Assembly  and  secured  a  majority  of  the  members. 
They  argued,  with  some  show  of  reason,  that  as  a  large 
majority  of  the  people  had  by  their  votes  declared  in  favor 
of  prohibition,  it  was  the  duty  of  the  General  Assembly 
at  the  first  opportunity  to  pass  a  sweeping  and  general 
prohibitory  law.  If  they  could  not  have  it  now  in  the  Con- 
stitution they  must  have  prohibition  good  and  strong  in 
the  statute  laws. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  409 

The  General  Assembly  of  1884  enacted  what  was  at  that 
time  generally  called  the  "Clark  Law,"  so  named  for  T. 
E.  Clark  of  Page  County,  a  leading  prohibition  member 
of  the  Senate.  It  was  a  sweeping,  stringent  law,  prohibit- 
ing, under  severe  penalties,  the  manufacture  or  sale  of  all 
kinds  of  spirituous  and  malt  liquors.  It  was  considered 
at  the  time  a  very  severe  law  and  j'et  two  years  later  it  was 
made  even  more  severe  and  drastic.  It  was  thought  if 
prohibition  ever  could  be  enforced  it  certainly  would  be 
under  these  laws,  which  virtually  held  that  makers  and 
sellers  of  intoxicating  liquors  had  no  rights  which  the  peo- 
ple or  the  courts  were  bound  to  respect.  And  the  Sui^reme 
Court  of  the  State  subsequently  held  these  stringent  and 
extraordinary  provisions  of  the  law  to  be  valid  and  bind- 
ing upon  the  people.  These  laws  first  went  into  effect 
July  4,  1884,  and  at  once  the  open  saloons  of  Des  Moines 
were  all  closed. 

But,  as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  in  a  short  time  it  was  dis- 
covered that  the  law  was  being  evaded  and  intoxicating 
liquors  sold  in  violation  of  the  same.  It  was  not  long  before 
a  large  amount  of  this  traffic  was  diverted  to  the  drug 
store,  and  the  rapid  increase  in  numbers  of  the  latter  was 
surprising.  They  sprung  up  quickly  and  thickly  in  the 
business  portions  of  the  city,  and  soon  invaded  the  resi- 
dence streets,  and  were  scattered  around  the  suburbs.  A 
number  of  former  saloons  were  reopened  as  drug  stores, 
restaurants,  etc.,  and  in  most  of  these  places  intoxicating 
liquors  were  sold  at  all  hours,  day  and  niglit.  Not  a  few 
of  the  rooms  fitted  iip  as  saloons  were  reopened  and  liquors 
were  again  sold  therein  with  more  or  less  secrecy.  Good 
prohibitionists,  who  believed  in  the  law,  now  attempted 
to  enforce  it  in  good  faith.  Arrests  were  made,  injunction 
proceedings  conimenced,  and  the  places  were  searched  and 


410  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

considerable  liquor  seized.  This  first  effort  at  enforcement 
was  undoubtedly  made  in  an  honest  effort  to  aDolish  the 
sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  in  the  city  and  county.  And  yet 
the  sale  went  on,  and  while  for  a  time  drunkenness  may 
haye  been  partially  suppressed  it  soon  became  apparent 
that  it  had  not  been  prohibited  in  fact  as  it  had  been  in 
law. 

Under  the  proyisions  of  the  laAV  the  processes  had  been 
made  easy  of  procurement  and  the  fees  to  officers  executing 
the  same  were  found  to  be  yery  remunerative.  This  was 
as  great  a  temptation  to  the  officers  of  the  law  and  in- 
formers, and  iucidentiiUy  to  the  numerous  attorneys  of  the 
city  and  county,  as  was  whisky  and  beei'  to  the  ijeryerted 
appetites  of  the  confirmed  drunkards.  The  most  of  these 
men  cared  little  or  nothing  for  the  law  itself;  they  were 
not  zealous  foes  of  intoxicating  liquors.  They  were  pri- 
marily in  the  business  of  enforcing  the  law  solely  for  the 
fees  or  the  mone,y  there  was  in  it  for  them.  Backed  by  the 
sheriff  of  the  count}''  and  the  justices  of  the  townships,  the 
sheriff  and  his  deputies,  constables  and  numei*ous  assist- 
ants, were  soon  banded  together  and  making  daily,  eyen 
hourly,  raids  upon  and  into  places  where  it  was  known  or 
suspected  intoxicating  liquors  were  being  sold.  These 
raids  brought  on  at  times  great  excitement  among  the  peo- 
ple and  not  unfrequently  led  to  brawls,  almost  riots,  and 
clubs,  kuiyes  and  pistols  were  openly  displayed,  and  some- 
times used.  Men  were  beaten  and  shot,  and  finally  a  spe- 
cial constable,  Logan,  was  shot  dead  in  a  large  wholesale 
drug  store  on  kSecond  street.  These  raids  caused  at  first 
as  previously  stated,  much  excitement,  and  their  frequency 
and  the  peculiar  manner  in  which  they  Avere  conducted 
attracted  the  attention  of  not  only  the  people  of  Iowa,  but 
also  that  of  others  throughout  the  entire  countr\'. 


AND  THU  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES.  411 

As  before  stated  there  was  money,  miu-h  iiionej',  in  it 
for  the  jndicial  and  executive  ofticers  of  tlie  law,  and  nine- 
teutlis  of  this  money  was  taken  from  tlie  taxpayers  of  the 
county,  the  latter  having  to  pay  most  of  tlie  cost  of  all  these 
raids,  riots  and  judicial  and  extra  judicial  proceedings. 
Very  seldom  were  any  costs  collected  from  the  illegal  sell- 
ers. These  "searchers,"  as  they  were  tenned,  reduced  the 
business  almost  to  a  science.  They  did  not  wish  these 
places  entirely  closed,  as  this  would  reduce  their  lucrative 
returns.  Hence  they  seldom  arrested  persons  engaged  in 
illegal  selling.  The,y  were  content  themselves  with  seizing 
what  small  quantities  they  might  find,  put  this  liquor  on 
trial,  condemn  and  destroy  it.  Often  they  would  pile  up 
a  bill  of  costs  against  the  coimty  of  from  $5  to  |25  for  the 
seizure  and  condemnation  of  liquors  of  the  value  of  only 
a  few  cents.  Not  content  with  thus  robbing  the  county, 
these  officials  and  followers  would  levy  cash  tribute  upon 
the  sellers  and  blackmail  them  and  their  friends.  They 
by  their  actions,  blackened  the  fair  name  and  injured  the 
reputation  of  the  city.  The  amounts  gathered  by  these 
men  during  the  years  of  tiieir  active  operations  is  not 
known  exactly,  but  in  the  aggregate  was  enormous,  reach- 
ing far  beyond  |100,000  in  this  city  and  county.  One  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  is  reported  to  have  made  more  than 
110,000  in  one  year  out  of  his  office,  while  his  leading  con- 
stable was  not  far  behind  him.  The  others  gathered  in 
very  large  sums.  While  they  raided  the  places  where 
liquors  were  illegally  sold  and  badgered  the  sellers  they 
much  more  effectually  raided  the  county  treasury  and  the 
pockets  of  the  taxpayers.  For  a  time  they  seemed  drunken 
with  their  unlimited  power  and  wealth  of  spoils. 

Such  an  extraordinary  state  of  affairs  could  not  in  the 
very  nature  of  things  long  exist.    And  yet  they  did  exist  in 


412  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

a  more  or  less  violent  form  for  several  years.  The  people 
of  the  city  and  county  were  remarkably  long  suffering  and 
forbearing.  At  last,  however,  there  Avas  a  reaction.  The 
people  complained,  the  County  Board  of  Super^dsors  com- 
menced scanning  closely  and  throwing  out  a  portion  of 
these  excessive  bills  of  costs,  civil  and  criminal  proceed- 
ings were  commenced  against  some  of  the  most  active 
"searchers,"  they  were  found  out,  and  neai'ly  all  the  good 
citizens  Tvho  had  encouraged  them  at  the  start  became  cold 
and  lukewarm  toward  them  and  generally  condemned  their 
wholesale  robbery  of  the  public  treasury.  The  "searchers" 
were  loathe  to  abandon  this  mine  of  wealth,  but  finding 
that  the  once  rich  vein  had  been  about  worked  out,  they 
slowly  and  reluctantly  withdrew.  But  up  to  the  last  now 
and  then  new  raids  were  made  upon  the  sellers  and  their 
goods,  and  new  bills  of  costs  made  out  against  the  county. 
Intelligent  men  now  look  back  and  wonder  that  this  work 
was  permitted,  and  being  permitted  was  also  allowed  to 
continue  for  such  a  long  period  of  time.  They  cannot  un- 
derstand it.  And  it  is  certainly  something  wliich  would 
not  be  permitted  to  again  occur  in  this  city  and  county. 
One  affliction  of  the  kind  is  sufficient  for  all  time. 

The  General  Assembl,y  at  the  session  of  1894  passed  what 
is  knoAAai  as  the  "Mulct  Law."  This  law  is  in  force  at  this 
time  and  went  into  effect  a  short  time  after  its  passage. 
Under  its  provisions  when  a  majority  of  the  citizens  of  one 
of  the  large  cities  give  their  consent  thereto  in  writing  the 
City  Council  may  grant  permits  for  the  sale  of  all  spirituous 
and  malt  liquors,  under  certain  stringent  regulations  and 
upon  the  payment  of  a  license  fee  of  not  less  than  |600  per 
annum,  which  fee  is  to  be  equally  divided  between  the  city 
and  count3^  Consent  papers  were  circulated  and  an  active 
canvass  made  and  in  a  short  time  it  was  announced  that  a 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  418 

majority  of  voters  had  giveu  their  cofiseut  as  required  by 
law.  Thereupon  the  City  Council  passed  the  requisite  ordi- 
nance, fixed  the  total  fees  at  |1,200  per  year,  and  ordered 
licenses  or  permits  issued  to  a  number  of  applicants.  Im- 
mediately thereafter  a  number  of  saloons  were  opened 
under  the  law,  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  1894,  and  for  tlie 
first  time  in  thirty-nine  years  was  whisky  and  the  stronger 
alcoliolic  drinks  legally  sold  in  a  Des  Moines  or  Iowa  sa- 
loon. From  July  4,  1855,  up  to  tlie  taking  effect  of  the 
mulct  law  it  had  been  against  the  laws  of  Iowa  to  manu- 
facture or  sell  these  alcoholic  liquors  as  a  beverage,  wine 
and  beer  alone  being  legalized.  During  these  thirty-nine 
years  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  had  been  expended 
in  Polk  County  alone  in  the  attempt  to  enforce  these  pro- 
hibitory laws,  and  the  success  which  followed  these  costly 
attemj^ts  is  to  some  extent  pointed  out  in  this  history  of  the 
saloon  in  Polk  County. 

But  the  new  mulct  law  and  the  saloons  operating  under 
the  same  in  Des  Moines  within  a  year  after  opening  had 
to  face  another  judicial  inquiry.  Some  of  the  opponents  of 
the  saloon,  prominent  in  the  same  being  the  Church  Fed- 
eration, contended  that  the  petition  of  consent  was  invalid, 
chiefly  for  the  reason  that  it  had  not  been  signed  as  the 
law  required  by  a  majority  of  tlie  legal  voters  of  the  city. 
Prosecutions  were  commenced,  injunctions  obtained,  and 
other  proceedings  had,  causing  more  or  less  excitement  in 
the  city.  FolloAving  a  long  and  expensive  hearing  in  the 
District  Court,  Judge  Spurrier  decided  against  the  saloons, 
that  the  alleged  consent  had  not  been  legally  obtained,  and 
again  were  the  saloons  all  closed.  The  saloon  keepers  then 
went  to  work  in  earnest  and  in  a  few  weeks  procured  and 
filed  new  petitions  of  consent,  which  Avere  pronounced  good 
and  sufficient.    Then  the  saloons  were  again  opened  and 


414  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

have  remained  open  up  to  this  time,  and  few  if  any  of  them 
have  been  since  prosecuted  for  a  violation  of  the  present 
law. 

At  this  time  tliere  are  in  the  citj^,  and  they  are  tlie  only 
ones  of  the  kind  in  the  county,  between  fifty  and  sixty 
saloons  operating  under  the  present  law,  and  it  is  claimed 
by  the  owners  and  conceded  by  the  officials  that  they  are 
gejierally  obserwing  all  the  provisions  and  regulations 
much  better  indeed  than  was  to  be  expected  in  view  of  the 
past.  Yet  the  fact  remains  that  there  are  too  many  so- 
called  drug  stores  and  other  places  where  all  kinds  of 
liquors  are  being  sold  by  day  and  at  all  hours  of  the  night, 
in  direct  and  flagrant  violation  of  the  law.  The  newspapers 
and  good  citizens  generallj^  are  loudly  calling  for  their 
rigid  suppression,  but  so  far  they  have  not  been  suppressed. 
At  the  same  time  there  are  a  number  of  good  citizens, 
among  them  ministers  and  members  of  churches,  who  are 
not  and  will  not  be  content  until  the  prohibitory  laws  are 
revived  in  all  their  harshness  and  another  and  a  more  thor- 
ough attempt  made  to  abolish  entirely  the  liquor  traffic 
in  the  city  and  State.  They  contend  prohibition  can  be 
and  will  be  some  time  in  the  future  thoroughh^  enforced 
all  over  this  broad  land,  and  to  this  end  they  labor. 

NOTES. 

The  first  saloons  were  naturally  somewhat  rude  and  un- 
couth places,  without  the  fine  and  costly  accessories  of  a 
modern  bar  room.  The  first  one  Avas  in  one  of  the  old  fort 
buildings  and  for  several  years  thereafter  they  were  all 
located  on  or  near  "the  Point,"  the  tongiie  of  laud  at  the 
junction  of  the  Raccoon  and  Des  Moines  Rivers.  Liquors 
Avere  then  sold  generally  in  grocery  stores.  When  the  Ex- 
change Block,  corner  of  Third  and  Walnut,  was  completed, 
a  fine  saloon  AA'as  opened  on  the  second  floor  at  the  west 


AT^D  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  415 

end  of  the  building.  There  were  fine  furniture,  mirrors, 
pictures,  etc.,  and  during  the  flusli  times  of  1S56-57  this 
place  was  much  patronized  by  the  speculators,  real  estate 
and  i^rofessional  men,  merchants  and  others  of  those  days. 
For  some  time  it  was  the  aristocratic  saloon  of  the  young- 
city,  though  it  was  patronized  by  all  classes. 

Later  on  the  whole  third  floor  of  the  Shernian  Block, 
Third  and  Court  avenue,  was  given  up  to  a  fine  bar,  billiard 
and  card  rooms,  under  the  management  of  Charles  Har- 
rington and  Albert  Britton,  and  this  was  a  great  jdace 
of  resort  for  all  who  enjoj^ed  the  pleasures  there  to  be 
found. 

Perhaps  more  old  time  reminiscences  of  this  nature 
linger  around  a  saloon  opened  by  G.  Munzenmaier  in  1S5G, 
in  a  large  log  and  frame  building  on  the  north  side  of  Court 
avenue,  next  to  the  alley  between  Second  and  Third.  The 
house  was  one  of  the  first  built  in  the  town  and  for  a  time 
was  tlie  residence  of  Dr.  William  Baker.  The  street  hav- 
ing been  filled  the  first  floor  was  then  several  feet  below 
grade.  This  place  and  its  proprietor  had  an  unbounded 
popularity  for  several  years.  Everybody  went  there.  The 
legislator  and  the  farmer,  the  judge  and  the  lawyer  and 
the  laborer,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  flocked  to  this  unpre- 
tending place,  and  each  and  all  enjoyed  themselves  in  their 
own  fashion.  Not  a  few  grandfathers  of  today  think  back 
and  smile  over  the  remembrance  of  pleasant  hours  passed 
awaj'  years  ago  at  "Munz's." 

Such  old  timers,  then  jolly  youths,  as  "Jim''  Miller,  Cap- 
tain Ed  L.  Marsh  and  others  engaged  for  a  limited  period 
in  operating  a  saloon.  In  those  days  an  aged  and  portly 
German  had  a  small  saloon  on  Court  avenue.  One  holiday 
time  the  boj's  mentioned  and  their  comrades  bought  the 
establishment  of  the  old  German  for,  to  him,  munificent 


416  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

sum  of  |7  cash  in  liancl.  They  were  to  retain  possession 
one  day.  Jim  Miller  donned  the  big  white  apron  and  his 
partners  went  drumming  up  customers.  One  of  the  first 
was  Dan  O.  Finch.  Dan  took  his  drink,  threw  down  a 
dollar  and  after  waiting  for  a  time  asked  for  his  change. 
He  was  startled  hj  the  polite  reply,  "We  don't  give  back 
any  change  here,  sir!''  Dan  caught  on  and  rushed  off  say- 
ing, "We  must  catch  Crocker."  The  latter  was  caught  and 
also  several  other  citizens.  Bj^  closing  time  the  new  saloon 
keepers  had  about  quadrupled  their  original  capital.  They 
then  took  their  large  profits  over  to  "Munz's,"  had  a  gay 
time  expending  both  capital  and  profits  and  retired  from 
the  saloon  business. 

Among  the  most  zealous  and  noted  of  the  "searchers" 
was  Frank  Pierce.  His  fame  went  all  over  Iowa  and  other 
States.  A  young,  wiry,  nervous  man,  full  of  a  kind  of 
reckless  daring,  he  was  for  a  year  or  two  the  leading  spirit 
of  these  raids  upon  the  saloons.  Many  thought  at  times 
he  was  off  his  mental  balance,  but  he  showed  much  shrewd- 
ness in  accumulating  money  by  his  work  in  this  line.  He 
commenced  as  a  deputy  or  helper  under  Sheriff  Painter, 
but  being  made  a  constable  soon  branched  out  for  himself. 
He  gathered  around  him  a  number  of  not  very  rei)utable 
men,  and  planned  and  executed  searches  and  seizures  up 
into  the  hundreds.  He  was  in  a  number  of  affraj^s,  was 
always  ready  with  his  pistols  and  did  shoot  and  wound 
one  or  two  men.  He  was  the  cause  of  much  excitement 
occasionally  among  the  citizens,  which  several  times  came 
near  resulting  in  bloody  riots.  He  managed,  however,  to 
generally  escape  himself  without  serious  injury.  He 
finally  retired  from  the  business  after  gathering  from  the 
county  and  from  the  sellers  some  .flO,000  more  or  less  in 
the  shape  of  fees  and  perquisites.     He  then  engaged  in 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  417 

business  as  a  scavenger  and  had  difficulties  with  city  offi- 
cials in  regard  to  a  dumping  ground.  This  last  difficulty 
culminated  in  his  shooting  of  Officer  Wishart,  an  old 
soldier,  who  was  at  that  time  acting  as  a  special  policeman. 
The  wounded  man  lingered  for  a  short  time  and  died. 
Pierce  had  been  promptly  arrested  and  indicted  for  mur- 
der. He  tooli  a  change  of  venue  to  Warren  County,  where, 
after  much  delay,  he  was  convicted  of  a  less  degree  and 
sentenced  to  four  years  in  the  penitentiary.  An  appeal 
was  taken  and  finally  the  sentence  was  affirmed.  Soon 
after  Pierce  was  taken  to  the  Fort  Madison  penitentiary, 
where  he  is  now  engaged  in  chair  making. 

Another  of  these  searchers  was  G.  W.  Potts,  who  first, 
with  Pierce,  and  afterwards  with  his  own  gang  acquired 
considerable  notoriety  in  this  line  of  business.  He  and  his 
gang  levied  tribute  on  all  sides  and  for  a  time  were  quite 
successful.  Finally  Potts  was  convicted  of  perjury  and 
given  a  short  term  in  the  penitentiary.  This  broke  up  his 
gang  and  put  a  stop  to  their  operations. 

There  were  others  of  these  men,  who,  dressed  in  a  little 
brief  authority,  cut  such  fantastic  tricks  as  made  the  people 
laugh  and  swear,  then  complain  of  the  sums,  big  and  little, 
drawn  from  the  pockets  of  the  taxpayers  by  these  executors 
of  the  prohibitory  laws  of  Iowa.  But  the  names  of  these 
worthies  are  hardly  worthy  of  being  embalmed  in  this 
history  for  the  admiration  or  contempt  of  future  genera- 
tions. Even  at  this  time,  when  these  occurrences  are  so 
recent,  it  seems  difficult  for  the  average  citizen  to  realize 
how  and  why  they  permitted  this  parody  on  law  and  justice 
and  this  open  and  flagrant  robbery  of  the  public  treasury 
and  of  citizens  to  continue  for  as  long  a  period  as  it  did. 
They  cannot  fully  understand  it.     At  the  same  time  the 

fact  these  proceedings,  under  the  color  of  law,  were  allowed 
26 


418  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  summary  puuislimeut  not  inflicted  upon  the  perpe- 
trators, shows  conclusively  the  peaceable  and  law-abid- 
ing character  of  the  citizens  of  Des  Moines.  Thej^  sub- 
mitted because  they  were  committed  and  permitted  under 
the  sanction  of  or  at  least  the  color  of  the  law,  and  in  the 
liope  that  the  law  makers  and  those  whose  duty  it  was  to 
administer  the  laws  would  ultimately  render  legal  justice 
to  all.  It  is  doubtful,  however,  if  such  proceeding  woi^ld 
under  any  circumstances  again  be  tolerated  or  permitted 
in  this  community.  It  would  hardly  be  safe  for  other  men 
to  attempt  to  repeat  them. 

The  last  prohibitory  law  went  into  effect  in  ISSi.  Ac- 
coi'diug  to  the  County  ^\-uditor's  report  the  total  amount 
of  justice  court  costs  paid  bj"  this  county  in  1884  was 
•'^4,7!)T.11.  The  searchers  commenced  their  operations  in 
1885  and  increased  them  rapid]}^,  as  shown  by  the  increase 
in  justice  court  costs  paid  by  the  county.  In  1S8G  they 
amounted  to  |29,09G;  1887,  .|22,116;  1888,  |20,767;  1889, 
P7,75.5;  1890,  |34,34.3;  1891,  135,159.  These  enormous 
increases  were  almost  ent)rel.y  due  to  the  costs  of  these 
so-called  attem})ts  to  enforce  the  prohibitory  law  in  the 
city  of  Des  Moines.  The  total  court  costs  of  the  county 
in  three  years — 1889-90-91 — reached  the  enormous  sum 
of  $285,3G0.32,  and  in  ten  years  running  up  to  a  grand 
total  of  .'};825,5G2.85. 

Among  the  saloon  keepers  and  liquor  sellers  of  the  past 
fifty  years  in  Des  Moines  were  to  be  found  W.  W.  Clapp, 
Addison  Michael,  James  Campbell,  and  others  in  the  old 
"grocery"  days.  Later  on  came  Charles  Good,  Schotten- 
fels  and  John  McAVilliams.  The  latter  was  one  of  the 
most  jileasaut  gentlemen  ever  residing  in  Des  Moines,  and 
for  some  years  sohl  lifjuors  in  connection  Avith  his  popular 
grocery  store.     Leliman  and  George  O'Kell  at  an  early 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  419 

day  imported  and  sold  many  barrels  of  Pittsburg  aud  Day- 
ton ale.  As  elsewhere  stated  G.  Muuzenmaier  was  oue 
of  the  most  popular  of  the  early  saloon  keepers.  Then  there 
was  Albert  Britton,  commonly  called  "Britt,"  who  was  a 
Yeritable  genius  in  Avit  and  humor.  Fred  and  Charles 
Eeinig  were  also  in  tlie  business  for  some  years.  Then 
in  the  sixties  came  Charley  Harrington,  Isaac  Kolin,  Dan- 
iel Lehane,  Mat  Xicholsou,  Tommy  Whalen,  T.  J.  Kennedy, 
John  Newman,  the  noted  and  popular  AVilliam  J.  llarirs, 
Joe  Lehner,  Adam  Bachmann,  John  Swilkey,  Westcott  and 
a  number  of  others.  With  these,  though  perhaps  later 
fame  George  Lonusberry,  Otto  Monger,  Lawrence  111  and 
others,  and  in  these  latter  days  of  "mulct"  have  come  many 
new  men  from  other  places  to  engage  in  the  business. 
Among  the  early  dealers  on  the  East  Side  was  Francis, 
AA'ho  brought  the  finest  stock  of  liquors  ever  seen  in  Des 
Moines  up  to  that  date  and  opened  in  a  building  on  the 
foruer  AA'here  the  Daily  Capital  oftice  is  now  located.  In 
a  short  time  his  place  was  closed  by  the  sheriff.  Then  in 
the  same  building  for  some  years  was  Charley  O'Brien, 
who  could  always  manage  to  find  something  stimulating 
lor  his  regular  customers.  And  many  of  the  early  settlers 
will  remember  (dd  Pat  Donohue,  who  kept  further  down  on 
the  bottom,  and  always  had  on  hand  several  barrels  of 
^'Pottsville"  for  his  large  town  and  country  trade.  The 
officers  occasionally  raided  him,  but  Pat  always  managed 
to  keep  a  good  snpjily  on  hand  for  himself  and  customers, 
until  "Pottsville"  proA^ed  too  strong  for  liim,  and  he  died. 
But  he  had  a  "glorious  wake,"  where  the  best  of  liis  whisky 
was  freely  drank.  And  many  a  worse  man  than  Pat  Don- 
ohne  liA'ed  and  flourished  in  Des  Moines.  Then  in  those 
early  days  there  was  Bottroff,  Avho  built  and  kept  a  saloon 
on  Second,  near  Walnut,  and  who  sometimes  had  "trouble 
niit  de  poys."     He  afterwards  became  a  prosperous  Polk 


420  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

County  farmer.  And  there  was  the  Frenchman,  Bernico, 
and  his  wife,  on  the  east  banli  of  the  river,  and  their  "frog," 
a  place  much  frequented  for  a  year  or  two.  Later  on,  at 
the  corner  of  East  Court  avenue  and  First  street,  Charles 
Boehler,  honest  and  reliable,  located  a  saloon  and  subse- 
quently erected  a  large  two-story  brick  building,  whicli 
he  owns  and  occupies  to  this  day. 

The  writer  was  in  185G-57  one  of  the  justices  of  the  peace 
in  Des  Moines.  M.  M.  Crocker,  afterwards  the  general, 
one  daj-  came  before  him,  with  Bottroff,  a  saloon  keeper, 
and  hied  an  information  against  one  Walker,  a  coal  dig- 
ger, charging  him  with  malicious  injury  to  property. 
Walker  was  arrested,  and  upon  examination  it  was  learned 
that  on  the  previous  evening  Walker  with  another  coal 
digger  had  been  drinking  in  Bottroff 's  saloon  and  a  figlit 
occurred.  Walker  was  thrown  out,  the  door  closed  and 
several  men  attacked  his  comrade  in  the  saloon.  To  get 
to  his  rescue  Walker  jiicked  up  a  stick  of  wood  and  battered 
away  at  the  door  and  windows,  doing  some  damage  to  the 
property.  After  hearing  the  evidence  the  justice  detei'- 
mined  to  discharge  Walker,  and  to  give  reasons  therefor 
stated  in  substance:  The  rule  of  law  was  a  man  must 
abide  by  the  legitimate  results  flowing  from  his  own  wrong. 
In  this  case  Bottroff  had  illegally  sold  Walker  whisky  to 
drink,  and  this  made  him  drunk  and  violent.  Now,  was  not 
the  damage  to  liis  property  only  the  legitimate  result  of 
Bottroff's  wrong  in  first  selling  him  the  whisky?  Walker 
was  discharged  and  the  costs  taxed  to  Bottroff.  Crocker 
was  mad  and  wanted  the  case  appealed,  and  other  saloon 
keepers  were  mucli  alarmed  at  tliis  sweeping  decision, 
whicli  tliey  claimed  virtually  placed  them  outside  of  anv 
protection  from  the  laAV  and  courts.  But  Bottroff  would 
not  appeal  and  pay  more  attorney  fees.    He  paid  the  costs 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  421 

aud  the  matter  was  settled.  This  may  not  have  been  sound 
law — it  was  not  so  considered  by  the  justice  himself — but 
it  was  substantial  justice  under  the  circumstances  of  that 
case. 

Here,  as  elsewhere,  it  was  frequently  noticed  and  com- 
mented upon  that  many  men  of  the  best  character  for 
truth  and  veracity,  halted,  hesitated  and  even  equivocated, 
when  placed  upon  the  stand  in  what  were  generally  called 
"whisky  cases."  This  was  general  and  perhaps  natural. 
Every  honest  man  dislikes  being  placed  in  the  position 
of  a  spy  or  informer.  And  besides  many  good  men  re- 
garded and  now  regard  it  as  no  crime  in  itself  to  sell,  buy 
or  drink  a  glass  of  intoxicating  liquor;  that  it  is  only  a 
mere  statutory  offense,  with  no  moral  guilt  attaching;  and 
the.y  are  reluctant  to  aid  in  convicting  any  person  of  such 
an  offense.  Hence,  in  the  District  Court,  especially  when 
Judge  Maxwell  was  on  the  bench,  many  amusing  happen- 
ings occurred  while  witnesses  were  being  examined  in 
this  class  of  cases.  Several  times  the  judge  imposed  tines 
and  threatened  imprisonment  upon  witnesses.  And  it  was 
not  infrequent  for  juries  to  refuse  to  return  in  these  cases 
a  verdict  of  guiltj^,  after  the  judge  had  virtually  instructed 
them  so  to  do. 


CHAPTER  XVIll. 

ODDS   AND   ENDS. 

IX  June,  1852,  the  i>liysieiau8  of  Polk  County  met  to- 
gether ill  the  Court  House  and  formed  themselves 
into  a  Medical  fc^ociety.  Dr.  A.  Y.  Hull  read  an  ad- 
dress. The  doctor  afterwards  dropped  medicine  and 
took  up  law  and  newspaper  work. 


One  of  the  first  of  many  Irishmen  to  settle  in  Des  Moines 
was  generous,  good  hearted  Michael  McTighe,  so  well  re- 
membered by  older  citizens.  He  died  a  few  years  ago.  He 
was  for  years  a  prominent  working  Democrat  and  member 
of  the  City  Council.  He  also  owned  and,  for  years,  with 
his  good  wife,  conducted  the  well  known  Shamrock  House, 
on  Second,  between  Vine  and  Market  streets. 


From  1854  to  1850  tlie  number  of  voters  in  Polk  County 
was  more  than  doubled. 


In  the  early  days  Skunk  Bottom  was  the  "holy  terror" 
of  travelers,  stage  drivers,  teamsters  and  emigrants.  It 
was  frequently  blocked  by  high  water,  and  when  the  ^^•ater 
was  low  it  was  muddy,  boggy  and  treacherous.  This 
Skunk  has  been  the  cause  of  more  verbal  damning  than  all 
the  rivers  of  the  State  combined. 


The  State  Register  would  have  been  named  the  State 
.Journal  by  John  Teesdale,  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that 
the  writer  had  previously  purchased  the  Statesman  and 
changed  it  to  the  State  Journal.  Mr.  Teesdale  liad  for  a 
time  been  connected   with  the  Ohio  State  Journal,  and 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIXES.  423 

liked  the  uame.    He  liad  to  make  a  second  choice  and  tliat 
was  State  Eeiiister. 


The  first  piano  was  brouglit  here  by  Capt.  F.  E.  West 
in  1853,  and  furnished  tlie  nmsic  at  tlie  marriage  of  liis 
dangliter,  Aretliusa,  to  B.  F.  Allen  in  1854. 


Keokuk,  the  Indian  chief,  had  two  residences  or  wig- 
wams a  short  distance  from  where  the  town  of  Avon  is 
now  located.  The  one  in  the  timber  for  winter  nse,  wliile 
the  other  on  the  prairie  was  his  summer  residence.  The 
tepees,  or  wigivams,  of  his  encampment  were  A'isible  in 
181G,  but  soon  totally  disappeared. 


Judge  William  McKa.Y  held  his  last  term  of  court  in 
March,  1854.  P.  M.  Gasady  was  elected  his  successor,  but 
resigned  before  holding  a  temi  of  court.  Governor  Hemp- 
stead appointed  G.  J.  McFarland  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and 
the  latter  held  his  first  term  in  September,  1854.  Dan  O. 
Finch,  it  was  generally  expected,  would  be  Judge  Gasady's 
successor,  but  McFarland  lived  in  Boone  Gounty,  in  the 
Northern  Gongressional  District,  and  GoA^ernor  Hemp- 
stead lived  in  that  district  and  had  congressional  aspira- 
tions.   Hence  McFarland's  appointment. 


In  August,  1857,  when  the  present  Gonstitution  of  the 
State  Avas  being  voted  upon  a  separate  vote  was  taken  on 
striking  out  the  word  "white,"  so  as  to  permit  negroes 
to  vote,  and  have  other  civil  rights.  The  vote  in  Polk 
Gounty  upon  this  was:  Yeas,  65;  nays,  557.  Twenty -three 
years  later,  November,  1880,  the  same  proposition  was 
submitted  and  the  vote  showed  an  immense  change  in 
public  sentiment  in  Polk  Gounty,  the  vote  being:  Yeas, 
3,052;  nays,  678.     When  the  first  vote  was  taken  negro 


424  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

slavery  existed  in  many  of  the  States  of  the  Union.    When 
the  last  YOte  was  taken  slavery  was  abolished  and  dead. 


Up  to  1857  there  had  been  forty-four  additions  made  to 
the  original  town,  thirty-four  on  the  West  and  ten  on  the 
East  Side.  There  are  now  within  the  city  limits  573  ad- 
ditions and  subdivisions,  and  109  offlcial  plats,  making 
a  total  of  682  plats. 


Frank  M.  Mills  started  at  printing  and  book  publishing 
in  Des  Moines  in  1856,  and  is  yet  the  chief  of  the  Mills 
Publishing  Company.  From  the  first  he  has  been  the 
head  of  the  company  or  firm,  and  for  years  they  conducted 
the  largest  printing  and  publishing  house  west  of  Chicago. 
For  a  long  time  they  employed  at  one  time  from  150  to 
200  men,  some  of  whom  received  high  wages — 130  to  |50 
per  week.  The  books  show  that  Frank  M.  Mills  and  the 
companies  with  which  he  has  been  connected  have  paid 
out  here  in  Des  Moines,  as  wages  alone,  during  these 
forty  years  more  than  two  and  one-half  million  dollars! 


In  1853,  while  J.  C.  Savery  was  keeping  the  Everett 
House  on  Third  street,  a  young  man  came  to  Des  Moines 
and  stopped  a  day  or  two  at  this  hotel,  looking  for  an 
opportunity  to  teach  a  school.  Seeing  no  opening  here 
and  hearing  of  Fort  Dodge,  and  being  short  of  money,  the 
young  man  shouldered  his  carpet  bag  and  started  on  foot 
for  that  .place,  more  than  eighty  miles  from  this  town. 
This  young  man  was  Qi'^rus  C.  Carpenter,  afterwards  for 
four  years  Governor  of  the  State  of  Iowa. 


In  1856  an  allowance  was  made  for  the  keeping  of  an 
insane  boy,  Jesse  Weise.  He  was  subsequently  sent  to 
the  poor  farm  and  now  an  aged  man,  yet  remains  there. 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES^.  425 

For  over  forty  years  lie  has  been  taken  care  of  by  the 
■county. 


In  the  early  days  when  farm  houses  were  few  and  scat- 
tered, it  was  of  frequent  occurrence  for  men  to  get  lost 
while  traveling  over  these  wide  prairies.  If  the  weather 
was  mild  no  s^oecial  damage  occurred,  bej^ond  fright,  hun- 
ger and  inconvenience.  But  in  the  winter  time  to  be  lost 
on  one  of  these  bleak  prairies  was  no  trifling  matter.  Loss 
of  limbs  or  death  might  be  the  result.  A  number  of  per- 
sons lost  their  lives  in  this  manner  in  the  early  days  of  this 
countjf  and  section  of  the  State.  Even  as  late  as  the  winter 
of  1870,  we  find  an  account  of  how  in  February  of  that 
year,  four  men  lost  their  way  in  Carroll  County,  and  were 
frozen  to  death  within  a  few  miles  of  their  homes.  Two 
were  found  dead  under  the  sleigh,  and  the  bodies  of  the 
other  two  were  found  but  a  short  distance  away.  During 
those  winters  many  men  suffered  the  loss  of  fingers  and 
toes,  and  too  frequently  lost  hands  and  feet.  Many  thrill- 
ing stories  were  told  of  men,  and  women,  and  children, 
who  were  unfortunately  caught  out  on  the  open  prairie 
b}^  a  snow  or  sleet  storm,  and  experienced  great  suffering 
iind  danger. 


In  November,  1859,  Bartrum  Galbraith  located  his 
blacksmith  shop  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Third  and 
Locust  streets.  It  has  remained  at  this  locality,  now  in 
the  heart  of  the  city,  continuously  up  to  this  time,  a  i^eriod 
of  more  than  thirty-six  years.  And  during  all  this  time 
he  has  himself  wielded  the  hammer  and  industriously  fol- 
lowed his  trade.    Who  can  beat  this? 


The  firm  of  Stacy,  Johns  &  Co.,  boots  and  shoes,  com- 
menced business  in  Des  Moines  in  1855,  and  continued 


4-21]  ANNALi<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

in  business  without  any  cliaufie  in  the  style  of  the  tirni 
until  1893,  thirty-eight  years.  This  is  a  long  time  in  a  new 
and  eyer  changing  city. 


October  2,  1857,  the  County  Judge  "ordered  that  S.  A. 
Robertson  be  alloy\'ed  |10  for  drawing  plan  of  jail  and 
house  for  the  county."  That  jail  and  house  has  neyer  been 
built,  although  much  needed.  Truth  of  history  compels 
the  statement  that  the  Polk  County  jail  lias  been  for  years 
and  is  now  a  disgrace  to  the  county  and  the  good  citizens 
thereof. 


August  30,  1851,  W.  W.  Moore  was  allowed  |15  for  act- 
ing as  deputy  clerk. 


The  following  order  is  found  upon  the  county  records: 
"December  9,  1851,  ordered,  that  Thompson  Bird  be  al- 
lowed for  ink  furnished  for  the  use  of  the  county  offices 
the  sum  of  .f  0.50." 


Ed  E.  Clapp  was  the  first  ice  man  in  Des  Moines,  and 
under  date  of  Noyember  18,  1850,  the  County  Judge  "or- 
dered, that  Ed  R,  Clapp  be  allowed  |8  for  ice  furnished 
the  August  term  of  the  District  Court." 


The  first  county  warrant  drawn  by  and  against  Polk 
County  was  in  favor  of  Thomas  McMullin,  for  services  as 
clerk  at  April  election,  184(1. 


In  1840  a  Territorial  tax  (same  as  State)  was  levied  of 
only  three-fourths  of  one  mill.  Tlu^  county  tax  was  fifty 
cents  on  every  -f  100  of  taxable  i)ro]»erty.  The  iioll  tax  was 
fifty  cents. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINE.S.  427 

Tlip  first  assessor  of  Polk  Oonnty  was  (Iveen  B.  Clark. 
He  afterwards  removed  to  Marion  County  and  became 
prominent  there — liaAin"!-  been  several  times  elected  a 
member  of  the  Iowa  General  Assemblv. 


The  steamer  Colonel  Morj;an  was  once  owned  and  con- 
trolled by  a  syndicate  of  Des  Moines  merchants,  and  for 
one  or  more  seasons  plied  between  Keokuk  and  Des 
Moines.  For  a  time  Peter  Myers,  of  Des  Moines,  acted 
as  captain.  From  all  accounts  this  venture  of  the  citizens 
was  not  altogether  successful,  and  the  Colonel  Morgan 
passed  into  the  ownership  of  others.  This  boat  was  en- 
gaged in  the  Des  Moines  River  trade  during  the  season 
of  1857,  and  having  lingered  too  long  on  the  upper  river 
was  caught  by  low  water  and  compelled  to  stay  at  Des 
Moines  until  the  spring  of  1858.  On  February  9th,  of  that 
year,  this  boat  gave  an  excursion  from  here,  the  river 
being  clear  and  higii  enough  for  her  to  travel  a  number  of 
miles  on  the  Des  Moines  and  Raccoon  Rivers.  On  March 
10,  1858,  the  rivers  here  were  about  clear  of  ice  and  navi- 
gation could  be  resumed. 


t-i 


Among  the  many  improvements  made  along  in  1856-57 
was  the  erection  on  Front  and  Vine,  East  Side,  of  a  very 
fine  flouring  mill.  This  mill  was  erected  by  Stanton  and 
Zeigler,  and  liad  all  the  latest  improvements  known  at 
that  time,  and  turned  out  a  very  fine  grade  of  flour.  But 
on  February  3,  1858,  this  valuable  mill  Avas  totally  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  entailing  a  loss  of  some  |15,000.  It  was 
insured  for  some  -f  10,000.  This  was  a  great  loss,  not  only 
to  the  proprietors,  but  also  to  the  city. 


July  5, 1855,  one  day  after  the  first  prohibitory  law  went 
into  force,  it  was  ordered  by  the  County  Judge  that  Dr. 


428  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

D.  V.  Cole  be  paid  the  sum  of  .fl,000  with  which  he,  as 
liquor  agent,  was  to  purchase  a  stock  of  liquors  for  the 
county,  to  be  sold  by  him  at  an  advance  of  25  per  cent 
above  cost  for  medical,  mechanical  and  sacramental  pur- 
poses only,  and  he  was  instructed  to  procure  a  supply  of 
liquors  for  such  purj^oses  as  soon  as  practicable,  and  he 
was  also  authorized  if  possible  to  purchase  a  supply  of 
liquors  in  Fort  Des  Moines  sufficient  to  meet  the  necessary 
demand  until  he  could  procure  them  elsewhere.  It  will 
be  seen  by  this  there  was  no  delay  in  establishing  the 
"county  grocery"  after  the  prohibitory  law  took  effect. 
The  thirsty  did  not  have  to  wait  very  long. 


May  21,  1857,  it  was  "ordered  that  John  Railing  be 
allowed  the  sum  of  .fill.55  for  plowing,  sowing  and  harrow- 
ing Avheat  in  the  public  square." 


A  destructive  fire  swept  over  the  prairie  north  of  Al- 
toona  as  late  as  1868,  destroying  much  proi^erty. 


Among  the  county  records  the  following  order  was  found 
entered  under  date  of  October  8,  1858:  "Ordered,  that 
James  Stanton  be  allowed  |17.35  constable  fees  for  prose- 
cuting, draying,  stowing,  handling,  beheading  and  burning 
forty  barrels  (of  Eed  Eye)  whisky  belonging  to  the  Des 
Moines,  Polk  County,  Vinegar  Association."  Latter-day 
constables  would  have  made  hundreds  of  dollars  in  the 
shape  of  fees  out  of  that  much  whisky. 


Tlie  number  of  soldiers  engaged  in  the  late  war  and  en- 
lisred  in  Polk  County  cannot  be  exactly  given,  but  it  is 
I'Stimated  they  numbered  at  least  2,000.  This  would  be 
uKu-e  than  one-half  the  legal  votes  of  the  county  in  1862. 
AVhat  a  record  of  patriotism  aud  bravery  this  is. 


AIVZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  4'29 

November  17,  1872,  Governor  Carpenter  ordered  the 
Crocker  Veteran  Gnards  and  the  Olmstead  Guards,  two 
military  companies  of  Des  Moines,  to  go  to  Council  Bluffs 
to  stop  a  proposed  prize  fight  between  Tom  Allen  of  St. 
Louis  and  Hogan  of  Omaha.  The  fighters  were  forced  to 
go  to  Nebraska,  and  the  troops  had  a  jolly  time. 


J.  P.  Day  of  Saylor  Township  came  to  Des  Moines  from 
the  State  of  Delaware  in  1857  with  his  father.  Squire  AA'. 
M.  Day,  wlio  was  a  resident  of  East  Des  Moines  for  many 
years  and  died  there  recently.  Before  leaving  Delaware 
they  were  1  old  hj  a  man  named  John  Chandler  that  he  had 
been  a  United  States  soldier  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  and  not 
satisfied  with  the  seiwice  he  and  a  fellow  soldier  deserted. 
Tliey  one  night  got  into  a  canoe  at  the  mouth  of  what  is 
uoAv  Bird's  Run  and  quietly  floating  by  the  fort  j^roceeded 
down  the  river  a  number  of  miles.  The,y  then  took  to  the 
brush  and  after  many  hardships  finally  got  safely  awaj'. 
Chandler  reached  his  home  in  Delaware  with  very  ragged 
clothes  and  in  a  generally  used  up  condition.  His  descrip- 
tion of  the  country  around  the  fort  was  found  to  be  accur- 
ate by  Mr.  Day  when  he  came  here,  and  he  has  no  doubt 
the  story  told  by  the  ex-soldier  was  true. 


The  soldiers  of  the  gallant  Second  Iowa  Infantry  are 
touchy  over  any  attempt  to  rob  them  of  the  glory  justly 
belonging  to  them  for  their  heroic  and  successful  charge 
at  Fort  Donelson.  They  led  that  charge  and  won  it  alone. 
Gen.  Lew  Wallace,  the  romancer,  tells  a  romance  of  Gen. 
P.  F.  Smith  having  led  it.  Gen.  Smith  was  a  brave  and 
gallant  officer,  but  he  did  not  lead  that  charge.  It  Avas 
led  by  Gen.  Tuttle,  then  colonel  of  the  regiment.  Gen. 
Smith  was  not.  in  it. 


430  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

V.  H.  Buzzard  of  Saj'lor  Township  will  be  remembered 
by  many  of  the  early  settlers.  He  Avas  a  rather  eccentric 
character,  but  was  a  good  man  and  citizen,  and  at  one 
time  owned  valuable  farms  and  lands.  He  was  for  j^ears 
a  Mormon,  but  a  brief  residence  in  Utah  Territory  weak- 
cjied  his  faith.  He  objected  strenuously  to  the  church 
tithe  of  one-tenth  of  the  income  and  property''  of  a  disciple. 
He  left  the  Mormons,  and  after  residing  some  time  in 
Webster  Countj^  finally  removed  to  Spokane  Falls,  Wash., 
Avhere  he  was  living  well  advanced  in  years  when  last 
heard  Ironi. 


AY.  D.  Christy  tells  a  characteristic  story  of  (^len. 
Crocker.  At  the  battle  of  Shiloh  he  was  Colonel  of  the 
Thirteenth  Iowa  Infantry.  When  the  wearied  but  un 
daunted  troo]>s  had  formed  their  last  line  late  in  the  day 
Crocker  rode  up  to  Gen.  Tuttle  and  said  loud  enough  for 
the  men  to  hear:  "Buell  has  come  to  our  relief."  Tuttle 
was  doubtful  and  asked:  "Is  that  true?"  Crocker  re])lied 
in  a  low  ione:    "No,  but  we  must  encourage  the  boys." 


The  first  railroad  locomotive  to  cross  the  Des  Moines 
Eiver  was  one  belonging  to  what  is  now  the  Northwest- 
ern Railroad  Company,  and  this  made  the  crossing  iu 
Boone  County  on  April  20th,  ISGG. 


Des  Moines  and  Polk  County  have  always  had  theii-  full 
complement  of  dogs,  good,  bad  and  indifferent.  In  18GG 
the  rieneral  Assembly  ])assed  a  law  taxing  all  dogs  -fl 
annually  per  head.  Tliis  dog  tax  was  so  generally  unpop- 
ular the  next  General  jVssembly  hastened  to  repeal  it. 


Tlie  amount  c)f  swamp  lands  patented  to  Polk  County 


was  about  7,000  acres. 


AND  TEE  CEFY  OF  DE^  MOINEH.  431 

The  first  insurance  company  organized  in  l)es  Moines 
was  the  Iowa  Central  Insurance  Company,  in  Februarj^, 
1S64,  witli  J.  B.  Tiffin,  president;  E.  J.  Ingersoll,  vice  pres- 
ident, and  A.  O.  Mattison,  secretary.  Then  followed  the 
t^tate,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  Hawkeye.  The  Central 
in  a  year  or  two  was  merged  into  one  of  the  other  com- 
panies. The  State  and  Hawkeye  have  continued  their 
prosperous  existence  up  to  this  time,  and  are  solid  and 
wealthy  institutions,  which  promise  to  continue  iu  busi- 
ness for  many  j-ears  to  come. 


Among  the  former  police  officers  of  Des  Moines,  Adam 
Ilafner  should  not  be  forgotten.  He  was  appointed  on  the 
force  in  July,  1869,  and  from  that  time  put  in  eighteen 
years  of  faithful  service.  During  this  time  he  served  i^\'t^ 
years  as  Chief  of  Police,  and  four  3  ears  as  City  Marshal, 
lie  was  ahvays  an  honest,  efficient  and  brave  officer,  and 
liis  record  is  an  honor  to  himself,  the  police  force,  and  to 
the  city.  Ho  has  also  served  with  credit  as  a  member  of 
tlie  City  Council,  having  been  the  alderman  from  the 
Fourth  Ward  for  the  past  two  years.  As  chairman  of  the 
city  purchasing  committee  he  has  shown  his  strict  honesty 
and  good  business  judgment,  saving  to  the  city  many  hun- 
dreds of  dollars.  Alderman  Hafner  was  alwa.ys  a  good 
man,  officer  and  citizen. 


George  E.  Spencer,  of  New  York,  was  for  a  short  time  a 
resident  of  Des  Moines,  and  then  for  a  year  or  two  made 
his  home  at  Newton.  He  was  one  term  secretary  of  tlie 
State  Senate,  and  subsequently  operated  speculative 
schemes  iu  Northwestern  Iowa.  After  the  war  he  was 
for  some  years  a  "Cai^pet-Bag"  United  States  Senator  from 
Georgia. 


432  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

New  Year's  Day,  1864,  was  one  of  the  noted  cold  days 
:  Iowa,  the  thennometer  showing  froi 
below  zero  for  some  twenty -four  hours. 


of  Iowa,  the  thennometer  showing  from  15  to  30  degrees 


Captain  John  Browne,  of  Des  Moines,  was  a  private  in 
Gen.  Crocker's  comi^any  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  and 
afterwards  partly  through  Crocker's  influence  was  made 
captain  in  the  Seventeenth  Iowa  Infantry.  In  the  opera- 
tions around  Jackson,  Mississippi,  Captain  Browne, 
through  carelessness,  permitted  several  of  his  men  to  be 
captured  by  the  Confederates.  The  young  captain  was 
scared;  he  saw  the  straps  disappearing  from  his  shoulders; 
and  finally  mustered  up  courage  to  go  to  Gen.  Crocker,  then 
commanding  a  division,  and  tell  him  the  trutli.  Then 
Crocker  did  give  it  to  him ;  told  him  he  had  disgraced  him- 
self and  his  friends  and  should  by  rights  be  dismissed  the 
service.  Browne  said  nothing  in  reply,  and  after  a  while, 
Crocker  said:  "Here,  John,  take  a  drink.  Now  tomorrow 
we  will  have  a  fight;  it  may  be  hard  one.  Go  in,  do  your 
duty,  and  if  you  get  through  all  right  you  can  report  your 
men  missing  during  that  fight."  John  saw  the  point,  fol- 
lowed the  advice,  and  thus  saved  his  shoulder  straps. 


As  an  instance,  showing  the  zeal  of  the  politicians  of 
these  early  days  the  following  is  given :  In  Janiiaiy,  1857, 
the  writer  in  company  with  some  friends  were  on  their 
way  to  attend  a  Democratic  State  Convention,  to  be  held 
at  Iowa  City.  They  left  Newton  Saturday  morning  and 
managed  in  the  afternoon  after  much  difliculty  to  reach 
the  little  village  of  Westfield,  a  few  miles  south  of  Grin- 
nell.  There  they  came  to  what  was  then  called  the  "Eigli- 
teen  Mile  Prairie,"  and  the  storm  had  become  so  severe 
and  the  cold  so  piercing  that  they  concluded  to  spend  the 
night  at  the  hotel  in  Westfield.    True,  the  hotel  was  new, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINEti.  433 

built  of  native  lumber  and  unplastered,  but  even  these  dis- 
comforts vs'ere  better  than  venturing  out  upon  that  storm- 
tossed  snowy  prairie  on  such  a  night.  Big  fires  and  buffalo 
robes  permitted  the  party  to  pass  the  night  without  being 
frozen.  The  next  morning  ushered  in  the  celebrated  cold 
Sunday,  when  the  thermometer  dropped  down  to  anywhere 
between  thirty  and  forty  degrees  below.  Fortunately  the 
winds  had  quieted  down  and  the  party  started  on  their 
journey.  Out  in  the  middle  of  the  wild  prairie  they  saw  at 
a  distance  a  man  on  horseback  coming  up  the  road  from 
the  south;  curiosity  compelled  them  to  stop,  and  when  the 
traveler  came  up  he  was  interrogated.  He  good  naturedly 
replied  that  he  was  from  one  of  the  extreme  southwestern 
counties  of  Iowa,  and  was  on  his  way  to  attend  as  a  dele- 
gate the  Democratic  State  Convention  at  Iowa  City.  Here 
he  was  traveling  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  most  severe 
winters  ever  known  in  Iowa  on  horseback  over  two  hun- 
dred miles  to  attend  the  Democratic  Convention.  Neither 
was  he  a  candidate  nor  aspirant  for  any  office.  Verily,  his 
political  faith  was  strong. 


The  folloAving  biidges  over  the  Des  Moines  and  Eac- 
coon  Rivers  have  been,  by  the  County  Board  of  Super- 
visors, ordered  built  in  the  last  few  years:  April  16,  1889, 
Commerce  bridge  of  Walnut  Township,  across  the  Rac- 
coon River,  ordered  built  at  a  cost  of  |9,300;  April  Ifi, 
1889,  Corydon  bridge,  of  Madison  Township,  ordered  built 
across  the  Des  Moines  River  at  a  cost  of  |10,200;  February 
2,  1891,  Ball's  Ford  bridge  of  Four  Mile  Township  (for- 
merly Grant),  ordered  built  at  a  cost  of  $18,500;  July  3, 
1894,  Valley  Junction  bridge  of  Walnut  Township,  ordered 
built  at  a  cost  of  |9,000. 


P.  M.  Casady,  C.  D.  Reinking,  Hoyt  Sherman  and  L.  V. 


434  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Sherman  were  iiieiiibers  of  tlie  first  town  conncil  of  Des 
Moines  in  1851,  and  are  all  yet  living  and  well  known  and 
liiglily  respected  citizens  of  the  city  they  aided  in  starting 
npon  the  right  road. 


As  late  as  1858  bonnties  were  allowed  by  the  County 
Judge  for  killing  wild  cats  in  Polk  County,  to  Isaac  Case, 
•Joseph  S.  Fagau,  Jacob  Byers  and  Claborn  Brazleton. 


The  first  justices  of  tlie  peace  in  Polk  County  were: 
Joseph  De  Ford,  W.  II.  Meacham,  Addison  Mitchell,  Ben- 
jamin Bryant  and  Thomas  II.  Napier.     All  of  them  are 


now  dead  and  gone. 


Among  the  active  and  energetic  young  men  of  Des 
Moines  from  1855  to  the  early  (lOs  mention  should  be  made 
(if  Ed.  n.  Brown.  Born  in  Maine,  reared  in  Michigan,  a 
tinner  by  trade,  he  came  here  in  1855,  and  soon  took  an 
active  part  in  affairs.  He  became  a  republican  upon  the 
formation  of  that  party,  and  was  an  able  and  indefatigable 
worker  among  the  people  and  at  the  jiolls.  He  was  a 
hustler,  and  also  a  clever,  pojuilar  young  man.  He  mar- 
ried Eleanor,  daughter  of  that  pioneer  citizen,  W.  F.  Ayers. 
About  18(!0  he  made  a  trip  to  Colorado,  or  "Pike's  Peak," 
as  that  new  state  was  then  termed,  and  early  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  President  Lincoln,  through  the  infiuence  of 
Hon.  John  A.  Kasson,  whom  he  had  materially  helped  in 
his  political  aspiratious,  was  nmde  postmaster  at  <,'eiitral 
City,  Cohirado,  where  he  also  became  prominent  in  polit- 
ical affairs.  Later  on  he  became  interested  in  railroad 
l>uilding  and  romoved  to  south-wc^stern  Missouri.  He  re- 
mained ill  (Carthage  several  years  until  his  railroad  and 
other  interests  required  a  residence  in  Kansas,  at  Girard, 
where  he  now  has  his  home  and  is  largelv  interested  in 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  435 

railroads,  mining-  and  farming-,  and  is  a  man  of  wealtli, 
prominence  and  inflnence.  lie  continnes  to  talce  an  active 
j)art  in  politics,  and  has  been  three  times  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Kansas  legislature,  the  last  time,  1894,  over- 
coming an  opposition  majority  of  more  than  one  thousand. 
He  remains,  as  the  3'ears  go  by,  the  same  jovial,  good  fel- 
low lie  was  in  liis  younger  days. 


Brax  D.  Thomas,  a  printer,  who  came  here  from  Mary- 
land early  in  1855,  was  for  scweral  years  known  by  almost 
everybody  in  the  city  and  county,  lie  was  city  recor<ler, 
deputy  county  treasurer,  etc.,  and  was  noted  for  his  pranks 
and  his  electioneering  ability.  In  the  early  GOs  he  went  to 
( 'olorado,  where  he  remained  for  some  time.  He  then  lived 
for  a  time  in  Kentucky,  and  afterwards  made  liis  home  in 
Missouri  and  Kansas.  He  dietl  several  years  ago  at  the 
home  of  his  brother,  a  prominent  physician  of  Leaven- 
worth. 


Charles  Chafer,  so  well  and  favorably  known  to  all  our 
citizens,  is  now  the  veteran  of  the  city  police.  He  went 
u])on  the  force  twenty-five  years  ago,  and  in  that  time  has 
served  eighteen  years,  as  roundsman,  sergeant,  and  deputy 
nmrshal.  Charley,  as  he  is  familiarly  called  by  his  many 
friends,  was  for  a  number  of  years  with  Orton's  circus,  and 
was  a  much  trusted  and  always  faithful  employee.  (Jn 
the  police  force  he  has  distinguished  himself  by  his  bravery, 
kindness  and  good  judgment.  He  is  very  popular  vvitli 
the  citizens,  and  even  the  criminal  classes  respect  him, 
though  they  know  when  Charley  says  "come"  or  "go," 
tliey  must  (piickly  and  fpiietly  follow  the  order  gi^en. 
Were  the  matter  left  to  the  votes  of  the  citizens  generally, 
Charles  Shafer  could  remain  on  the  police  force  as  long  as 
he  maj^  desire,  and  then  be  retired  upon  a  liberal  pension. 


436  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

The  following  figures  will  show  iu  a  strong  light  the 
rapid  gain  in  value  of  real  and  personal  property  in  Polk 

County: 

August  4, 1859,  the  Board  of  Equalization  found  that  the 
taxable  property,  real  and  personal  (of  county)  amounted 

to  $5,121,928. 

January,  1,  1895. — Valuation  of  realty  and  personal, 
county  and  city,  and  grand  total  of  realty  and  personal, 
whole  county,  as  shown  by  tax  books  of  1894: 

Country  realty .$  4,440,460 

CUty  realty  .  . '. 13,503,090 

Total  realty   117,943,550 

Country  personal   f  1,519,440 

City  personal  3,012,050 

Total  personal 4.531,490 

Total  coimtry  realty  and  personal.!  5,959,900 
Total  city  realty  and  personal ....   10,515,140 

Grand  total 122,575,040 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

COURTS. 

THE  first  term  of  the  District  Court  was  held  in  Fort 
Des  Moines  in  April,  184G.  In  order  to  provide  a 
room  in  which  the  court  could  be  held  the  Board 
of  County  Commissioners  made  the  following: 

Ordered,  That  room  No.  26,  occupied  by  Miss  Davis  as 
a  school  room,  be  vacated  for  the  approaching  session  of 
the  District  Court. 

This  room  was  in  one  of  the  buildings  which  had  been 
erected  in  1843  for  the  use  of  the  troops.  When  the  latter 
were  removed  the  General  Assembh'  had  granted  to  the 
county  the  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  compris- 
ing the  site  of  the  Fort  and  all  the  buildings  thereon.  Thus 
the  Board  had  absolute  control  of  these  buildings.  This 
room  No.  2G  was  in  one  of  the  buildings  located  in  a  row 
along  Raccoon  River,  commonly  called  the  "Coon  Row." 

The  county  was  a  part  of  the  Second  Judicial  District, 
which  included  the  south  half  of  Iowa,  and  was  presided 
over  by  Judge  Joseph  Williams,  a  noted  man  in  the  early 
history  of  Iowa.  He  was  a  Territorial  Judge,  appointed 
by  the  President,  and  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  After 
Iowa  became  a  State  he  was  one  of  the  Justices  of  the 
►Supreme  Court,  and  for  some  time  Chief  Justice  of  the 
same.  He  had  his  home  at  Muscatine  for  many  years. 
^A'hile  a  good  lawyer  and  judge  he  possessed  an  extraordin- 
ary talent  for  music,  story  telling  and  social  enjoyment.  He 
was  the  life  of  a  social  gathering  and  always  full  of  fun  and 
frolic.  And  yet  w'ith  all  this  he  was  very  temperate  in  his 
personal  habits.     On  the  bench  he  was  dignified,  but  at 


i3S  ANNALi-^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

times  bis  ready  wit  and  luimor  would  fiasli  out,  lighting 
np  the  often  somewhat  dull  proceedings  of  the  court  room. 
A  prominent  member  of  the  Polk  County  bar  tells  this  of 
his  arrival  in  Iowa:  He  had  studied  law  and  in  doing  so 
had  imbibed  high  ideas  of  the  dignity  of  courts  and  judges 
and  in  his  old  home  the  latter  had  been  more  than  usually 
dignified.  He  came  to  Iowa  looking  for  a  location,  and  for 
a  few  days  stopped  at  Iowa  City,  then  the  State  capital. 
The  evening  of  his  arrival  some  young  boys  came  in  front 
of  the  hotel  with  fife  and  drums.  They  played  for  a  few 
moments  when  a  well  dressed,  good  looking  gentleman 
steppc-'d  out  and  told  the  boy  to  give  him  the  snare  drum, 
threw  tlie  supporting  belt  over  his  shoulders,  struck  up  a 
lively  air  and  stepped  up  tlie  street  followed  by  a  procession 
of  men  and  hojs.  Turning  to  a  bj^stauder  the  young  law- 
yer asked  the  name  of  the  gentleman.  Imagine  the  shock 
when  the  reply  promptly  came,  "You  mean  that  old  fellow 
with  the  drum!  Oh,  that's  old  Joe  Williams,  Chief  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Iowa!"  But  with  all  his  eccen- 
tricities Joseph  Williams  was  a  good  judge,  an  excellent 
citizen  and  an  honest  man.  He  was  subsequently  a  United 
States  Judge  in  Kansas,  and  died  at  a  ripe  old  age  a  n\imber 
of  years  ago. 

Perry  L.  Crossman  was  the  first  clerk  of  the  court,  having 
been  a])poiuted  some  time  previous  for  the  piirpose  of  oi'- 
ganizing  the  county.  He  subsequently  removed  to  NeAv- 
ton,  Jasper  County,  where  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years. 
Thomas  Mitchell  was  the  first  sheriff,  he  luiving  been 
elected  at  the  first  organizing  election.  Iowa  then  a  terri- 
tory, the  United  States  was  represented  by  Tliomas  Bake)-, 
district  attorney,  and  John  B.  L;ish,  marshal. 

The  original  record  of  tlu^  proceedings  of  the  first  court, 
made  with  a  lead  pencil,  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Bar- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  43S 

low  Ch-anger.  The  court  was  in  session  but  three  days,  and 
the  business  transacted  was  mostly  of  formal  character. 
On  the  first  day  a  venire  Avas  issued  to  the  sheriff  to  "sum- 
mon twenty-three  good  and  lawful  men  to  a]»pear  forth- 
witli  before  said  court  to  act  as  graml  jurors  in  and  for 
said  county."  On  tlie  next  day  the  sheriff  returned  his 
venire  aforesaid,  with  the  following  named  persons,  to-Avit: 
William  Lamb,  Benjamin  Saylor,  John  B.  Scott,  Peter 
NeAVcomber,  Samuel  DilJe,  XcAvton  Lamb,  John  Baird, 
Tliomas  McMullen,  CJeorge  B.  Warden,  Jeremiali  Oliurch, 
J.  M.  Thrift,  Shaden  Wellman,  vSamuel  Oxford,  A.  Bronson, 
Samuel  Shafer,  G.  B.  Clark,  W.  W.  Olapp,  "W.  F.  Ayers, 
J.  D.  Parmlee,  James  Davis,  J.  J.  Meldrum  and  Tlnimas 
Leonard.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  tliat  many  of  tliese 
early  settlers  Avould  naturally  attend  the  opening  of  the 
first  court  in  the  county  the  sheriff  ajipeared  to  have  had 
some  trouble  in  summoning  these  men,  as  tlie  record  shows 
it  Avas  not  until  the  third  and  last  day  of  tlie  term  that  as 
many  as  was  required  were  produced  in  court.  In  these 
latter  days  tlie  slieriff  of  this  county  could  summon  more 
than  one  hundred  A^ery  Avilling  jurjanen  in  an  ]u)ur  or 
less  time,  and  that  too  without  leaving  the  court  house.  On 
tlie  third  day  the  men  mentioned  above  Avere  duly  empan- 
eled, charged  and  sworn  as  grand  jurors  on  the  part  of 
the  United  States  and  the  Territory  of  loAva,  and  retired  in 
charge  of  LcAvis  Whilten,  a  sworn  officer  for  tliat  puii:)ose, 
to  consider  of  such  matters  as  may  come  tfi  their  knowledge 
according  to  their  charge,  and  after  being  absent  for  some 
time,  returned  into  court  and  informed  said  court  that 
they  had  no  bills  or  presentments  to  make,  and  that  they 
had  no  further  business  to  engage  their  attention.  It  is 
therefore  ordered  by  the  said  court  that  said  grand  jurors 
be  discharged.  And  there  being  no  further  business  for 
the  court  at  this  term  it  is  ordered  that  this  court  adjourn 


440  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

until  the  next  term  in  course  of  law.  The  following  order 
was  also  made  on  the  first  day  of  this  term :  "Ordered  bj' 
said  court,  that  the  eagle  side  of  a  twenty-five  cent  piece  of 
the  American  coin  shall  be  the  temporary  seal  of  said 
court,  in  and  for  the  said  County  of  Polk,  until  a  proper 
seal  can  be  provided." 

The  records  thus  show  that  the  first  term  of  court  held  in 
Polk  County  lasted  only  three  days,  with  little  civil  and 
no  criminal  business  to  be  disposed  of.  This  certainly 
shows  the  earlj^  settlers  were  not  litigious,  and  were  law- 
abiding  and  peaceful  citizens.  Less  than  fifty  years  after 
this  four  judges  are  kept  busy  ten  months  in  the  year  hear- 
ing and  determining  legal  disputes,  while  the  jail  is  often 
crowded  with  those  charged  with  crime,  and  the  Grand 
Jury  is  kept  in  almost  continuous  session  during  the 
greater  portion  of  the  3^ear.  Polk  County  has  grown  great 
in  wealtli  and  population  and  also  great  in  other  respects 
not  so  desirable. 

The  second  term  of  the  District  Court  was  held  in  Sep- 
tember of  the  same  year  and  had  before  it  a  noticeable 
increase  of  business.  Joseph  Williams  Avas  judge,  and 
Perry  L.  Grossman,  clerk;  Thomas  Baker,  United  States 
attorney,  and  John  B.  Lash,  United  States  marshal,  were  in 
attendance.  Thomas  Mitchell  was  sheriff.  The  following 
were  the  grand  jurors  for  this  term:  J.  B.  Mallet,  John 
Thompson,  George  Maggs,  John  Q.  Deacon,  James  Camp- 
bell, Alexander  Sumner,  Norman  Ballard,  S.  K.  Scovell, 
T.  H.  Napier,  W.  11.  Meacham,  Samuel  Vanatta,  William 
Lamb,  Benjamin  Saylor,  T.  K.  Brooks,  Samuel  Shafer, 
Samuel  Kellogg. 

The  petit  jurors  were:  Samuel  Dille,  Aaron  Coppick, 
G.  B.  Clark,  James  White,  John  Parrot,  Thomas  Morris, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEi^  MOINES.  441 

George  Rives,  Eli  Smitbson,  Alfred  BoAvman,  Benjamin 
Frederick,  Lincoln  Ballard  and  John  Eose. 

At  this  term  there  were  a  respectable  docket  of  cases, 
and  a  number  of  them  were  tried.  Among  the  cases  dock- 
eted we  find  the  following:  John  Ross  vs.  William  Laijib 
et  al.,  Addison  Mitchell  vs.  George  Dille,  United  States 
vs.  William  F.  Ayres,  Owen  Osborne  vs.  W.  M.  Cottingham, 
Edwin  Manning  vs.  Robert  A.  Kinzie,  John  T.  Meldriim 
vs.  Thomas  Mitchell,  Jonas  Hoover  vs.  Prior  C.  Woodward, 
Samuel  McClelland  vs.  Joseph  Ehle,  and  several  other 
cases.  There  was  also  one  of  United  States  vs.  William 
Lamb,  George  Koonej^,  Thomas  Henderson  and  Benjamin 
Bryant,  charged  with  riot.  In  this  case  it  appears  the 
Grand  Jury  refused  to  find  an  indictment  and  the  defen- 
ants  were  all  discharged. 

Among  the  entries  of  this  term  is  the  following  referring 
to  one  of  our  present  oldest  and  most  highlj-  respected 
citizens:  "Phineas  M.  Gasady,  applicant  for  admissoin  to 
the  bar,  on  motion  of  Thomas  Baker,  having  produced 
to  the  court  a  certificate  of  his  having  been  regularly  ad- 
mitted as  an  attorney  and  counselor  at  law  in  the  Circuit 
Coiirt  and  Superior  Court  within  the  State  of  Indiana,  and 
said  Casadj^  having  been  found,  upon  examination,  in  all 
respects  qualified,  it  is  ordered  that  he  be  admitted  and 
licensed  to  practice  as  an  attorney  and  counselor  at  law 
and  solicitor  in  chancery  in  the  court.  Whereupon  the 
said  Phineas  M.  Casady  appeared  in  open  court  and  took 
the  oath  required  by  law." 

At  the  same  term  William  D.  Frazee  Avas  also  admitted 
as  an  attorney,  being  the  first  admitted  iu  Polk  County. 
Perr,y  S.  Grossman  resigned  as  clerk  of  the  court  and  A.  D. 
Jones  was  appointed  as  his  successor.  This  term  of  court 
adjourned  October  1st,  1846. 


U2  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Tlie  third  term  of  court  was  held  in  May,  1847,  aud  was 
presided  over  by  J.  P.  Carletou  as  judge.  During  the  term 
William  MeKay,  Robert  L.  Frederick  and  A.  D.  Jones  were 
admitted  as  attorneys  of  the  court,  William  McKay  a  year 
or  tAvo  later  becoming  district  judge. 

The  fourth  term  of  the  court  was  held  by  Judge  Cyrus 
Olney,  and  of  this  we  have  a  short  record.  Judge  Oluey 
acted  in  the  place  of  Judge  Carletou,  the  regular  judge 
of  tlie  district,  and  held  the  two  terms  of  the  court  in  1848. 
Tlie  first  divorce  in  the  conuty  was  granted  by  Judge 
Olney. 

Under  the  constitution  of  the  new  F^tate  of  Iowa,  Polk 
County  was  placeil  in  the  Fifth  Judicial  District,  and  at 
the  April  election,  1849,  William  McKay,  of  Fort  Des; 
Moines,  was  elected  district  judge.  He  commenced  exercis- 
ing his  judicial  functions  immediately  after  his  election,, 
and  presided  as  judge  at  the  May  term,  1849.  These  ex- 
tracts are  taken  from  the  records  of  that  term: 

"On  motion,  Barlow  Granger  produced  to  the  court  a 
certiticate  given  by  three  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  tlie  State  of  Iowa,  licensing  him  to  practice  as  an  at- 
torney in  the  Su]»erior  Court  aud  District  Courts  of  this 
State,  which  certificate  being  satisfactory  to  the  court, 
Barlow  (rranger  ai)peared  in  court  and  took  the  oath  re- 
quired by  law. 

"Iloyt  Sherman  presented  to  the  court  a  certificate 
granted  by  the  Su]U'eme  Court  licensing  liim  to  practice  in 
the  Su])reme  aud  District  Courts,  which  being  satisfactory 
to  the  court,  IToyt  Slierman  a])pear(^d  in  open  court  and 
took  the  oath  re(|uired  by  law." 

TJH-se  two  genthMuen  Avith  P.  M.  Casady,  R.  L.  Tidrick, 
^^'illiam  McKay,  Ryron  Rice  and  John  M.  Perry,  the  prose- 
cuting attorney,  f(n'  sonu^  time  constituted  abont  all  of  the 
I>ai-  of  I'olk  County,  and  they  also  attended  to  the  greater 
jiart  of  tlie  legal  business  arising  in  the  adjoining  counties.. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEt^  MOINEH.  WS- 

But  the  supply  of  attoruevs  has  more  tlian  kept  up  with 
the  progress  of  the  county,  rapid  as  this  has  heeu,  aud 
uoAV  the  Bar  of  Polk  Couuty  embraces  a  long  list  of  prac- 
ticing attorneys,  running  up  in  the  hundreds  and  taking 
no  count  of  many  engaged  in  otlier  business  pursuits,  or 
removed  to  otlier  localities.  At  the  same  time  it  is  but 
legal  justice  to  state  that  in  this  now  long  list  can  be 
found  a  number  of  as  able  and  learned  lawyers  as  have 
ever  graced  the  bar  of  any  county  or  state.  Former  mem- 
bers (jf  the  Polk  County  Bar  can  at  this  day  be  found 
practicing  their  high  professi(m  in  all  parts  of  the  country 
— on  the  Atlantic  border  and  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Judge  McKay  held  the  office  of  district  judge  for  four 
years,  his  district  embracing  P(dk  and  a  number  of  other 
newly  created  counties  of  this  section  of  the  State.  In 
politics  he  was  a  AVhig.  lie  was  a  candidate  for  re-election 
in  1854:,  and  had  as  his  opponent  Phineas  M.  Casad3^  The 
election,  which  was  held  in  April,  was  a  spirited  one,  both 
the  candidates  canvassing  the  district.  P.  M.  Casady,  how- 
ever, was  the  nnire  popular  man  and  Avas  elected.  About 
the  same  time  he  was  also  ap])ointed  by  the  President 
register  of  the  United  States  land  office  at  Fort  Des  Moines. 
As  this  latter  office  was  worth  at  least  three  times  as  much 
in  the  way  of  salary  and  was  in  many  other  respects  a 
much  more  desirable  office  to  hold.  Judge  Casady  shortly 
after  qualifying  as  judge  resigned  the  latter  f)ffice,  mucli 
to  the  regret  of  his  many  friends,  who  were  confident  he 
would  have  made  an  able,  honest  an<l  im]iartial  judge. 

Judge  McKay,  after  his  defeat,  resumed  the  practice  of 
law,  and  was  subsequently  elected  commissioner  of  the 
Des  Moines  River  improvement.  In  this  work  he  is  said 
to  have  been  very  fortunate  financially,  aud  at  the  expira- 
tion of  his  official  term,  or  shortlj^  after,  in  1857,  removed 


44:4  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

to  the  then  Territory  of  Kansas,  which  at  tliat  time  was 
attracting  mncli  public  attention.  He  made  his  home  in 
that  State  until  his  death  a  few  years  since. 

The  vacancy  on  the  bench  of  the  district  caused  by  the 
resignation  of  Judge  Casady  devolved  upon  the  Governor 
the  duty  of  appointing  a  new  judge  to  serve  until  after  the 
next  election  in  1855.  He  selected  as  his  choice  C.  J.  Mc- 
Farland,  formerly  of  Lee,  but  then  living  in  Boone  County. 
Judge  McFarland  commenced  the  discharge  of  his  judicial 
duties  in  May,  1854,  and  in  a  short  time  made  himself  one 
of  the  most  noted  or  notorious  judges  in  this  or  any  other 
State.  Physically  he  was  a  splendid  specimen  of  rugged 
manhood,  and  he  had  been  "well  bred  to  the  law."  He 
had  much  more  than  an  ordinary  mind,  keen  perceptive 
faculties,  and  was  a  good  judge  of  persons  and  facts.  He, 
however,  was  at  this  time  no  student  and  bothered  himself 
very  little  with  authorities  and  precedents.  He  was  more 
dissipated  than  was  good  for  his  bodily  or  mental  health, 
and  his  aberations  or  eccentricities  upon  and  off  the  bench 
soon  attracted  much  attention  and  gave  him  widespread 
notoriety.  Before  he  had  ser-ved  a  year  an  election  was 
held  for  his  successor.  Judge  McFarland  was  the  candi- 
date of  the  Democrats  for  re-election,  and  the  opposition 
being  a  combination  of  Whigs,  KnoAV-Nothings  or  Amer- 
icans, and  not  a  few  Democrats  supported  a  most  estimable 
man,  W.  W.  Williamson,  of  Fort  Des  Moines.  What  was 
tlien  called  Know-Nothingism  was  about  in  the  prime  of 
its  power  in  Iowa  at  that  time,  and  the  fight  at  that  spring 
election  in  1855  was  as  earnest  and  bitter  as  could  have 
been  desired  by  the  most  zealous  partisan.  The  election 
was  held  and  the  result  Avas  close  and  doubtful  for  some 
time.  Final],y  the  cauA^assers  declared  Williamson  had 
been  elected  judge  and  his  friends  rejoiced  greatly  over 


AiYD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  445 

this  anuoimcemeut.  But  Judge  McFarland  held  on  to  his 
office,  contended  he  had  been  fairly  elected  and  contested 
the  election  of  Williamson.  Finally  after  some  delay  the 
contest  was  decided  in  favor  of  Judge  McFarland,  who 
continued  upon  the  bench,  while  his  defeated  opponent 
continued  to  practice  before  him. 

While  Judge  McFarland  was  too  fond  of  showing  the 
rough  side  of  his  rugged  nature,  yet  with  all  this  he  was 
inherently  honest  and  a  lover  of  justice.  And  it  can  be 
said  of  his  decisions  on  the  bencli,  while  there  were  many 
appeals  taken  to  there  were  few  reversals  by  the  Supreme 
Court.  In  this  last  respect  his  judicial  record  was  much 
better  than  many  of  his  successors.  He  had  a  hearty  con 
tempt  for  all  shame  and  hj-pocracies,  and  was  more  tliaji 
usually  free  himself  from  these  too  common  vices.  He  was 
fond  of  and  much  desired  the  approbation  of  his  fellow  men 
and  was  very  sensitive  to  the  attacks  some  times  made 
upon  him  by  the  newspapers  or  by  his  political  or  personal 
enemies.  Of  the  latter  he  had  but  few.  He  served  alto- 
gether upon  the  bench  some  five  years,  during  the  latter 
par-t  of  which  by  act  of  the  General  Assembly  his  district 
no  longer  embraced  this  count}',  but  was  limited  to  Boone 
and  a  few  of  the  adjoining  counties.  He  died  at  Boonsborc^ 
in  the  early  sixties. 

Following  Judge  McFarland  came  William  M.  Stone, 
of  Marion  County.  He  held  the  District  Court  of  the 
county  in  1857-58,  and  was  well  known  to  the  people  of 
the  city  and  county,  having  settled  in  Knoxville  at  an  early 
date,  and  had  to  some  extent  practiced  law  in  the  county. 
He  had  formerlj^  been  a  Democrat  and  gained  much  repu- 
tation as  a  fluent  and  aggressive  political  speaker.  He 
continued  as  district  judge,  though  Polk  County  was  not 
then  in  his  district,  until  tlie  war  broke  out  in  1861.    He 


446  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

immediately  resij^ned,  enlisted,  raised  a  compaii}^  of  vol- 
unteers, and  when  the  Third  Iowa  Infanti\v  was  or,t>auized 
he  was  promoted  to  major.  lie  served  with  his  regiment 
in  Missouri  and  was  wounded  at  Blue  Mills,  one  among 
the  first  battles  of  tlie  war.  He  was  afterwards  made 
colonel  of  the  Twenty-second  Iowa  Infantry,  and  with  his 
regiment  did  good  service  in  the  Yicksburg  and  other  cam- 
paigns. In  1S(I3  he  was  nominated  for  Governor  by  the 
Republicans,  and  being  elected  at  the  October  election  of 
that  year  he  was  inaugurated  Governor  in  January,  1804, 
succeeding  the  famous  "War  Governor,"  Samuel  J.  Kirk- 
wood.  Governor  Stone  was  re-elected  in  18()5,  serving  four 
years.  He  then  returned  to  the  practice  of  law,  making  ■ 
las  home  at  Knoxville  and  for  a  short  time  residing  in  Des 
Moines.  He  continued  to  take  an  active  part  in  ])olitics, 
and  in  1889  was  appointed  by  President  Harrison  assistant 
commissioner  of  the  United  States  Land  Office,  and  was 
for  a  time  commissioner.  Some  time  after  the  inaugura- 
tion of  President  Cleveland  he  left  tliis  position  and  was 
making  arrangements  to  go  into  business  in  Oklahoma 
TeiTitory,  when,  after  a  sliort  illness,  death  closed  his 
earthly  career.  "Bill'  Stone,  as  he  was  familiarly  called, 
played  a  ]irominent  i»art  in  tlie  early  and  later  history  of 
this  portion  of  Iowa  and  his  memory  should -live  for  years 
to  come. 

John  11.  Gray  was  tlie  first  district  judge  undei*  the  new 
constitution  of  Iowa,  adopted  in  1857.  He  came  Avith  his 
wife  to  Des  Moines  early  in  1855,  a  young  hnvyer  who  had 
studied  and  practiced  for  a  brief  ]>eriod  at  Fort  Wayne, 
Indiana.  He  was  born  in  Maryland  ami  liad  graduated 
at  Alleghany  ( 'ollege  in  1853.  He  had  married  Miss  Maria 
Freeman,  of  Massachusetts,  a  sliort  time  previous  to  his 
lenagrating  west.     He  had  but  little  means,  but  was  full 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  447 

of  hope  and  energy.  To  help  along-  he  and  his  wife  tanglit 
a  select  school  for  a  time.  Before  he  had  long  been  a  resi- 
dent the  Eepnblicans  nominated  him  for  prosecuting  at- 
torney, and  after  a  Avarm  canvass  he  Avas  elected.  This 
gave  him  the  start  needed,  and  in  18.58  he  secured  the  Re- 
publican nomination  for  district  judge,  lie  was  elected 
in  October,  1858.  He  made  an  excellent  judge,  and  was 
always  popular  AAitli  the  people.  He  was  re-elected  in  lSr)2 
for  anotlier  four  years.  But  his  health  failed  before  he  had 
reached  the  ordinary  ]»rime  of  life  and  after  lingering  for 
some  time  died  on  October  11,  1805.  His  death  was  much 
regretted  by  his  many  friends  in  this  and  adjoining  coun- 
ties, who  knew  and  loved  and  respected  this  pleasant 
gentleman  and  honest  and  upright  judge. 

The  death  of  Judge  (iray  left  a  vacancy  on  the  bench, 
which  was  prf)mptly  filled  by  the  appointment  by  the  Go^^- 
ernor  of  Charles  C.  Xourse,  of  Des  Moines.  He  was  a]i- 
pointed  October  16,  18(15.  Judge  Nourse  Avas  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  settled  in  Keosauqua  in  the  early  fifties,  re- 
moving a  few  years  later  to  Des  Moines.  He  had  been 
chief  clerk  of  the  Iowa  House  of  Kepresentatives  and  twice 
Attorney  General  of  the  State.  As  a  lawyer  he  then  took 
the  highest  rank  in  the  profession.  He  served  as  judge 
only  some  ten  months,  resigning  August  1,  18()0.  There 
is  no  doubt  he  would  have  been  nominated  by  his  i)arty 
with  practical  unanimity  and  been  elected,  and  there 
adorned  the  bench,  but  it  happened  that  in  1860  there  was 
a  bitter  fight  in  the  Eepublican  party  over  the  Congress- 
man for  the  district.  Judge  Nourse  could  not  ktn^p  entirely 
aloof  from  this.  He  was  and  is  a  man  of  decided  opinions 
and  preferen<-es;  and  let  it  be  known  he  was  o]»pose(l  to 
the  re-election  to  Congress  of  II(m.  John  A.  Kasson.  In 
the  convention  Mr.  Kasson  was  defeated  and  Gen.  G.  'SI. 


448  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Dodge,  of  Council  Bluffs,  nominated.  The  judicial  conven- 
tion came  but  a  day  or  two  after.  The  friends  of  Kasson 
were  in  a  large  majority  in  the  conA'^enteion.  They  were 
bitterly  angry  and  Judge  Nourse  was  the  victim  of  their 
wrath.  His  eminent  ability  and  fitness  for  the  position 
was  admitted  by  all,  but  he  had  not  shown  himself  a  friend 
of  Mr.  Kasson  and  he  must  be  punished.  The  convention 
set  Judge  Nourse  aside  and  nominated  Hugh  W.  Maxwell, 
then  of  Warren  County.  Thereupon  Judge  Nourse 
promptly  resigned  as  judge  and  returned  to  the  practice 
of  law,  in  which  he  has  since  been  eminently  successful. 
His  retirement  from  the  bench  was  certainly  a  great  gain 
to  him  in  a  financial  way,  and  perhaps  in  many  other 
respects. 

Hugh  W.  Maxwell  was  among  the  early  settlers  of  War- 
ren County,  and  immediately  previous  to  his  appointment 
as  judge  on  August  1,  1866,  had  served  for  several  years 
as  prosecuting  attorney  of  the  district.  In  the  October 
election  following  he  was  elected  judge,  and  was  re-elected 
to  the  same  position  October  8,  1870.  He  thus  served  as 
judge  nearly  eight  and  one-half  years — 1866-75.  He  was 
a  man  of  ability,  Avith  a  good  knowledge  of  law  and  very 
firm  and  decided  in  most  of  his  opinions.  He  was  a  strong 
prohibitionist,  and  relentlessly  used  his  judicial  powers  for 
the  total  suppression  of  the  illegal  sale  of  intoxicating 
liquors.  He  had  little  mercy  upon  saloon  keepers,  and 
when  possible  visited  them  with  heavy  fines  and  other 
punishments.  And  yet  it  is  a  matter  of  history  that  more 
money,  comparatively,  was  then  made  in  this  county 
through  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  then  ever  before 
or  since !  Judge  Maxwell  was  upon  the  bench  during  many 
exciting  times  in  the  history  of  the  city  and  county,  and 
one  of  his  very  last  judicial  acts  was  the  sentencing  of 


A2VZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINE;s.  449 

Howard  to  imprisonment  for  life  for  tlie  murder  of  Jolin- 
sou.  And  while  Judge  Maxwell  was  being  entertained 
by  the  Bar  at  a  farewell  supper,  a  mob  of  passionate  and 
determined  men  were  making  preparations  which  a  few 
hours  later  culminated  in  Howard's  dead  body  hanging 
suspended  to  a  lamp-post  at  the  corner  of  the  Court  House 
square.  After  his  retirement  from  the  bench  Judge  Max- 
well continued  for  a  time  in  legal  practice  in  Indian- 
ola  and  Des  Moines.  He  then  removed  to  the  South,  re- 
maining for  a  time  in  Southwestern  Missouri,  and  finally 
spent  a  few  years  in  Arizona.  Some  three  years  ago  he 
returned  to  Iowa  and  had  but  recently  opened  a  laAv  office 
in  Des  Moines,  when  he  was  suddenly  stricken  down  and 
after  lingering  for  a  time  died  on  October  12,  1S94. 

Jolin  Leonard,  of  Madison  County,  succeeded  Judge  Max- 
^■ell  as  district  judge,  having  been  elected  to  this  positioii 
in  October,  1874.  He  was  then  and  is  now  a  resident  of 
Winterset,  where  he  had  and  has  resided  many  years,  and 
was  previously  for  one  term  of  four  year  district  attorney. 
He  was  a  good  lawyer,  and  as  judge  gained  a  good  repu- 
tation as  an  administrator  of  the  law.  He  served  only 
four  years,  being  defeated  for  re-election. 

William  H.  McHenry  followed  Judge  Leonard  on  the 
bench,  defeating  the  latter  in  the  election  of  October  S, 
1S7S.  Judge  McHenry  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 
county,  first  settling  on  Beaver  Creek  and  afterwards  re- 
moving to  Des  Moines.  He  was  of  pioneer  stock,  and 
thougli  in  liis  youth  lie  had  not  had  the  educational  ad- 
vantages now  so  common  all  over  the  country,  he,  in  youtli 
and  manhood,  embraced  every  opportunity  for  the  acquisi 
tiou  of  legal  and  other  knowledge.  In  his  early  days  in' 
was  surveyor  of  the  county,  and  served  one  term  as  sheriff, 
being  elected  in  1 S53.    A  few  vears  after  he  devoted  himsidf 


450  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

almost  entirely  to  the  practice  of  the  law  and  built  np  a 
large  and  extensive  clientage.  He  was  an  ardent  Demo- 
crat, and  generally  took  an  active  part  in  all  political  cam- 
paigns, and  his  many  and  original  speeches  were  listened 
to  and  enjoyed  by  many  thousands  of  his  fellow  citizens. 
In  many  respects  he  was  original  and  unique,  and  he  was 
always  strong  with  the  people.  He  was  generally  present 
at  all  gatherings  of  the  early  settlers,  and  his  presence  is 
now  sadly  missed.  He  seiwed  several  terms  in  the  City 
Council,  and  was  the  first  mayor  of  the  city  under  its  new 
charter  and  enlarged  limits  in  1857.  For  twenty  years 
or  more  there  had  not  been  a  Democratic  judge  in  the  dis- 
trict, and  when  in  1878  McHenry  became  a  candidate  for 
the  high  position  but  few  thought  his  election  was  i^ossi- 
ble.  But  he  was  well  known  and  popular  in  everj^  county, 
and  he  was  elected  by  a  good  majority.  And  at  the  close 
of  hi^  term  in  1882  he  was  re-elected.  The  lawyers  and 
others  might  criticise  him,  but  evidently  he  had  a  strong- 
hold upon  the  people  generally.  His  great  sympathy  for 
all  men  and  women  and  his  kind  heart,  prevented  him 
from  being  a  severe  judge  in  the  administering  of  punish- 
ment to  those  found  guilty  of  violating  the  law.  He  always 
desired  to  temper  justice  with  mercy,  and  desired  the 
reformation  more  than  the  j)unishment  of  the  criminal. 
After  retiring  from  the  bench  Judge  McHenry  returned 
to  the  practice  with  his  sons,  William  H.  and  Walter  Mc- 
HenrJ^  Their  clients  were  many.  Judge  McHenry  died 
in  1893,  his  death  causing  heartfelt  grief  to  his  thousands 
of  friends  in  the  county  in  which  he  had  lived  and  labored 
so  long  and  successfully. 

In  18GS  a  new  Circuit  Court,  having  civil  and  probate 
jurisdiction,  was  created  by  act  of  the  General  Asselnbly. 
John  Mitchell,  of  Des  Moines,  was  elected  the  first  judge 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  451 

of  the  circuit  in  the  same  year,  and  was  twice  re-elected, 
serving  a  continuous  term  of  twelve  years,  the  longest  ofti- 
cial  term  eA^er  held  in  the  county.  Judge  Mitchell  was  born 
in  New  Hampshire  in  1830,  and  was  a  nephew  of  Thomas 
Mitchell,  one  of  the  first  pioneers  of  the  county.  Acquiring 
an  excellent  education  in  his  native  State  and  reading 
law  for  a  time,  he  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1856  and  com- 
pleted his  preliminary  legal  studies  in  the  office  of  Finch 
and  Crocker,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  August,  1850. 
He  at  once  commenced  practice  of  his  profession.  In  1861 
he  was  commissioned  captain  of  a  company  of  cavalry  in 
the  State  service,  and  served  several  mouths  upon  the 
northern  border.  The  same  year  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  House  and  served  for  two  years  in  the  General  As- 
sembly during  these  days  of  the  war  and  general  excite- 
ment. He  was  also  a  member  of  the  City  Council  and 
member  and  chainnan  of  the  County  Board  of  Supervisors, 
and  for  some  time  was  United  States  register  in  bank- 
ruptcy for  this  Congressional  district.  As  before  stated, 
in  1868,  he  was  elected  Circuit  Judge  and  twice  re-elected, 
A'irtually  without  opposition.  He  was  married  in  1858  to 
Kebecca  Anshultz,  a  native  of  Virginia.  After  his  long 
term  as  judge  he  returned  to  the  practice,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  Dudley  &  Brown  established  a  large  and  lucrative 
legal  business.  But  Judge  Mitchell  in  the  prime,  as  it 
were,  of  his  power  for  work  and  general  usefulness,  was 
stricken  by  disease  and  died  in  1890.  He  was  a  good 
lawyer,  judge,  husband,  father  and  citizen,  and  the  record 
of  years  made  by  him  in  the  county  was  clean  and  stainless. 

Josiah  Given  succeeded  Judge  Mitchell  as  Circuit  Judge, 
being  elected  to  the  position  in  November,  1880,  and  after- 
wards re-elected.  Judge  Given  was  born  in  Pennsylvania 
in  1828,  of  Irish  parents,  who,  in  18.38,  removed  to  Holmes 


4:52  ANNAL^S  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Count}',  Ohio.  The  future  judge  was  dependent  upon  his 
own  efforts  for  au  education,  and  for  a  time  worked  Avitli 
his  father  in  a  country  blaclisniith  shop.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war  with  Mexico  lie  enlisted  as  a  .drummer  in 
recruiting  service,  and  after  being  rejected  on  account  of 
his  3'outh,  finall}'  mustered  into  the  Fourth  Ohio  Infantry, 
under  Col.  Brough,  and  was  appointed  a  corj)oral.  He  went 
with  the  regiment  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
Returning  home  he  commenced  reading  law  in  the  oflice  of 
his  brotlu^r  and  J.  IJ.  Bancroft,  noAV  f>f  this  city.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1850,  ujjon  motion  of  Edwin  M. 
Stanton,  afterwards  the  famous  war  secretary.  He  was 
subse(pieutly  prosecuting  attorney  of  the  county  for  two 
terms  and  won  much  legal  distinction.  In  1S5G  he  removed 
to  Cosliocton,  Ohio,  and  practiced  tliere  until  the  breaking 
out  f)f  the  C'ivil  A^'ar.  He  immediately  thrcAV  aside  his 
law  books,  organized  Company  K,  TAveuty-fourth  Ohio 
Infantry,  and  entered  the  service  as  ca]itain.  S(n'ved  first 
in  A\'estern  ^"ii'giiiia  and  \A'as  promoted  li(Mitcuant  colonel 
of  Eighteenth  Ohio,  and  was  iu  si^'eral  severe  battles  with 
this  regiment.  Snbse(piently  1h^  was  made  coloncd  of  the 
Seventy-fourth  Oliio,  succeeding  Oraiivilh'  ilondy,  the 
"figlitiiig  ])arsoii."  lie  went  thi-ougli  th(^  Atlanta  cam- 
■jjaigii  and  a  ])orfion  of  the  time  was  in  cuinmand  of  a  bri- 
gade. Being  com]>letely  disabled  and  I  he  war  drawing  to 
a  close,  he  resigned  and  returned  home.  Afterwards  he 
s(^rve(l  two  y(^ars  as  jxistmaster  of  the  llonse  of  Kcpresen- 
tati\cs  at  A\'ashington.  lietnrning  home  as  soon  as  he 
could  settle  u])  his  business  lie  detei-minc^il  to  cari'y  out  a 
long  considered  desire  of  becoming  a  ciliz(ui  of  Iowa,  lie 
came  lo  I  >es  Moines  May  1st,  ISfiS,  and  beg;in  the  jiractice 
of  hn\'.  In  ISd!)  he  Avas  a]ipointed  a  Cnited  States  (le])uty 
commissioner  of  in(ei-nal  re\"enue,  lia\'ing  charge  of  the 
division   of  spirits  and   fermented   li(inors.      lie  resigned 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  IJIJS  MOIXJJS.  4ri3 

tliis  i>nsitioii  at  Wasliiiif^'ton  in  ISTl  t(i  iiccept  the  iKiiniiiu- 
tiou  (it  prosecutiii}^'  attonie.y  of  tliis  district,  and  beinj^' 
elected  commenced  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  tlie  oftice 
in  January,  1872,  serviug  three  years.  He  then  returned 
to  tlie  practice  until  elected  Circ-uit  Judge.  He  was  elected 
District  Judge  in  188(),  and  in  1889  was  appointed  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  was 
subsequently  elected  for  a  full  term.  He  Avas  re-elected  to 
the  Supx'eme  bench  in  1895,  wliere  he  now  diligentlj-  and 
faithfully  serves  the  State. 

In  1882  the  General  Assembly  gave  an  additional  judge 
to  the  district,  and  in  November, of  that  year  AYilliam 
Connor  was  elected  as  said  judge.  The  new  judge  was  a 
native  of  New  York  and  had  served  gallantly  as  a  volun- 
teer during  the  Avar.  A  short  time  after  its  close  he  emi- 
grated west  and  made  a  new  home  in  Des  Moines.  He 
served  for  a  time  as  justice  of  the  peace,  and  was  always  a 
close  student  of  the  law.  Though  comparatiA^ely  a  young 
man  he  ranked  high  as  a  judge,  bringing  to  the  bench  as  he 
did  his  habit  of  close  investigation  and  thorough  research. 
Judge  Connor  remained  upon  tlie  bench  until  September, 
1885,  Avhen  he  resigned  to  become  a  member  of  the  Avell 
known  laAv  firm  of  (xatch,  Connor  &  Weaver,  of  AvliicU  he 
is  now  and  has  been  for  the  past  ten  years  a  leading  part- 
ner, in  practice  before  the  District  and  Su])reme  Courts  of 
Iowa  and  the  United  States. 

Kipley  N.  Baylies  was  appointed  by  the  GoA^ernor  and 
served  for  a  short  time  as  the  successor  of  Judge  (I'onnor. 
He  is  a  lawyer  of  ability,  who  came  to  this  county  with  his 
father  from  Louisiana  when  the  war  br(d<e  out.  After 
retiring  from  the  bench  he  re-entered  the  practice  and  in  a 
feAv  3'ears  made  a  handsome  fortune  by  his  connection  Avith 


454  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

street  railways  and  other  public  improvements.     At  this 
time  Judge  Baylies  is  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Chicago. 

John  II.  Henderson,  of  Warren  County,  Avas  elected  cir- 
cuit judge  in  November,  1885,  and  served  as  such  until  the 
court  was  finally  abolished.  He  is  a  son  of  Col.  P.  P.  Hen- 
derson, the  early  settler  and  old  soldier,  who  came  to  War- 
ren County  at  an  early  day.  His  son,  the  judge,  is  an  Iowa 
boy,  was  a  bright  student  and  became  an  able  judge.  He 
has  since  been  judge  in  the  district  of  which  Warren 
County  is  now  a  part. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1886  remodeled  the  judicial 
system  of  the  State  by  abolishing  the  circuit  courts  and 
increasing  the  number  of  districts  and  judges.  Under  the 
new  system  Polk  County  was  made  a  district  by  itself,  the 
Ninth,  and  allowed  three  judges.  At  tlie  first  election  of 
these  judges  in  1886,  the  following  were  chosen:  Josiah 
Given,  William  F.  Conrad  and  Marcus  Kavanaugh.  Judge 
Given  resigned  March  2,  1889,  to  go  upon  the  Supreme 
bench  and  was  succeeded  by  Charles  A.  Bishop.  The 
others  served  a  term  of  four  years,  and  Judges  Conrad  and 
Bishop  were  candidates  for  re-election.  Judge  Kavanaugh 
was  not  a  candidate,  having  determined  to  remove  to 
Chicago,  where  he  is  now  engaged  in  the  successful  prac- 
tice of  his  profession. 

At  the  election  held  in  1890  the  following  gentlemen 
were  elected  judges:  William  Conrad,  Calvin  P.  Holmes 
and  Stephen  F.  Balliet,  who  entered  upon  the  discharge 
of  their  judicial  duties  in  January,  1891.  In  1894  the  Gen- 
eral Assembl,y  gave  an  additional  judge  to  the  district, 
and  on  March  12,  1894,  the  Governor  appointed  to  fill  the 
place  William  A.  Spurrier,  who  had  previously  served  as 
prosecuting  attorney. 

There  were  four  judges  to  elect  in  November,  1894,  when 


A'ND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  BIOINES.  455 

the  following  were  chosen :  William  F.  Conrad,  Calvin  P. 
Holmes,  William  A.  Spurrier  and  Thomas  Stevenson. 
These  are  the  present  judges  of  the  District  Court  of  Polk 
County.  The  senior  is  Judge  Conrad,  who  has  served  con- 
tinuously more  than  nine  years,  and,  as  his  re-election 
shows,  discharged  his  onorous  judicial  functions  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  people  generally.  Judge  Holmes  has 
also  won  much  commendation  from  all,  while  the  younger 
judges  have  made  a  most  excellent  start  in  their  work. 

As  previously  stated,  the  first  court  in  Polk  County  was 
held  in  1846,  only  fifty  years  ago.  Then  a  court,  holding 
a  few  days'  session  twice  in  a  year,  was  sufficient  for  the 
legal  wants  and  demands  of  the  community.  Now,  fifty 
3^ears  later,  we  have  in  Polk  County  four  judges  and  each 
holding  court  continuously  for  more  than  ten  months  of  the 
year,  and  yet  the  people  often  complain  of  delay  on  account 
of  the  multiplicity  of  business  before  these  four  judges, 
each  holding  a  separate  court  with  all  its  legal  machinery, 
and  endeavoring  to  dispose  of  the  many  hundreds  of  causes 
brought  before  them  for  adjudication  and  settlement! 
And  yet  the  people  of  today  are  hardly  more  litigious  than 
they  were  fifty  years  ago.  The  causes  of  this  immense 
increase  in  litigation  is  rather  to  be  found  in  the  extraor- 
dinary increase  in  population,  business,  railroads  and  other 
matters  incident  thereto.  But  all  must  remark  the  great 
change  wrought  in  the  comparatively  short  space  of  fifty 
vears. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

1875    TO    1885. 

IN  January,  1875,  Constable  George  Sinrs  was  severely 
stabbed    while    arresting    the    Slater    Brothers    and 
John  Ballard.     The  latter  were  arrested  and  held  to 
the  District  Court. 

During  the  season  of  1874-75,  71,017  hogs  were  slaugh- 
tered in  Des  Moines,  the  packers  at  that  time  being  J.  H. 
Windsor  &  Co.,  Tnttle  &  Igo  and  Joseph  Shissler. 

There  was  a  very  bad  snow  storm  in  March,  entirely 
blockading  the  railroads  for  some  time,  and  causing  much 
trouble  and  some  loss. 

In  May,  Henry  Wilson,  Vice  President  of  the  United 
States,  visited  Des  Moines,  and  made  an  address  upon 
Decoration  Day.    He  was  given  an  enthusiastic  reception. 

In  the  same  month  Jacob  Workman,  who  was  then  liv- 
ing near  Mitchellville,  committed  suicide,  and  in  July 
George  H.  Buzzell,  an  "Indian  Doctor,"  was  drowned  in 
Brooks  Lake.  Henrj'  Lillie  soon  after  was  drowned  in  the 
Raccoon  River. 

In  Julj^  Belle  Barton,  Avho  had  been  promineutly  con- 
nected with  the  Johnson  murder,  and  had  been  kept  in 
custody  f(jr  many  months  as  a  witness  and  had  uuirried 
George  Jamieson,  also  more  or  less  connected  with  the 
murder,  died  very  suddenly  at  Omaha.  At  the  time  of 
her  death  she  was  connected  with  a  variety  tlieatre. 

In  August  a  fire  at  the  Getchell  lumber  yard  caused  a 
loss  of  some  .f20,000. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOlNEtS.  457 

The  Htate  census  of  1ST5  i;ave  Des  M(jiiies  a  popula- 
tion of  16,4:4:3,  making  tliis  tlie  fourth  city  in  the  t^tate. 
Dubuque  Avas  first,  DaA'enport  second  and  Burliuofon 
third,  each  having  a  population  of  20,000. 

In  Sei)tember  there  were  extraordinary  high  waters  in 
the  rivers,  and  Jeremiah  and  Marion  Winterrowd,  broth- 
ers, were  drowned  in  the  Des  Moines  River  at  Kattlesnake 
Bend.  In  the  same  month  a  young  man  named  Eldridge 
committed  suicide  bj  the  use  of  poison. 

In  September  the  Armj'  of  tlie  Tennessee  held  a  reunion 
in  Des  Moines,  and  were  most  hospitably  entertained. 
Generals  Sherman,  Belknap,  and  many  other  of  its  noted 
members,  were  in  attendance. 

In  October,  Henry  Clay  Dean,  the  eccentric  and  noted 
Iowa  preacher  and  orator,  made  one  of  his  occasional  visits 
to  the  city,  where  he  had  at  various  times  delivered  elo- 
quent sermons  and  political  speeches.  He  then  made  his 
home  in  Missouri,  near  the  Iowa  line,  in  what  he  called 
"Rebel's  Cove." 

In  December  the  Emi)ire  Mills  at  the  old  dam  on  the 
Des  Moines  River  were  damaged  by  fire  to  the  extent  of 
some  $15,000. 

The  Register  notes  that  John  Campbell,  father  of  Dr. 
James  Campbell,  was  then  living  in  comparative  good 
healtli,  having  reached  the  age  of  one  hundred  years.  He 
came  to  Polk  County  in  1S47,  had  been  tAvice  married,  and 
the  father  of  sixteen  children,  of  wlunn  eleven  Avere  then 
living.  Ilis  last  Avife  had  six  children  by  a  fcn'mer  mar- 
riage, bringing  the  total  up  to  twenty-two. 

Among  the  dead  of  1875  Avere:  Richard  Conine,  an  early 
settler  and  veteran  of  the  Avar  of  1812;  Charles  Keeney, 
Avho  settled  near  to  and  aided  in  establishing  the  town 
of  Avon,  and  owned  one  of  the  first  steam  mills  in  the 


458  ANNALS  OP  FOLK  COUNTY 

county;  Lewis  Jones,  a  mncli  esteemed  and  prominent 
early  settler;  H.  R.  Lovejoy,  one  of  the  largest  merchants 
of  the  early  days,  an  honorable  Christian  man;  Mrs.  Bnsh, 
wife  of  Horace  M.  Bnsh,  one  of  the  pioneer  women  much 
loved;  J.  D.  Cavenor,  prominent  in  business  at  an  early 
day,  but  for  some  years  before  his  death  a  resident  of  Win- 
terset;  Robert  Warren,  a  much  esteemed  early  settler  in 
Camp  Township. 

In  January,  1876,  considerable  surprise  and  excitement 
was  caused  by  the  announcement  that  Mrs.  Ellen  S.  Tup- 
per,  the  noted  "Bee  Woman,"  and  quite  prominent  in  the 
State,  had  been  guilty  of  a  number  of  forgeries.  It  was 
charged  she  had  signed  the  names  of  many  persons,  some 
of  them  prominent  and  her  special  friends,  to  promissory 
notes  and  other  obligations,  had  raised  money  thereon 
and  used  it  in  her  business.  There  was  no  doubt  of  her 
guilt,  but  after  a  time  these  matters  were  settled  up  in 
some  way,  and  being  released  by  the  kindness  of  friends 
and  the  plea  of  mental  aberation  from  further  criminal 
prosecution,  she  moved  further  West  with  her  family,  and 
it  is  understood  died  several  years  ago. 

In  April,  one  Dr.  Halliwill  was  arrested  for  a  criminal 
operation  to  produce  abortion  on  a  young  girl  named  Ella 
D.  Gray,  who  died  from  the  effects  of  the  treatment.  There 
was  considerable  excitement  for  a  time  over  the  affair, 
the  doctor  was  put  in  jail,  but  so  far  as  the  record  shows 
finally  escaped  Avith  small  punishment. 

Oue  Gns  Cudmore  some  time  later  shot  Jeanette  Mor- 
gan twice  with  a  pistol,  and  then  shot  himself.  Cudmore 
was  arrested  and  jailed  and  subsequently  found  guilty 
of  an  attempt  to  murder.  He  and  Jeanette  were  subse- 
quently married,  when  his  first  wife  put  in  appearance, 
but  refused  to  prosecute  him  for  bigamy. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINEii.  459' 

In  July  the  large  planing  mills  of  Caryer  &  Young,  on 
the  West  Side,  was  destroyed  by  fire,  entailing  a  loss  of 
.|25,000,  with  no  insurance. 

In  the  same  month  eight  prisoners  made  tlieir  way  out 
of  the  county  jail  and  regained  their  liberty.  Four  of  them 
were  afterward  recaptured. 

In  October,  the  Iowa  Exposition  was  opened  witli  much 
display  in  the  large  building  erected  for  it  on  the  corner 
of  Eighth  and  Walnut  streets.  Governor  Kirkwood  pre- 
sided at  the  opening,  and  there  were  several  addresses, 
music,  etc. 

Many  of  the  citizens  of  the  citj'  and  county  visited  the 
Centennial  Exposition  at  Philadelphia  this  year,  and  mudi 
enjoyed  the  many  and  varied  sights  there  to  be  seen. 

In  June,  Hiram  McMurray  hung  himself  until  dead,  and 
in  August,  Fred  Schoen  and  G.  W.  Farghar  were  drowned 
in  the  river. 

Des  Moines  celebrated  the  Centennial  Fourth,  1876,  in 
grand  style,  it  being  one  of  the  largest  gatherings  ever 
held  in  the  city.  The  speaking,  etc.,  was  at  the  old  fair 
grounds,  and  it  was  estimated  that  in  the  procession  and 
on  the  grounds  were  some  25,000  people.  The  orators  of 
the  day  were  B.  F.  Montgomery,  of  Council  Bluffs,  and 
Dr.  E.  R.  Hutchins,  and  Governor  Kirkwood  acted  as 
president  of  the  day,  with  Rev.  A.  L.  Frisbie  as  chaplain. 
In  the  evening  it  was  intended  to  have  a  great  display 
of  fireAvorks,  but  following  a  sultry  day  came  one  of  the 
most  violent  downpours  of  rain  ever  known  here. 

On  that  night  of  the  Fourth  of  Jiily,  Bird's  Run,  in  the 
heart  of  the  city,  outdid  all  its  previous  efforts.  It  rose 
to  unprecedented  heights  in  a  brief  space  of  time  and 
swept  away  bridges,  culverts  and  streets,  doing  a  very 


460  ANNALfS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

large  aiiioimt  of  damage  over  a  wide  extent  of  territory. 
Then  tlie  most  obtuse  citizens  were  convinced  that  some- 
thing must  be  done  to  Bird's  Enn  or  "Calamity  Creek," 
as  it  Avas  often  termed,  to  prevent  its  oft  recniTiug  dam- 
age to  adjoining  property.  At  last,  after  many  years, 
this  mm  has  been  rendered  powerless  for  evil,  and  is  made 
to  do  work  as  a  main  drainage  sewer.  It  is  related  that 
in  those  years  after  almost  every  storm  the  city  was 
called  upon  to  pay  more  or  less  damages.  On  some  lots 
it  is  said  they  paid  more  in  the  aggregate  than  the  entire 
damaged  property  was  worth.  Tired  of  paying  damages 
on  one  lot  the  city  wisely  purchased  the  same  and  it  has 
now  become  valuable  property. 

Earl.y  in  the  Ontennial  year  of  1870,  a  company  was 
org;inized  in  Des  Moines  to  erect  an  exposition  building 
and  have  therein  a  permanent  exhibition  of  the  arts  and 
Industry  of  the  city  and  ^>tate.  The  originating  and  mov- 
ing spirit  in  this  enterprise  was  Webb  T.  Dart.  The  cap- 
ital stock  of  the  company  Avas  placed  at  •|50,0()0,  paid-u]) 
capital.  The  officers  selected  were:  President,  Major 
Hoyt  Sherman;  vice  president,  ex-Governor  Samuel  Mer- 
rill; secretary,  L.  M.  Saiiford;  treasurer,  Alex.  C.  Talbott; 
superintendent,  W.  T.  Dart;  directors,  Samuel  Merrill, 
Hoyt  Sherman,  Oeorge  II.  Maish,  C.  II.  Catch,  ^^^  T.  Dart, 
A.  ('.  Talbott  and  L.  M.  Sandfoi-d.  K.  L.  Tidrick  also  be- 
came interested  and  prominent  in  the  work.  A  han<l- 
some  tliree-story  brick  building — 132x132 — was  erected 
on  the  sontlnvest  corner  of  Eighth  and  AValnnt  streets, 
Conrad  Youngerman  and  George  Whittaker  being  the 
contractors.  An  excellent  |5,000  organ  av;\s  placed  in 
tJie  building,  and  through  the  energetic  efforts  of  Super- 
intendent Dart  and  the  otiier  officers  and  friends  of  the 
enterprise  in  a  short  tinu'  a  most  excellent  collection  of 


AND   THE  CITY  OF  IJIJS  MOIXIJS.  4G1 

vai-ious  articles  were  placed  within  the  building-.  The 
luerchants  and  niannfacturers  of  the  city  cheerfully  re- 
sponded with  displays  of  their  goods,  and  citizens 
generally  took  much  pride  in  this  exhibition,  which  Ayas 
certainly  a  nmst  creditable  one.  The  t^tate  Horticul- 
tural kSociety  also  placed  in  this  building  its  fine  collec- 
tion of  fruits,  etc.  Many  curiosties,  gathered  through- 
out the  world,  were  also  placed   on  exhibition. 

On  the  evening  of  September  12,  ISKi,  a  grand  ball 
was  giyen  in  the  rooms,  which  was  attended  by  hun- 
dreds of  tlie  gentlemen  and  ladies  of  the  city,  and  by 
many  from  outside.  On  October  5,  187<;,  the  loAya  In- 
dustrial Ex])osition  was  formally  ojtened  to  the  public, 
Hon.  (leorge  PI  Wright  delivering  the  address.  For  a 
time  the  exiiosition  was  a  yery  successful  one,  but  tinally 
interest  in  it  slackened,  financial  troubles  came,  and  the 
ex])osition  was  closed.  For  months  the  large  building 
Ayas  mostly  unoccupied,  and  then  it  was  purchased  by 
Mills  »&:  Co.,  and  was  for  a  number  of  years  used  by  them 
for  their  large  jiublishing  and  printing  establishment, 
the  largest  of  the  kind  then  or  noAy  in  the  State.  A  few 
years  ago  Mills  &  Co.  sold  the  building  to  other  parties, 
Ayho  subsequently  remodeled  and  changed  the  former 
exposition  building  into  tlie  present  large  and  handsome 
Iliad  block,  one  of  the  most  modern  and  fashionable  build- 
ings in  the  city.  The  original  builders  may  liaye  lost  some 
money  thereby,  but  the  exposition  in  many  respects  was 
a  benetit  to  the  city  and  the  people,  and  the  hopes  of  its 
projectors  were  thus  at  least  ]>artially  realized. 

Webb  T.  Dart,  the  main  originator,  cann^  to  Des  Moines 
about  1860  from  Oslialoosa,  wliVre  he  had  been  reareil. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  pushing,  enterprising 
merchant  of  the  citv,  ami  was  \\id(dy  known  among  our 


462  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

people.  He  subsequently  made  his  headquarters  at  Col- 
fax, and  did  much  to  advance  the  interests  of  that  well 
known  resort,  and  aided  materially  in  extending  the  fame 
of  its  mineral  waters.  Webb  Dart  died  several  years  ago, 
a  comparatively  young  man. 

Among  the  dead  of  this  year  were:  Gen.  N.  B.  Baker, 
the  noted  Adjutant  General  of  Iowa,  a  generous,  noble- 
hearted  man ;  Jeremiah  Canfield,  an  early  settler  and  prom- 
inent farmer  in  Bloomfield  Township;  J.  H.  Swope,  Pre- 
siding Elder  of  M.  E.  Church;  William  Youngerman,  an 
early  settler  and  good  citizen  of  Walnut  Township. 

The  streets  of  the  city  had  up  to  this  period  remained 
nothing  but  what  might  be  termed  "dirt  roads."  True, 
many  thousands  of  dollars  had  been  expended  in  cut- 
ting and  filling,  grading  them  up  or  down,  as  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground  required,  and  many  miles  of  side- 
walks had  been  built.  But  no  "attempt  had  yet  been  made 
at  paving,  and  at  times  in  certain  seasons  of  the  year, 
some  of  the  principal  streets  of  the  city  were  almost  im- 
passable. It  was  in  those  times  no  infrequent  sight  to 
note  teams  stalled  in  the  mud  on  Walnut  and  other  of 
the  main  business  streets  and  alleys,  and  the  lots  thereto 
adjoining.  As  the  city  grew  in  extent  and  population 
every  citizen  became  convinced  that  something  must  be 
done,  and  that  without  delay,  to  remedy  the  evils  so  much 
complained  of.  The  city  was  getting  a  bad  name,  and 
citizens  of  other  towns  made  sport  of  this  unfortunate 
condition  of  affairs  in  Des  Moines. 

The  evil  was  apparent  to  every  one — business,  conven- 
ience and  health  demanded  a  speedy  change  for  the  bet- 
ter— but  how  this  change  was  to  be  brought  aboiit  was 
the  question.  After  much  talk  and  several  years'  agi- 
tation   of   the   question    a   good   beginning    was    made 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  463 

in  1878  and  1879  by  the  City  Council  inviting  a  noted 
civil  engineer  of  Chicago  to  A'isit  this  city,  make  an  ex- 
amination, and  recommend  some  system  of  sewerage  and 
paving,  which  Avas  practicable  and  wovild  make  the 
streets  of  the  city  what  they  should  be.  This  engineer, 
Mr.  Chesebrough,  came  and  spent  some  time  in  looking 
over  the  city,  and  then  suggested  a  comprehensive  plan 
for  the  sewerage  of  the  entire  city.  The  magnitude  of  the 
Avork  and  the  cost  of  the  same  startled  and  alarmed  some 
of  the  citizens — some  of  whom  had  grown  rich  off  the 
rise  in  value  of  their  city  lots,  and  who  heretofore  had 
been  lightly  touched  in  pocket  through  special  assess- 
ment— but  to  the  credit  of  the  City  Council  be  it  said  the 
plans  recommended  by  the  engineer  were  finally  adopted 
and  work  promptly  commenced  under  the  same. 

Main  intercepting  sewers  were  constructed  and  the 
street  sewers  to  connect  therewith  were  rapidly  extended, 
and  the  original  plan  was  extended  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years,  and  much  improved  upon.  Then  followed  street 
paving,  and  this  has  been  steadily  pushed  forward  up 
to  this  time,  when  all  the  main  business  streets  and  alleys 
and  many  of  the  residence  streets  are  now  well  sewered 
and  paved.  At  first  wood,  .or  cedar  block,  paving  was 
the  most  popular,  but  this  paving  not  proving  as  good  or 
durable  as  was  at  first  expected,  within  the  past  ten  years 
hard  brick  paving  has  replaced  much  of  the  first  wood, 
and  all  of  the  new  paving  has  been  of  brick  manufactured 
here  at  home.  Of  sewering  and  paving  more  will  be  found 
in  another  chapter.  Here  it  only  remains  to  say  that  this 
marked  a  distinct  advance  in  the  city  of  Des  Moines,  and 
has  not  only  added  to  the  convenience,  comfort  and 
health  of  the  citizens,  but  has  also  added  to  the  good 
name  and  to  the  population  of  the  city,  and  the  citizens 


i'U  ANNAL^'i  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

generally  are  euthusiastically  iu  favor  of  continuiiiii  on 
in  this  good  work. 

BoA".  Graves,  the  negro  who  had  been  convicted  of  the 
nuirder  of  Ella  Barrett,  died  on  New  Year's  Daj,  1879, 
in  the  penitentiary.  Before  his  death  he  confessed  his 
gnilt,  hnt  claims  he  was  not  as  guilty  as  some  others.  At 
the  same  time  he  claimed  Smith,  who  had  also  been  con- 
victed, was  not  guilty. 

The  newspapers  stated  that  over  one  hundred  thousand 
hogs  were  killed  in  the  packing  hovises  of  Des  Moines  in 
1S78,  and  it  was  also  stated  the  public  and  private  build- 
ing and  improvement  in  the  city  during  the  year  187!) 
ran  up  to  considerably  over  one  million  of  dollars. 

Among  the  dead  of  bS7!l  were:  George  P.  llussell,  an 
able  young  attorney;  George  B.  Brown,  landlord  of  the 
Aboru  and  other  hotels;  Curtis  Bates,  an  early  settler, 
able  lawyer  and  for  years  jtrominent  in  State  and  local 
affairs,  having  been  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Gov- 
ernor in  1854;  Pati-ick  McAttee,  landlord  and  owner  of  the 
Mf)nitor  House;  Rev.  Ezra  Rathbun,  one  of  the  first  Meth- 
odist preachers  of  the  county;  John  R.  Henry,  a  well  known 
ex]iress  agent;  Charles  Gray,  of  the  noted  firm  of  Terkius 
&  tira.y. 

On  February  18,  1880,  Henry  Osborne,  a  coal  digger, 
brutally  beat  his  wife  to  death  with  a  stone  on  the  public 
streets.  This  murder  caused  much  excitement,  and  for 
a  time  lynch  law  was  threatened.  Osborne  was  subse- 
quently tried  and  finally  sentenced  to  the  penitenliary  for 
life. 

Mar'ch  1,  the  celebrated  Irishman,  Parnell,  with  his 
friends,  John  Dillon,  John  Murdoch  and  others  visited 
Des  Moines,  and  were  given  a  nmst  hearty  recepti(ni. 


AiYZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  3I0INE8.  465 

In  April  Andrew  Sneddon  was  fatally  cut  and  stabbed 
by  one  Bond  in  an  affray  in  a  saloon.  Sneddon  died  a  few 
days  after  the  affray  and  Bond  was  indicted  and  held  for 
trial  in  the  District  Court. 

There  was  an  extraordinary  fall  of  rain  on  July  7th 
and  Sth,  and  much  damage  was  done  in  the  city  and 
county. 

T.  W.  Eichelberger,  the  bright  and  popular  city  editor 
of  the  Register,  died  in  March,  causing  much  sorrow  to 
his  many  friends  in  this  city  and  throughout  the  State. 

In  September,  in  an  affray,  one  Wallace  shot  King.  The 
latter  died  a  month  or  two  later  and  Wallace  was  ar- 
rested. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  question  of  having  more  and 
better  bridges  over  the  Des  Moines  River,  and  having 
the  same  free  to  the  public  was  more  or  less  agitated 
among  the  people  of  both  city  and  county.  Toll  bridges 
were  generally  considered  a  nuisance,  and  better  bridges 
and  more  of  them  were  needed.  Those  in  the  city  also 
claimed  that  it  would  be  but  fair  for  the  whole  county,, 
instead  of  the  city  alone,  to  bear  the  expense  of  erecting 
and  keeping  in  repair  these  bridges,  which  were  for  the- 
accommodation  of  the  people  of  the  county,  as  well  as: 
those  of  the  city.  Besides  it  was  alleged  tax;es  collected 
in  the  city  were  expended  in  the  erection  and  maintenance 
of  bridges  in  the  county  outside  of  the  corporate  limits 
of  the  city.  October  9,  1877,  this  proposition  was  sub- 
mitted to  a  vote  of  the  people  of  the  county:  "Shall  there 
be  a  three  mill  levy  for  eight  years  to  pay  city  bridge 
bonds,  their  indebtedness  for  the  building  of  four  bridges 
across  the  Des  Moines  and  Raccoon  Rivers,  and  make 
them  free  for  public  travel?"  This  was  voted  down;  yeas,, 
2,326;  nays,  3,371.    The  following  year  another  vote  was 


466  AT<INALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

taken  for  free  bridges  and  the  proposition  was  again  de- 
feated, but  by  a  close  vote:  Yeas,  3,368;  nays,  3,520. 
Two  years  later,  ]S'OA'ember  2,  1880,  the  following  propo- 
sition Avas  submitted:  "Shall  an  annual  tax  of  one  mill 
be  levied  for  five  years,  or  until  paid,  to  pay  the  indebted- 
ness incurred  by  the  city  for  building  bridges  over  the 
Des  Moines  and  Raccoon  Rivers  for  the  purpose  of  mak- 
ing said  toll  bridges  free  to  the  public  travel?"  This 
was  carried  by  a  majority  of  1,347 — Yeas,  4,507;  nays, 
3,160.  Soon  after  this  vote  was  taken,  all  the  bridges 
in  the  city  and  county  were  made  free  and  since  that 
time  no  tolls  have  been  collected. 

In  one  of  the  Registers  of  this  year  the  following  fig- 
ures are  giA^en  purporting  to  show  the  population  of  the 
County  of  Polk  in  the  years  mentioned.  They  may  be 
correct,  but  their  accuracy  cannot  be  verified: 

1846 1,301 

1847 1,792 

1848 4,214 

1850 4,513 

1851 5,000 

1853 .5,939 

1854 5,368 

1856 9,417 

1858 11,847 

The  newspaper  review  for  the  year  1880  claims  that  it 
had  been  a  "boom"  year  for  the  city,  and  business  and 
improvements  had  much  increased  over  previous  years. 
The  figures  giA^en  were: 

Six  hundred  and  fifty-three  residences  built  and 

improvements .f  975,555 

Fifteen  business  blocks 340,000 

Improvements  and  repairs 55,495 

City  work  on  streets  and  sewers,  etc 67,529 

Grand  total .|1,184,039 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOINES.  467 

There  had  been  an  increase  reported  in  nearly  every  line 
of  business,  and  the  total  coal  trade  had  run  beyond  one 
million  of  dollars. 

In  February,  1881,  James  Crane  was  killed  by  the  cars 
in  the  western  part  of  the  city.  He  had  formerly  been  one 
of  the  early  merchants  of  the  toAvn,  but  of  late  j^ears  had 
resided  on  a  large  farm  in  Bloomfield  Township. 

During  the  same  month  August  Potthoff,  a  Avell  konwn 
saloon  keeper,  and  a  man  of  considerable  wealth,  com- 
mitted suicide  by  shooting  himself  with  a  pistol. 

For  the  j'ear  ending  March  1,  1881,  the  pork  packers 
of  the  city  reported  they  had  slaughtered  139,.377  hogs 
and  paid  out  for  the  same  -11,373,413. 

Thomas  Thompson,  superintendent  of  the  stock  yards 
of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific  Railroad,  was 
caught  under  a  car  and  instantlj'  killed  in  April.  lie 
came  to  Warren  County  in  1853,  where  for  years  he  Avas 
a  large  farmer  and  stock  raiser  and  dealer,  and  came  to 
Des  Moines  in  1870.  He  was  a  good  man  and  highly 
esteemed. 

In  the  same  month  Peter  Wagoner,  a  good  farmer  of 
Douglas  Township,  was  drowned  in  Four  Mile  Creek  while 
attempting  to  cross  that  stream.  This  1881  was  noted 
for  the  number  of  persons  drowned,  the  total  number  be- 
ing twelve,  in  the  city  and  county.  In  May,  Edwin  Post, 
Annie  Post  and  Mjrtle  Cotton  were  drowned  in  the  Des 
Moines  River  by  the  upsetting  of  a  boat.  In  July, 
Fred  Ilyland  and  Mark  Folsom  were  drowned  in  the  Rac- 
coon River,  and  in  the  same  month  Swan  Peterson  was 
drowned.  In  June,  J.  W.  Mclntire,  head  clerk  for  L.  H. 
Kurtz,  was  a  victim  to  the  Des  Moines  River.  This  year 
the  water  in  the  river  reached  more  than  ordinary  height 
and  considerable  damage  resulted. 


468  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

In  June,  the  noted  amendment  to  the  constitution  of  the 
State  prohibiting  forever  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  in- 
toxicating liquors  in  Iowa,  was  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the 
people  for  adoption  or  rejection.  The  friends  of  prohibi- 
tion and  the  churches  generally  were  zealoiis  in  advocat- 
ing the  adoption  of  the  proposed  amendment,  while  the 
opposition  practically  had  no  organization.  The  result 
was  Polk  County  gave  a  majority  of  2,171  for  the  amend- 
ment, and  it  carired  in  the  State  by  a  majority  of  nearly 
30,000.  Subsequently  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Stnte 
declared  it  to  be  null  and  void,  because  of  illegalities  in 
its  adoption  by  the  General  Assembly. 

This  year  the  corj)oration  of  Drake  University  was 
formed  and  organized  by  the  election  of  the  following 
officers:  President,  Francis  M.  Drake;  vice  president,  G. 
T.  Carpenter;  secretary,  D.  R.  Lucas;  treasurer,  Corydon 
E.  Fuller.  Active  steps  were  at  once  taken  and  a  consid- 
erable tract  of  land  purchased  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  the  city,  then  outside  the  corporate  limits.  A  portion 
of  this  land  was  sold  at  good  prices  and  the  remainder  re- 
served for  University  buildings,  etc.  From  the  start  the 
enterprise  was  managed  witli  rare  skill  and  much  finan- 
cial ability.  The  buildings  were  rapidly  pushed  forward 
to  completion,  and  in  a  comparatively  short  time  tlie 
University  was  in  operation,  with  many  students  in  at- 
tendance. From  the  beginning  Drake  University  has 
been  a  very  successful  institution. 

In  July,  Dr.  Jolm  Epps  was  shot  dead  by  Fountain 
George.  This  murder  occurred  on  the  East  Side  and  was 
deliberate  on  the  part  of  George,  who  claimed  the  "Doc- 
tor" had  mistreated  a  female  relative  of  his.  Fountain 
George  was  arrested  and  on  his  trial  was  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  be  hanged  by  the  neck  until  dead.    Tliis  sen- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  BEH  MOINES.  -1(59 

tence  was  never  carried  out,  and  George  died  some  years 
after  in  the  penitentiary. 

On  August  21, 1881,  the  last  religious  services  were  held 
in  the  old  Fifth  Street  Methodist  Church,  the  congrega- 
tion thereafter  holding  services  in  their  fine  new  church 
on  Pleasant  and  Ninth  streets.  The  large  Iowa  Loan 
and  Trust  Building  occupies  the  site  of  the  old  church. 

In  December,  Frank  McOreery,  a  grocer  of  the  East 
Side,  went  into  John  Martelle's  restaurant,  on  Fourth 
street,  and  after  a  short  talk  and  a  scuffle  shot  Martelle 
with  a  pistol.  The  wounded  man  was  fatally  hui't,  and 
after' lingering  for  some  time  died.  McCreerj^  claimed  that 
the  dead  man  had  some  days  before  insulted  his  wife,  and 
that  this  was  the  origin  of  the  difficulty.  McCreery  was 
at  once  arrested  and  being  tried  some  months  after  the 
shooting  was  found  guilty  of  manslaughter.  He  got  a 
new  trial,  and  was  subsequently  acquitted  and  released. 

Among  the  dead  of  1881  were:  J.  H.  Hatch,  who  had 
been  a  leading  merchant,  mayor,  member  of  the  General 
Assemblj',  etc.;  Louis  Ruttkay,  a  talented  Hungarian  and 
nephew  of  Louis  Kossuth;  P.  W.  H.  Latshaw,  formerly 
a  merchant,  member  of  City  Council  and  leading  citizen, 
Avlio  afterwards  removed  to  Pitsburg,  Pa.,  where  he  died; 
Mrs.  E.  E.  Allen,  an  earlj  settler  and  noted  as  a  nurse 
and  physician;  Mrs.  Kennedy,  wife  of  Michael  Kennedy, 
the  first  drayman,  a  most  estimable  ladj^;  Charles  A.  Corn- 
ing, formerly  a  shoe  merchant,  who  several  years  before 
his  death  had  removed  to  Florida;  John  McNamara,  a 
well  known  and  much  respected  Irishman,  who  had  served 
years  in  the  City  Council  and  held  other  offices  of  honor 
and  trust. 

The  Register's  summary  for  1881,  stated  that  there  had 
during  that  year  been  built  thirty-seven  business  blocks 


470  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  seyeu  hundred  and  tweutj'-five  residences  at  an  ag- 
gregate cost  of  about  12,600,000.  All  lines  of  business 
had  increased  and  the  mercantile  transactions  alone 
footed  up  a  total  of  |25,014,11S. 

Among  the  improvements  of  1881  was  the  building  of 
the  International  distillery  on  the  bottom  east  of  the 
Capitol.  It  was  stated  that  when  completed  this  was  the 
largest  distiller)'  in  the  world.  Its  capacity  was  in  excess 
of  any  other  in  this  country  at  that  time.  The  main  pro- 
prietor was  George  W.  Kidd,  of  New  York.  For  several 
years  this  distillery  was  in  operation  almost  continuously 
night  and  day,  and  its  output  was  very  large,  while  an 
immense  amount  of  corn  and  other  grain  was  consumed 
in  its  operation.  A  large  number  of  cattle  and  hogs  were 
fattened  in  the  pens  connected  with  the  distillery,  and  a 
large  number  of  men,  mostly  skilled  workmen,  were  given 
steady  employment  and  liberal  wages.  At  one  time  dur- 
ing 1882,  the  distillery  was  forced  to  suspend  most  of  its 
operations  for  several  weeks,  owing  to  an  attempt  said 
to  have  been  made  to  blow  up  a  portion  of  the  machinery. 
Several  arrests  were  made  and  considerable  litigation 
followed,  but  no  satisfactoiw  explanation  was  ever  given 
to  the  public.  The  distillery,  liowever,  soon  resumed  op- 
erations and  was  successfally  carried  on  until  later  on 
the  proprietors  were  compelled  to  shut  down  on  account 
of  unfriendly  Iowa  laws  and  the  threats  of  x>rohibition- 
ists  and  of  what  was  termed  "tlie  whisky  trust."  It  was 
generally  understood  the  distillery  passed  into  the  con- 
trol of  the  "whisky  ti'ust,"  and  Avas  not  operated  for  sev- 
eral years.  Then  it  was  partly  used  as  a  malt  house.  It 
is  now  said  to  be  under  the  control  of  Mr.  Woolner,  of 
Peoria,  Illinois,  who,  it  is  announced,  will  change  it  into 
a  large  modern  brewery  should  the  Iowa   General  As- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXE.S.  471 

sembl,y  pass  a  law  permitting  the  manufacture  of  sucli 
liquors. 

Another  important  enterprise  commencing  in  ISSl  was 
the  building  of  the  large  Gilbert  Starch  Works.  These 
were  located  a  little  east  and  north  of  the  distillery.  A. 
very  large  and  complete  building  was  erected  and  filled 
all  the  latest  machinery  and  appliances  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  the  best  quality  of  starch.  These  starch  works 
emploj^ed  a  large  number  of  men  and  women,  and  around 
them  was  soon  built  up  the  thriving  suburban  town  of 
Chesterfield.  These  works  were  successfully  operated 
for  several  years,  when  unfortunately  they  were  destroyed 
by  fire.  Some  years  after  this  the  present  new  and  en- 
larged Avorks  were  erected. 

In  January,  1SS2,  two  children,  aged  eleven  and  two 
years,  named  Harr^^  and  Willie  Cleer,  were  burned  to 
death  in  the  home  of  their  parents  in  the  city. 

On  the  night  of  January  11,  1882,  occurred  a  most  de- 
structive fire.  This  was  the  burning  of  the  Clapp  Block, 
on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Walnut  streets.  The  loss  at 
the  time  was  estimated  at  over  |100,000,  with  insurance 
of  about  160,000.  The  main  block  was  almost  destroyed, 
though  the  vaults  and  rooms  of  the  Citizens'  National 
Bank  partly  escaped.  In  the  stores  below  and  rooms 
above  much  valuable  property  was  lost.  The  Masons, 
who  occupied  a  suite  of  rooms  on  the  top  floor,  lost  some 
|5,000  more  than  was  covered  by  insurance.  Morris  & 
Humphrey,  merchants,  were  also  heavy  losers.  After 
the  fire  it  was  reported  the  bank  had  bought  the  prop- 
erty, but  this  trade  fell  through  and  the  proprietor,  E. 
R.  Clapp,  a  pioneer  citizen,  soon  cleared  away  the  rub- 
bish and  rebuilt  the  l)uilding,  higher  and  more  handsome 


4:72  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

than  ever.     The  Forster  building  on  the  west,  was  also 
much  damaged,  but  was  promptly  rebuilt. 

On  the  night  of  April  14,  1882,  R.  W.  Stubbs,  a  prom- 
inent citizen  and  mayor  of  Polk  City,  was  shot  and  killed 
in  his  home  by  one  or  more  persons  whom  it  is  supposed 
had  entered  the  house  for  burglarious  purposes.  This 
murder  caused  much  excitement  throughout  the  couutrj', 
and  several  persons  were  arrested  on  suspicion  of  having 
perpetrated  or  knowing  who  were  the  perpetrators  of  the 
crime.  But  these  all  escaped  conviction,  and  this  mur- 
der yet  remains  an  unsolved  mystery. 

July  1,  George  Crane  shot  fatally  Herman  Bleckman 
in  Bloomfield  Township,  the  wounded  man  dying  from  the 
effects  of  the  ball  fired.  The  two  young  men  had  been  in 
town  celebrating  the  Fourth  and  the  difficulty  which  re- 
sulted so  fatally  occurred  at  the  gate  leading  to  Bleck- 
man's  home.  Crane  was  arrested  and  acquitted  by  a  jury 
in  the  District  Court. 

A  brutal  assault  was  made  by  one  Harris  upon  J.  B. 
James,  a  quiet,  peaceable  man  and  grocer,  in  the  western 
part  of  the  city.  Harris  beat  his  victim  unmercifully  with 
an  iron  fish  plate  and  no  certain  cause  could  be  assigned 
for  the  brutal  attack.  For  a  time  it  was  thought  James 
would  die,  and  the  citizens  were  terribly  aroused.  A  large 
mob  of  excited  people  endeavored  to  take  Harris  from 
the  ofiicers,  and  if  they  had  captured  him  at  the  time  he 
would  almost  certainly  have  been  hanged.  For  safety 
the  sheriff  quietly  took  his  prisoner  to  Winterset.  James 
recovered,  though  he  never  became  the  healthy  man  he 
was  before  the  assault,  and  Harris  was  tried,  convicted 
and  sentenced  to  twenty  years  in  the  penitentiary. 

About  this  time  the  Register  noted  the  fact  that  Mrs. 
Mary  Freel,  who  came  to  the  county  in  1850,  was  then 


AJsW  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  473 

living  in  Camp  Township,  in  compai*ative  good  health, 
at  the  greatly  advanced  age  of  one  hundred  and  two 

years. 

In  October,  Thomas  C.  Hedges,  son  of  Col.  N.  G.  Hedges, 
a  jjrominent  citizen,  acidentally  shot  himself  at  his  home 
with  a  pistol  and  died  in  a  short  time.  He  was  an  ex- 
cellent young  man,  whose  untimely  end  was  much  de- 
plored. 

November  6,  the  first  through  passenger  train  on  the 
Wabash  Railroad  reached  Des  Moines  from  St.  Louis. 

Among  the  deaths  of  1882  were:  John  Browne,  for 
many  years  agent  of  the  Des  Moines  River  Company; 
Moses  W.  Robinson,  a  noted  farmer  and  stockman,  who 
was  a  member  from  Des  Moines  County  of  the  conven- 
tion which  framed  the  present  Constitution  of  the  State; 
Mrs.  E.  J.  IngersoU,  a  pleasant  gifted  lady;  Dr.  B.  L.  Steete, 
an  early  settler,  noted  physician  and  politician,  and  one 
of  the  most  liberal  and  kindest  of  men;  Thomas  Hattou, 
Sr.,  an  old  and  esteemed  citizen;  J.  B.  Bausman,  an  early 
settler,  engineer  and  also  at  one  time  a  newspaper  writer 
and  publisher;  Mrs.  Stewart  Goodrell,  an  early  settler, 
estimable  lady  and  widow  of  Hon.  Stewart  Goodrell;  Mrs. 
Thomas  Hatton,  Jr.,  a  lady  loved  for  her  high  social  and 
musical  gifts. 

The  statistics  for  1882  of  the  Citj  of  Des  Moines  show 
the  total  building  and  improvements  of  the  year  to  have 
reached  the  large  sum  of  |2,86.3,705;  number  of  dwelling 
houses  erected,  436;  business  houses  built,  58;  churches, 
5;  school  houses,  4. 

In  the  Supreme  Court,  January  IS,  1883,  Judge  Seevers 
delivered  the  opinion  of  the  Supreme  Court,  holding  that 
the  prohibitory  constitutional  amendment,  carried  by  a 


474  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

vote  of  the  people  in  the  June  preceding,  liad  not  been 
constitutionally  agreed  to  by  the  General  Assembly,  and 
was  therefore  void  and  of  no  effect.  This  decision  cre- 
ated more  excitement  than  any  other  decision  ever  ren- 
dered by  that  court,  and  eventually,  though  wrongfully 
caused  the  retirement  from  the  court  of  Chief  Justice 
Day,  who  had  been  upon  the  bench  for  many  years.  The 
decision,  however,  proved  to  be  the  death  of  constitu- 
tional prohibition  in  Iowa,  as  it  has  never  again  been 
submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people,  though  efforts  have 
been  coiitinuously  made  to  revive  this  amendment. 

In  -January  a  disastrous  fire  occurred  in  the  Clapp 
Block,  damaging  the  building  to  the  amount  of  |40,000, 
and  causing  a  total  loss  of  more  than  -|100,000. 

One  W.  A.  Cline  was  arrested,  charged  with  complicity 
in  the  murder  of  Stubbs  at  Polk  City.  After  a  long  in- 
vestigation, his  discharge  and  rearrest,  he  was  finally  re- 
leased on  bail,  and  some  months  afterwards  was  shot  and 
killed  in  Jasper  County  by  his  brother-in-law,  John  Cool. 

In  September,  at  a  boarding  house  on  Chestnut  street, 
during  the  holding  of  the  State  Fair,  N.  H.  Lewis,  a  har- 
ness maker,  stabbed  and  killed  Arthur  Fagan,  a  harness 
salesman.  Both  the  men  worked  in  the  harness  house  of 
N.  W.  Hunter.  Lewis  was  arrested  and  afterwards  re- 
leased on  bail.  After  a  trial  some  months  later  in  the 
District  Court  he  was  acquitted  on  the  grounds  of  self- 
defense. 

At  the  November  term  of  the  District  Court  Charles 
Wilcox  was  tried  for  complicity  in  the  Stubbs  murder  at 
Polk  City,  the  jury  failed  to  agree,  eleven  being  in  favor 
of  rendering  a  verdict  of  guilty.  At  another  trial  in  the 
folloAving  year  upon  the  suggestion  of  the  prosecuting 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  475 

attorney  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  of  not  guilty,  and 
Wilcox  was  discharged  a  free  man. 

During  1883  some  veiy  fine  business  buildings  and 
residences  were  erected,  among  these  being  the  Des 
Moines  National  Bank  building,  corner  of  Sixth  and  Wal- 
nut, the  Mills,  Weitz,  Mottes  buildings  on  Fourth  street, 
the  Stephenson-Dicks  building,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Wal- 
nut, the  Harding  residence  in  the  western  portion  of  the 
city,  and  many  others. 

May  11,  the  Register  in  announcing  the  acquittal  of 
George  Crane,  for  the  killing  of  Bleckman,  said:  "Four 
murders  have  been  committed  in  Polk  County  in  a  year 
and  not  a  murderer  has  been  convicted." 

In  May,  Jay  Gould  and  several  other  railroad  and  finan- 
cial magnates  made  a  visit  to  Des  Moines.  At  that  time 
Mr.  Gould  was  much  interested  in  the  extension  of  the 
Wabash  Railroad  to  Des  Moines.  In  June,  Governor 
Boynton,  of  Georgia,  Col.  Howell  and  a  number  of  other 
gentlemen  and  a  few  ladies  from  the  South,  visited  tlie 
capital  of  Iowa  and  were  given  a  most  hospitable  wel- 
come. 

In  Jul,y,  Frank  Chapman  was  drowned  in  the  Raccoon 
and  A.  J.  Kuefner  in  the  Des  Moines  River. 

In  the  same  month  the  contract  was  awarded  for  the 
grading  of  the  Diagonal,  now  Great  Western  Railroad, 
from  Marshalltown  to  Des  Moines,  the  grading  to  be  com- 
pleted in  ninety  days. 

About  9  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  July  10  two  men 
came  to  the  store  and  postoffice  in  Polk  City,  as  the  post- 
master and  his  clerk  were  closing  for  the  night,  and  after 
a  few  words  had  been- spoken  commenced  firing  at  Post- 
master R.  L.  Clingau,  who  soon  fell  mortal!}^  wounded 


476  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  died  in  a  short  time.  No  attempt  was  made  at  rob- 
bery, and  the  murderers  at  once  fled.  Tlie  alarm  was 
given  and  a  hunt  commenced  for  the  criminals.  A  short 
time  after  two  men  were  pursued  by  citizens  in  Shelby 
County,  and  a  fight  ensued,  in  which  one  of  the  fleeing 
men  was  killed  and  the  other  captured.  Before  this,  how- 
ever, they  shot  and  wounded  several  of  the  posse  of  cit- 
izens, one  fatally.  The  captured  man,  William  Hardy, 
was  afterwards  taken  from  the  jail  by  a  mob  of  citizens 
and  hanged.  It  was  claimed  by  some  these  were  the  two 
men  who  murdered  Postmaster  Clingan  at  Polk  City. 

In  August,  the  City  Council  fixed  the  license  for  saloons 
at  $1,200  per  annum.  This  the  saloon  owners  claimed 
was  too  high  a  rate,  and  for  a  week  or  two  kept  their  sa- 
loons tightly  closed.  The  City  Council,  however,  remained 
firm  and  insisted  upon  the  high  license,  and  finally  the 
saloon  men  paid  the  price  and  opened  their  saloons.  In 
August,  there  were  fifty-two  licensed  saloons  in  the  city, 
with  a  prospect  of  more  by  the  time  the  State  Fair  was 
held. 

April  19,  Capt.  F.  R.  West  and  wife  celebrated  tlieir 
golden  wedding,  having  been  married  fift_y  years,  over 
thirty  of  which  had  been  spent  in  Des  Moines. 

Among  the  dead  of  1883  were:  L.  J.  Brown,  a  prom- 
inent attorney;  J.  M.  Dixon,  tlie  noted  "Blind  Editor"; 
Chris.  Harbach,  an  early  settler,  furniture  maker  and 
dealer,  and  older  brotlier  of  Louis  Harbach;  Mrs.  Maria 
Grimmel],  an  early  settler  and  notable  woman,  widow  of 
Dr.  F.  C.  Grimmell;  Joseph  Shisler,  a  prominent  business 
man;  Mrs.  John  Wyman,  a  much  esteemed  lady;  Silas  W. 
Russell,  an  old  time  and  much  respected  printer;  Mrs.  J. 
P.  Foster,  beloved  wife  of  ex-Ma,yor  Foster;  Lee  R.  Seaton, 
for  several  years  a  practicing  attorney  in  this  county. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES.  477 

The  buildinjis  and  improvements  in  the  city  during  tlie 
year  1883  were  placed  at  tlie  large  figures  of  13,868,472. 

In  Februar}',  Frank  Huff,  an  early  settler,  was  found 
dead  under  the  lower  Coon  bridge.  It  was  supposed  he 
fell  off  the  bridge  on  the  previous  night  while  on  his  way 
to  his  home  in  South  Des  Moines. 

Peter  Johnson,  whose  home  was  on  the  East  Side,  in 
March  shot  and  killed  his  wife  and  then  killed  himself. 
The  supposed  cause  was  insane  jealousy. 

In  April,  some  fifteen  prisoners  in  the  county  jail  made 
an  opening  and  Avalked  forth  in  temporary  freedom. 

Scott  E.  Smith  in  May  committed  suicide  by  shooting 
himself  in  the  head  with  a  pistol  at  his  home  in  the  city. 
Some  time  previously  he  had  shot  and  fatally  wounded 
James  Reynolds.  The  latter  died  not  long  after  the  shoot- 
ing. Smith  was  arrested  and  subsequently  tried.  Tlie 
jurj  returned  a  verdict  finding  him  guilty  of  manslaugh- 
ter. He  was  out  on  bail  and  had  good  hopes  of  a  new 
trial,  but  the  killing  and  the  trial  so  preyed  upon  his 
mind  that  his  health  was  impaired  and  no  doubt  led  him 
to  kill  himself. 

In  September,  the  noted  Gen.  B.  F.  Butler,  then  a  can- 
didate for  President,  visited  Des  Moines  and  addressed 
large  crowds  of  people. 

Among  the  dead  of  1884  were:  Mrs.  Gen.  J.  A.  Wil- 
liamson, one  of  the  most  handsome  and  amiable  of  ladies, 
whose  husband  at  the  time  was  Commissioner  of  the 
United  States  General  Land  Ofiice  at  Washington;  Dr. 
Charles  H.  Rawson,  an  early  settler  and  noted  physician 
and  surgeon.  '  ■    . 

The  annual  report  places  the  buildings  and  improve- 
ments in  the  city  for  the  year  1884  at  |3,348,646;  manu- 
factures, 115,387,920;  wholesale  trade,  |34,445,900. 


478  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

In  Jauuarj^,  a  large  Prohibition  State  Convention  was 
held  in  Des  Moines,  many  prominent  men  taking  part, 
and  resolutions  were  adopted  endorsing  the  prohibitory 
laws  enacted  by  the  last  General  Assembly  and  demand- 
ing their  rigid  enforcement. 

In  March  there  was  much  local  and  State  excitement 
caused  by  the  removal  from  office  of  State  Auditor  Brown 
by  Governor  Slierman,  and  the  appointment  of  J.  W.  Cat- 
tell  as  temporary  State  Aiiditor.  Brown  refused  to  give 
up  possession  of  the  oifice  to  Mr.  Cattell,  and  after  some 
friiitless  negotiations  the  Governor  called  upon  Adju- 
tant General  Alexander  to  oust  Brown  from  the  audit- 
or's office.  This  the  general  proceeded  to  do  with  the 
assistance  of  a  few  of  the  Iowa  National  Guards.  Sub- 
sequently State  Auditor  Brown  was  impeached  by  the 
House,  and  being  tried  by  the  Senate  was  acquitted. 

It  was  stated  at  the  time  that  there  was  more  cold 
weather  during  the  winter  of  1881-85  than  had  been 
knoAvn  in  Iowa  for  a  period  of  forty-seven  j'^ears. 

In  March,  the  Supreme  Court  upheld  the  prohibitory 
laws  passed  by  the  General  Assembly  the  previous  year, 
deciding  the  same  to  be  in  all  its  features  constitutional 
and  valid.  Tliis  sweeping  decision  settled  judicially  many 
questions  upon  which  lawyers  widely  disagreed. 

In  April,  Harry  Wolfe  accused  his  wife  of  having  mur- 
dered and  robbed  a  man  some  time  previously  on  the 
East  Side.  Mrs.  Wolfe  Avas  arrested  and  placed  in  jail, 
and  liiiall}'  discharged  for  lack  of  proof  of  her  guilt.  She 
claimed  to  be  innocent  and  alleged  the  charges  made  were 
only  the  ravings  of  her  drunken  husband. 

In  May,  Bentley  F.  Osborne,  a  citizen  of  Altoona,  com- 
mitted suicide,  and  two  j'oung  men  of  the  city,  Alexan- 


AiVZ>  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  479 

der  Stevast  and  John  Van  ISTiewport,  were  drowned  in 
the  Des  Moines  River. 

During  the  j^ear  there  were  a  number  of  suicides  in  the 
city  and  county,  among  them  being:  James  S.  Conklin, 
on  the  East  Side;  Mrs.  Minnie  Sliiles,  on  the  West  Side; 
Miss  Nellie  Warren,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Empfield,  Charles  Cooper, 
Frank  Rebuchadus.  And  in  December  Albert  Clegg  ac- 
cidentally shot  and  killed  himself  near  the  home  of 
Charles  H.  Ashworth,  a  few  miles  west  of  the  city. 

Among  the  dead  of  1885  were:  Mrs.  H.  C.  Harris, 
daughter  of  A.  Y.  Rawson;  Sumner  F.  Spofford,  for  years 
landlord  of  the  Des  Moines  House,  mayor,  a  liberal  and 
noble-hearted  citizen,  beloved  by  all;  Father  John  F.  Boa- 
rill,  for  many  years  pastor  of  St.  Ambrose  Church,  a  noted 
and  beloved  priest  and  citizen;  Levi  Frantz,  a  hotel  land- 
lord for  manj^  years,  and  much  esteemed;  Mrs.  Bowen,  a 
charming  ladj^,  wife  of  Attorney  Crom.  Bowen. 

The  Register,  in  a  review  of  the  improvements  made 
in  the  city  during  the  year  1885,  made  the  following 
showing: 

Public  improvements |    530,505 

City  improvements  217,9()3 

Residences 1,237,251 

Business  houses  and  factories 719,905 

Suburban  additions  395,525 

Making  total  for  year 13,101,209 

This  gives  an  indication  of  the  rapid  march  of  improve- 
ment during  the  ten  years  embraced  in  this  chapter.  This 
was  not  confined  to  the  city  alone,  as  during  these  years 
hundreds  of  farms  were  enlarged  and  much  improved, 
new  dwellings,  barns,  etc.,  erected.  New  towns  Avere 
located,  and  nearly  all  the  other  towns  and  villages  of 
the  county  gained  largely  in  population  and  wealth.    Ac- 


480  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

cording  to  the  census  of  1885  the  total  population  of  the 
County  of  Polk  was  51,907,  of  which  the  City  of  Des 
Moines  had  32,469.  The  total  number  of  voters  in  the 
county  was  11,094. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

1885    TO    1896. 

DURING  the  first  few  years  of  this  period  the  sheriff 
aud  constables  were  making  daily,  almost  hourly, 
raids  upon  places  where  intoxicating  liquors  were 
charged  with  being  sold,  and  each  day  the  daily  news- 
l)apers  had  accounts  of  from  one  to  a  dozen  or  more  of 
these  raids.  It  was  a  time  when  Des  Moines  was  noted 
throughout  the  entire  country  for  the  number  and  fre- 
quency of  these  "searches  and  seizures,"  and  also  a  time 
when,  with  strange  incousistencj',  the  friends  of  prohi- 
bition pointed  with  pride  to  "Des  Moines,  the  largest 
city  in  the  world  without  a  saloon."  No  saloons,  and 
yet  daily  raids  made  upon  from  one  to  a  dozen  or  more 
of  them!  Not  only  were  these  "searches  and  seizures" 
made,  but  many  of  the  offenders  were  brought  before  the 
courts  and  fined  or  imprisoned.  Not  only  this,  but  the 
courts  issued  scores  of  injunctions  preventing  persons 
named  therein  from  selling  or  certain  places  from  being- 
used  for  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors.  This  injunction 
method  was  an  old  legal  process  which  had  been  invoked 
against  saloons  and  their  keepers,  and  was  designed  and 
intended  to  do  away  with  jury  trials  in  this  class  of  cases. 
Its  constitutionality  had  been  doubted  by  some  of  the 
best  legal  minds,  but  the  Supreme  Court  upheld  it  as  a 
legal  procedure — when  applied  to  the  sale  of  intoxicat- 
ing liquors. 

Many  are  the  stories  told  of  these  times  in  Des  Moines, 
and  while  true  seem  even  now  strange  to  those  familiar 
with  them,  and  will  appear  more  strange  to  others  in  the 


482  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

coming  years.  They  will  wonder  how  snch  a  state  of 
affairs  could  have  been  allowed  to  exist  in  a  civilized 
city,  making  claims  to  enlightenment,  law,  order  and 
common  sense.  During  the  prevalence  of  these  liquor 
raids  there  were  many  exciting  occurrences,  unfortunately 
in  one  or  two  cases  resulting  in  death  and  in  others  in 
wounds  and  bloodshed.  On  several  occasions  feeling  ran 
so  high  that  it  was  difficult  for  a  time  to  prevent  mob 
law  from  getting  the  upper  hand.  All  that  prevented 
this  was  the  sober  good  sense  of  the  people.  And  during 
all  this  time  the  illegal  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  went 
on,  and  it  was  seldom  veiy  difficult  for  any  citizen  to  pro- 
cure all  the  liquors  he  wanted,  if  he  had  the  money  to  pay 
for  it.  True,  the  traffic  was  to  a  certain  extent  driven 
from  the  public  streets,  and  forced  to  more  quiet  places, 
but  the  traffic  continued,  and  unfortunately  was  more 
confined  to  the  stronger  and  more  intoxicating  liquors, 
the  latter  being  more  portable  and  more  easily  hidden 
from  the  eyes  of  the  searchers. 

In  18SG  Louis  Harbach  erected  the  large  and  fine  build- 
ing on  Walnut  street,  immediately  west  of  the  Kirkwood 
House,  Avhich  he  has  since  used  as  retail  salesrooms  for 
his  immense  furniture  trade.  This  was  only  one  of 
a  number  of  buildings  erected  by  Louis  Harbach  in  Des 
Moines,  before  and  since  that  year.  Among  these  were 
several  large  brick  buildings  on  Second  street,  on  Third 
street,  on  Locust,  and  large  wai"ehouses  near  the  railroad 
tracks.  And  some  years  ago  he  built  one  of  the  best 
residences  in  the  city  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Center 
streets. 

In  1887  the  Iowa  Loan  and  Tinist  Company,  which  in  a 
few  years  under  able  management  had  become  one  of  the 
largest  and  strongest  financial  institutions  of  the  State, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  483 

erected  what  was  then  the  largest  and  best  building  in 
the  city,  on  Fifth  street,  on  the  original  Methodist  Church 
lot.  This  six-story  building — 66x132 — was  thoroughly 
2)lanned  and  thoroughly  built,  and  since  its  erection  has 
been  filled  from  basement  to  roof  with  business  tenants, 
besides  giving  to  the  company  plenty  of  rooms  for  the 
transaction  of  their  large  and  continuously  growing  busi- 
ness. 

This  3'^ear  also  marked  the  permanent  location  of  State 
fair  grounds  in  this  city.  The  liberal  citizens  of  Des 
Moines  subscribed  some  $50,000  for  the  purchase  of 
grounds  for  the  purpose,  and  some  three  hundred  acres 
were  secured  about  one  mile  or  more  east  of  the  State 
(Japitol.  These  grounds  were  diversified,  with  hill  and 
level  plain,  and  early  in  the  year  1886  Avork  was  com- 
menced in  erecting  buildings,  arranging  tracks  and  road- 
ways, and  making  other  permanent  improvements,  so  as 
to  be  ready  for  the  annual  fair  in  the  following  Septem- 
ber. The  State  made  an  appropriation  for  this  purpose, 
and  the  fair  was  duly  held,  the  first  one  ever  held  on  the 
Agricultural  Society's  own  grounds. 

In  1886  William  Slater,  a  well  known  business  man, 
member  of  the  firm  of  Mennig  &  Slater,  accidentally  fell 
in  an  elevator  shaft  at  his  place  of  business,  and  was 
fatally  injured,  dying  in  a  few  days  thereafter.  His  death 
was  much  deplored. 

Tuesday  morning.  May  25,  1886,  the  Daily  Leader  office 
was  almost  totally  destroyed  by  fii*e,  entailing  a  loss  to 
the  proprietors  of  about  $25,000,  only  partially  covered 
by  insurance.  At  that  time  the  Leader  was  publislied 
in  the  brick  building  on  the  north  side  of  Court  avenue, 
between  Third  and  Fourth  streets.  With  the  Leader  Avas 
also  mostly  destroyed  a  large  job  and  lithographing  estab- 


484  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

lishment.  Notwitlistaudiug-  the  lieavy  loss  the  Leader 
was  promptly  issued  the  following  day  and  continued  its 
regular  publication. 

This  same  year  came  the  trial  of  impeachment  of  kState 
Auditor  Brown  before  the  State  Senate.  After  a  hearing 
of  some  forty  days  Auditor  Brown  was  acquitted. 

Herbert  M.  Hoxie  died  this  year  and  was  buried  in. 
AVoodland  Cemetery.  He  had  been  reared  in  this  county, 
coming  here  at  an  early  day  with  his  father,  and  lived  for 
several  years  with  liis  relative,  Thomas  Mitchell.  He  had 
been  clerk  of  courts  for  the  county,  United  States  mar- 
slial  during  the  war,  was  one  of  the  builders  of  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad,  and  became  a  prominent  railroad  official 
and  manager.    He  died  at  St.  Louis. 

The  improvements  in  the  way  of  building,  paving,  etc., 
in  the  City  of  Des  Monies  during  the  year  1886  are  given 
by  the  Eegister  at  $3,420,500.  The  business  transactions 
of  tlie  year  are  placed  at  |(i8,474,89G. 

Marcli  1,  1SS7,  Ed  R.  Clapp,  a  well  known  citizen,  cele- 
brated the  completion  of  fifty  years  residence  in  Iowa  by 
giving  an  (dd-fasliioned  dinner  at  his  home  to  a  number 
of  the  early  settlers.  Tlie  numerous  compajij"^  heartily 
enjoyed  this  reunion.  Mr.  Clapp  can  now  celebrate  his 
fifty  years  of  continuous  I'esidence  in  Polk  County,  lie 
having  made  Des  Moines  liis  home  in  February,  184G. 

About  LS87  h'uburbau  real  estate  was  "booming,"  and 
continued  to  "boom"  for  several  years.  Numerous  tracts 
of  land,  esiiecially  to  tiie  north  and  west  of  the  city  were 
laid  out  in  lots,  rapidly  sold  and  generally  built  upon. 
These  buildings  were  mostly  residences,  and  many  of 
these  were  large,  handsome  and  costly.  In  August  of 
tliis  vear  T^rake  TTniversitv  sold  at  auction  a  number  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINE^S.  485 

lots  in  that  then  yiUage,  realizing  some  .|25,000  on  the 
sales  of  one  day.  New  towns  and  villages  in  a  few  years 
completely  surrounded  the  city,  having  local  governments 
of  their  own-  and  vieing  with  each  other  in  growth  and 
advancement.  They  were  all  later  on  included  in  the  cor- 
porate limits  of  the  enlarged  city.  Among  those  most 
active  in  the  laying  out  of  these  additions  were:  Lowry 
W.  Goode,  Dr.  Likes,  Ilatton  &  Percival,  Polk  &  Ilubbell, 
and  a  host  of  others.  For  some  years  the  land  agents  and 
real  estate  operators  were  as  thick  on  Fifth  street  as  tliey 
were  in  the  early  da,ys  on  Second  and  Walnut  streets, 
when  the  rush  was  on  for  government  lands;  and  in  these 
latter  times  Tom  Cox  daily  "wrote  them  up  for  the  news- 
papers." 

In  April,  1887,  Foster's  elegant  new  opera  house  was 
partially  destroyed  by  fire,  but  was  soon  rebuilt  larger, 
better  and  more  handsome  than  ever.  In  May  fire  de- 
sti*03'ed  the  home  of  James  Stanton,  an  early  settler,  liv- 
ing in  Bloomfield  Townshi]),  a  few  miles  south  of  the 
city. 

The  new  Saverj^  House,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Locust 
sti'eets,  Avas  built  in  1887,  at  a  cost  of  considerably  over 
1100,000.  The  citizens  purchased  and  donated  the  lots, 
and  Eastern  capitalists  furnished  the  money  for  the  erec- 
tion of  this  large  and  elegant  modern  hotel. 

The  raids  of  the  searchers  and  prosecutions  under  the 
l>rohibitory  law  continued  this  year  in  full  vigor,  and 
early  in  the  year,  March  10,  B.  E.  Logan,  a  constable,  was 
shot  and  almost  instantly  killed  by  Joseph  Row,  a  team- 
ster in  the  employ  of  Hurlbut,  Ward  &  Co.  This  shooting 
occurred  in  the  ware  rooms  of  the  finn  mentioned  and 
caused  much  excitement.  The  coroner's  jurj'^  decided  Row 
had  acted  in  self-defence,  but  he  was  subsequently  in- 


486  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

dieted,  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  a 
few  years. 

By  this  time  many  of  tlie  citizens  of  the  city  and  county 
had  become  thoroughly  disgusted  with  the  prohibitory 
law  and  especially  the  manner  of  its  attempted  enforce- 
ment. This  resulted  in  many  Republicans,  some  of  whom 
then  and  afterwai'ds  were  leaders  in  that  party,  making 
a  temporary  break  away  and  uniting  with  Democrats  and 
others  in  an  independent  political  movement.  They  nom- 
inated a  legislative  and  county  ticket,  and  after  a  vigor- 
ous campaign  were  partially  successful,  securing  the  elec- 
tion of  A.  B.  Cummins  to  the  General  Assembly  and  also 
of  Sheriff  Loomis.  This  was  a  hard  blow  at  the  then  pre- 
vailing "searches  and  seizures,"  and,  though  continued 
for  several  years  more,  they  began  rapidly  to  lose  public 
approval  and  favor  until  thej^  were  finally  abandoned. 

The  Court  House  flowing  well,  which  has  proven  such  a 
convenience  and  comfort  to  so  many,  by  reason  of  its  cold, 
clear  but  highly  impregnated  waters,  was  drilled  in  1887. 
It  goes  to  a  depth  of  380  feet. 

In  1887  Constables  Potts  and  Hamilton  were  indicted 
for  assault,  with  intent  to  kill,  but  after  a  few  months' 
delay,  Avhen  placed  on  trial,  were  acquitted. 

In  1887  B.  F.  Jaquith  and  the  Des  Moines  Saddlery 
Companjr  erected  the  large  building  on  the  north  side  of 
Court  avenue,  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets,  now  oc- 
cupied bj^  these  large  wholesale  establishments. 

About  this  time  there  was  considerable  excitement  in 
the  city  and  county  over  the  supposed  discovery  of  res- 
eiwoirs  of  natural  gas,  and  many  were  the  speculations 
indulged  in  on  the  subject.  Some  lands  were  bought  or 
leased  and  several  holes  bored,  but  no  large  permanerit 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  487 

supplj'  of  gas  could  be  found,  and  these  speculations  were 
soon  abandoned. 

The  building  and  other  improvements  in  1887  are 
given  in  the  newspapers  as  follows:  Business  houses  and 
residences,  .12,967,988;  other  improvements,  including 
public  buildings,  paving,  etc.,  -f  1,552,800;  total  volume  of 
business,  $61,891,207.  This  was  a  considerable  improve- 
ment over  1886. 

The  constables  continued  their  work  during  most  of 
the  year  1888,  but  the  tables  were  turned  and  they  were 
occasionally  themselves  arrested,  charged  with  crimes 
and  misdemeanors.  Pierce  was  arrested  for  bribery  or 
accepting  bribes,  and  being  vigorously  prosecuted  by 
County  Attorney  Phillips,  was  convicted  in  the  District 
Court.  He  appealed  and  finally  the  Supreme  Court  set 
aside  his  conviction.  Potts  and  Hamilton,  constables, 
were  also  charged  with  the  same  offense  and  Potts  was 
convicted  in  the  lower  court,  but  the  Supreme  CoTirt 
finally  came  to  his  relief. 

At  the  March  election,  1888,  Caii^enter,  Democrat  and 
Populist,  defeated  Finkbine,  the  Eepublican  nominee  for 
mayor,  by  a  majority  of  636  votes. 

On  March  11  of  the  same  year  T.  B.  Cockerham,  of 
Sa,vlor  Township,  committed  suicide  by  shooting  himself 
with  a  shotgun,  and  in  the  following  July  Daniel  Bart- 
ruff,  a  prominent  farmer  of  the  same  township,  was  killed 
by  being  thrown  from  his  wagon. 

On  April  27,  the  Leader  printing  office  was  again  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  entailing  a  loss  of  some  $25,000,  only  par- 
tially covered  by  insurance.  Zeigler  &  Olsen  were  then 
the  managers  of  the  newspaper.  The  Homestead  office 
also  suffered  a  heavy  loss,  it  being  in  the  Leader  building. 


488  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Both  newspapers  contiuued  publication  with  little  if  any 
interruption. 

During  this  year  the  platting  of  new  additions  and  sub- 
divisions continued  unabated,  and  among  the  companies 
formed  was  what  was  termed  the  "Vermont  Syndicate/' 
which  handled  the  Kingman  Place  and  made  of  it  a  very 
valuable  addition  to  the  city. 

In  December  Edward  Slavin  was  mortallj^  injured  in 
an  affray  with  some  Italians,  and  died  in  a  short  time 
afterwards.  Subsequently  Augustine  Di  Pompa,  an  Ital- 
ian, was  indicted  for  the  killing  of  Slavin,  and  after  a  trial 
in  the  District  Court,  was  convicted  of  manslaughter.  He 
wts,  however,  granted  a  new  trial  and  finally  acquitted. 

During  the  year  188S  two  former  well  known  citizens 
of  Des  Moines  died,  Webb  T.  Dart  in  Colorado,  and  Eev. 
Thomas  O.  Rice,  for  years  pastor  of  the  Central  Presby- 
terian Church,  in  Massachusetts. 

In  1889  Governor  William  Larrabee  was  indicted  by 
a  Polk  County  grand  jury  for  criminal  libel,  growing  out 
of  the  somewhat  noted  Chester  Turuej^  case.  The  Gov- 
(M'nor  demanded  a  speedy  trial,  and  this  being  had,  was 
promptly  acquitted.  This  was  the  first  time  in  the  his- 
tory (jf  the  State  that  the  Governor  was  called  upon  To 
defend  himself  from  a  criminal  charge  in  court,  and  this 
prosecution  had  little  if  any  foundation  in  fact. 

In  March  the  Leader  Printing  Company  made  an  as- 
signment to  Phil  S.  Kell,  giving  liabilities  of  over  .|18,000. 
The  assignee  continued  publication  of  the  Daily  and 
Weekly  Leader  for  some  time  or  until  the  entire  concern 
was  sold  to  Henry  Stivers,  who  continued  its  proprietor 
and  editor  until  1895. 

Some  time  previous  a  number  of  gentlemen  had  formed 
a  new  street  railway  company  and  laid  some  miles  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  489 

track.  Litigation  liad  ensued  between  the  new  and  the 
ohl  company,  and  the  Supreme  Court  decided  that  the  ohl 
company  had  an  exclusive  right  to  the  streets  of  the  city 
for  this  purpose.  This  was  a  hard  blow  to  the  new  broad 
guage  companjr,  but  upon  a  reliearing  the  Court  modified 
this  exclusive  right  to  horse  cars.  This  let  in  electric  and 
steam  cars.  At  once  an  electric  company  was  formed, 
to  run  cars  by  electricity  in  different  parts  of  the  city,  while 
Dr.  Likes  and  others  started  the  construction  of  what  was 
termed  the  "Belt  Line,"  the  cars  to  be  propelled  by  steam. 
The  City  Council  promptly  gave  charters  or  permits,  and 
in  1889  was  started  the  first  of  the  electric  lines  which  now 
penetrate  eveiy  portion  of  the  city.  Of  these  mention  is 
made  more  fully  in  another  chapter. 

In  June  Callanan  College  was  injured  by  fire  to  the  ex- 
tent of  some  $6,000.  A  few  weeks  previous  Miss  Belle 
Bennett,  of  Ottumwa,  a  scholar  of  Drake  University,  was 
drowned  in  the  Des  Moines  river  by  the  upsetting  of  a 
boat. 

Public  improvements,  such  as  paving,  sewering,  etc., 
were  carried  on  extensively  during  this  year,  one  of  the 
newspapers  stating  that  in  August  more  than  eleven 
hundred  men  Avere  then  employed  upon  city  Avork.  And 
the  improA'enients  by  the  citizens  were  many  and  large. 

In  September,  1889,  during  the  State  Fair,  came  the  first 
of  the  noted  Seni  om  Sed  celebrations,  which  for  a  few 
years  were  noted  throughout  the  countr,y.  They  were 
grand  affairs.  The  main  streets  of  the  city  were  illum- 
inated by  innumerable  gas  and  electric  lights,  and  on 
Tuesday  night  of  the  first  week  of  vSeptember  came  the 
grand  procession,  with  its  floats,  tableaux  and  many  varied 
displays.  It  was  a  long  and  brilliant  line.  The  busi- 
ness men  and  women  of  Des  Moines  had  taken  hold  in  a 


490  '     ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

generous  and  vigorous  manner,  and  made  it  the  most  cele- 
brated display  in  the  annals  of  the  city. 

In  December  the  notorious  constables,  Potts  and  Ham- 
ilton, in  arresting  a  man  beat  him  brutally  with  their  clubs. 
This  becoming  generally  known  and  perhaps  magnified, 
that  evening  when  the  constables  came  upon  the  street 
they  were  pursued  and  hustled  by  an  angry  mob  of  men. 
They  finally  managed  to  escape  from  tlie  angry  people  into 
a  clothing  store,  and  were  temporarily  placed  in  a  vault 
for  safe  keeping.  It  was  with  difficulty  the  entire  avail- 
able police  force  could  protect  these  obnoxious  constables 
from  tlie  excited  people,  but  finally  the,y  were  carried  off 
and  held  in  the  custody  of  the  police  until  the  excitement 
had  somewhat  abated. 

The  building  and  otlier  improvements,  by  the  city  and 
many  private  individuals  during  tlie  year  1889,  were 
place<l  at  13,239,158;  jobbing  trade  for  the  year,  124,193,- 
261;  and  manufactures  at  110,914,330.  The  insurance 
premiums  received  by  home  companies  during  the  year 
were  over  one  and  one-half  million  of  dollars,  and  the  real 
estate  transfers  footed  up  over  ten  millions  of  dollars. 

In  November,  1889,  Rev.  J.  A.  Nash,  the  pioneer  Baptist 
minister,  met  with  an  accident  by  which  his  thigh  bone 
was  broken,  and  he  was  laid  up  for  many  months. 

In  Grant  township,  January  10,  1890,  a  lad  named 
Joseph  Dixon  was  shot  by  another  lad,  Ed.  Daugherty,  and 
died  in  a  few  days  after  the  shooting.  The  coroner's  jury 
found  the  shooting  liad  been  purposely  done,  and  Daugh- 
erty was  indicted.  Upon  his  trial  a  few  months  later  he 
was  acquitted  on  the  ground  that  the  shooting  was  acci- 
dental. 

On  March  3,  "Dude''  Henderson,  a  young  negro  with  not 


AxVD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  3I0INES.  491 

the  best  reputation,  -n^as  shot  by  Constable  William  Skin- 
ner, while  the  latter  was  searching  tlie  Henderson  house. 
The  wound  was  a  severe  one,  and  for  a  time  supposed  to  be 
mortal,  but  the  ^^oung  negTO  finally  recovered. 

In  the  spring  of  1890  the  boundaries  of  tlie  city  of  Des 
Moines  were  extended  so  as  to  take  in  nearly  all  tlie  subur- 
ban towns  and  villages,  among  the  latter  being  North  De;^ 
Moines,  Sevastopol,  Chesterfield,  Highland  Parlv,  Drake 
University,  etc.,  covering  territory  in  eight  different  civil 
townships,  and  adding  forty-six  square  miles  to  the  old 
city  area. 

April  14,  the  large  Gilbert  Starch  works  in  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  city  were  destroj'ed  by  fire,  entailing  a  loss 
of  .1250,000,  with  |200,000  insurance,  and  throwing  a  large 
number  of  men  and  women  out  of  employment.  For  a 
year  or  two  the  ruins  were  left  untouched,  but  finallj'  the 
Avorks  were  rebuilt  larger  and  better  than  before. 

On  the  night  of  April  9,  a  burglar  entered  the  residence 
of  George  P.  Grimes,  a  grocer  on  the  East  Side,  and  being 
discovered  hj  Grimes,  several  shots  were  exchanged. 
Grimes  was  shot  in  or  near  the  eye  so  as  to  cause  the  loss 
of  that  organ,  and  the  burglar  was  seriously  wounded. 
The  latter,  who  was  an  ex-couvict  by  the  name  of  James 
Qiiin,  recovered  from  his  wound,  was  tried,  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  twenty-five  years.  He 
was  sent  to  the  penitentiary,  but  died  in  a  short  time  from 
the  effects  of  drinking  water  in  which  he  had  steeped 
matches  while  in  the  county  jail.  Before  his  death  he  ac- 
knowledged his  crimes  and  admitted  he  endeavored  to  kill 
Grimes. 

In  1890,  S.  A.  Robertson,  Martin  Flynu,  and  several 
others  organized  the  Des  Moines  Brick  Manufacturing 


492  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

('ompany,  aii«T  the  following  year  had  their  large  works  in 
successful  oi)eratioii.  They  led  tlie  Avay  iu  the  direction  of 
making  brick  by  machinery,  and  may  be  regarded  as  pio- 
neers in  this  now  one  of  the  largest  indiistries  of  the  city. 
At  the  present  time  there  are  five  large  works  in  or  near 
tlie  city  engaged  in  tlie  manufacture  of  paving  and  build- 
ing brick  wliich  have  gained  an  enviable  reputation 
throughout  Iowa  and  other  states. 

During  this  year  came  the  charge  of  "boodling"  made 
against  members  of  the  City  Council.  Investigations  were 
iiad  and  man,y  charges  made,  and  finally  eleven  former 
and  then  members  of  the  cfiuncil  Avere  indicted  for  having 
received  illegal  compensation  for  their  services.  There 
was  much  excitement  and  some  feeling  over  the  matter  for 
a  time.  l°^ome  of  the  indicted  members  were  tried  and 
acquitted,  and  most  of  them  refunded  to  the  city  certain 
amounts  of  money,  and  tinally  the  whole  matter  was  in 
some  way  settled  u])  and  dropped  out  of  sight. 

In  May,  two  boys,  Clarence  Hickox  and  Jonas  Eussell, 
about  sixteen  years  of  age,  met  with  a  singular  accident. 
Tliey  luid  dug  a  cave  in  tlie  bank  of  the  river  as  a  place  of 
resort,  and  wliile  they  were  in  it,  a  cave-in  occurred,  and 
they  were  smothered  to  death  underneath  the  fallen  eartli. 
Their  bodies  were  }n>t  found  until  some  time  after  their 
<leatli,  and  tlien  only  after  a  protracted  search  on  the  part 
of  the  parents. 

June  23,  Frank  Pierce,  the  noted  constable  and  searclier, 
shot  Terry  Chambers  in  an  eating  house  near  the  post- 
office.  Chambers  was  severely  wounded  and  for  a  time  it 
was  feared  he  would  die.  The  shooting  naturally  caused 
much  excitennuit,  and  Pierce  was  arrested  and  placed  un- 
der bonds  of  .|."),000.  Chambers  finally  recovered.  About 
this  time  nearly  all  the  newspapers  of  the  city  had  ceased 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES.  493 

to  defend  or  uphold  the  searchers,  and  the  Register  called 
the  attention  of  citizens  to  the  fact  that  fees  charged  np 
by  justices  and  constables,  nearly  all  in  these  "whisky 
cases,"  had  in  six  months  run  up  to  the  enormous  amount  of 
over  thirty  thousand  dollars!  And  this  Avas  what  the 
taxpayers  would  be  called  upon  to  pay  for  these  "searchers 
and  seizures!" 

July  12,  Carl  Coggeshall,  the  bright  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
J.  M.  Coggeshall,  a  boy  who  was  born  and  reared  in  the 
city,  was  drowned  in  the  Des  Moines  river  while  bathing. 

The  ^eni  oni  Sed  celebration  of  the  year  previous  was 
repeated  this  year,  and  it  was  claimed  was  much  imi)rove(l 
upon.  One  of  the  newspapers  of  the  day  spoke  of  it  as 
"the  greatest  procession  ever  seen  in  the  Nortliwest."  It 
was  considered  a  splendid  advertisement  of  Des  Moines, 
as  was  also  the  fact  that  the  United  States  census  of  that 
year  gave  the  City  of  Des  Moines  a  total  population  of 
51,582.     The  50,000  mark  had  been  reached  and  passed. 

For  some  months  the  town  was  shocked  and  also  at  times 
amused  at  the  robberies  and  other  depredations  of  a  mys- 
terious personage  who  was  given  the  name  of  "Jim,  the 
climber,"  because  of  the  ease  and  facility  with  which  he 
entered  upper  windows.  He  was  finally  arrested  and 
handed  over  to  the  authorities  under  the  name  of  Connors 
or  Fitzgerald.  He  lias  since  reformed,  is  in  legitimate 
business  now,  and  a  short  time  since  spent  several  days 
visiting  in  this  city. 

Sunday,  October  29,  1890,  Franklin  Xagle  and  Eebecca 
Johnson-Nagle,  his  good  wife,  celebrated  the  64th  anni- 
versary of  their  marriage  at  their  pleasant  home  on  the 
farm  nortliAvest  of  Baylorville,  upon  which  they  had  lived 
for  forty-five  years.  Both  of  these  early  settlers  are  now 
dead. 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

In  these  years  death  was  busy  among  the  early  settlers 
and  prominent  men  and  women  of  the  city  and  county. 
Among  the  dead  of  1890  were:  Coker  F.  Clarkson,  promi- 
nent in  the  State  and  father  of  the  Clarkson  Brothers  of 
the  Register;  Jacob  D.  McClain,  an  early  settler  and  prom- 
inent citizen  of  Jefferson  township;  Hezekiah  Monroe,  an 
ex-alderman  and  noted  citizen;  John  Mitchell,  for  twelve 
years  judge  and  a  leading  citizen;  and  Augustus  Newton, 
ex-mayor  and  once  leading  merchant.  Among  the  dead 
of  1891  were:  James  C.  Jordan,  one  of  the  earliest  set- 
tlers, a  member  of  both  houses  of  the  General  Assembly, 
a  leading  farmer  and  citizen;  Mrs.  Anna  N.  Savery,  wife 
of  James  0.  Savery,  who  lived  in  Des  Moines  many  years, 
a  noted  lady;  Thomas  Cavanaugh,  ex-mayor  and  promi- 
nent citizen;  Col.  W.  H.  Merritt,  ex-editor  and  postmaster, 
who  commanded  the  First  Iowa  at  the  battle  of  Wilson 
Creek;  George  Sneer,  ex-mayor,  early  settler  and  good  citi- 
zen; E.  J.  IngersoU,  founder  of  the  Hawkeye  Insurance 
Company,  a  leading  and  wealthy  citizen. 

Mary  Harrity,  a  woman  living  on  the  East  Side,  died 
from  woimds  alleged  to  have  been  inflicted  by  Patrick  Cof- 
fey. The  latter  was  arrested  in  the  southern  portion  of 
the  State,  and  brought  back  to  be  tried  for  the  crime 
charged. 

June  30,  the  notorious  constable,  Frank  Pierce,  got  into 
an  altercation  at  the  city  dump,  with  S.  H.  Wishart,  an  old 
soldier  and  special  policeman,  and  shot  him,  giving  a  fatal 
wound  from  which  Wishart  died  in  a  short  time.  Pierce 
was  not  then  engaged  in  his  searclies  and  seizures,  but  was 
in  the  business  of  scavenger.  Wishart  had  been  ordered 
to  forbid  Pierce  from  dumping  his  loads  at  the  place  and  in 
carrjdng  out  these  orders  was  shot  and  killed.  Pierce  was 
placed  in  jail,  where  he  remained  for  some  time,  and  was 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  495 

finally  released,  on  heavy  bail.  He  was  subsequently  tried 
in  Warren  County,  conTicted  and  sentenced  to  four  and 
one  half  years  in  the  penitentiary.  He  appealed  to  the 
Supreme  Court,  and  after  a  delay  of  a  year  or  more  the 
judgment  was  affirmed  and  Pierce  was  taken  to  the  pen- 
itentiary, where  he  now  is. 

George  W.  Potts,  another  of  these  constables,  who  liad 
been  previously  convicted  and  appealed  to  the  Supreme 
Court,  had  his  sentence  affirmed  and  he  too  was  taken  to 
the  penitentiary  to  serve  out  the  sentence,  a  portion  of 
which  was  afterwards  commuted  by  the  governor. 

In  December,  1891,  Sim  Eeardon,  a  somewhat  noted 
character,  was  shot  by  Officer  Skinner,  and  died  from  his 
wounds  a  few  weeks  thereafter.  The  coroner's  jury,  while 
finding  the  shooting  in  this  case  in  the  line  of  the  officer's 
duty,  censured  the  too  free  use  of  pistols  by  officers  when 
making  arrests. 

In  the  account  of  the  improvements  in  the  city  during 
the  year  1891,  the  total  cost  of  public  and  private  buildings, 
etc.,  is  placed  at  |4,.301,334,  among  these  being  the  New 
York  Equitable  Life  Insurance  Comi)any's  building,  upon 
which  $280,000  had  been  expended  during  the  year,  and 
the  new  block  of  Conrad  Youngerman,  upon  which  he  had 
expended  |125,000.  The  manufactiires  of  the  year  were 
placed  at  $14,196,576,  the  jobbing  trade  at  -134,845,611, 
while  the  real  estate  transfers  footed  up  over  nine  mil- 
lions of  dollars. 

Sam  Roan,  of  bad  reputation,  in  February  made  a  brutal 
assault  on  an  old  man  named  Frank  H.  Busby,  living  near 
the  water  works.  The  old  man  finally  recovered  and  Roan 
was  promptly  placed  in  jail. 

Much  excitement  was  caused  at  the  State  Capitol  by 
reason  of  a  brutal  assault  made  by  State  Senator  George  L. 


496  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Finn,  of  Taylor  County,  upon  H.  M.  Belyel,  an  attache  of 
the  senate  and  neAyspaper  correspondent.  Belvel  had 
written  something  to  which  the  senator  took  exceptions^ 
and  being  a  stout  athletic  man  he  made  a  sayage  attack 
on  P>elyel,  who  was  old  and  weak  and  not  able  to  properly 
defend  himself.  No  special  action  was  taken  by  the  senate 
in  the  matter,  and  the  senator  was  allowed  to  go  unpim- 
ished. 

In  Marcli,  Jeannette  Allen,  a  notorious  woman  of  the 
town,  was  conyicted  in  the  District  Court,  under  a.  recent 
seyere  law,  of  keeping  a  bawdy  liouse,  and  sentenced  to 
eighteen  months  confinement  in  the  penitentiaiy.  She 
seryed  her  term  and  then  returned  to  Des  Moines  and  for  a 
time  re-entered  her  old  business. 

In  April,  James  Cockerham,  living  near  the  poor  farm,, 
went  to  a  house  where  his  divorced  wife,  Nancy,  lived,  and 
with  little  warning  shot  dead  W.  S.  Davis,  who  was  in  the 
house,  and  while  his  wife  was  endeavoring  to  escape  shot 
and  killed  her.  He  then  went  a  short  distance  and  killed 
himself.  Jealousy  and  hatred  were  the  supposed  causes 
of  the  tragedy. 

In  April,  Prank  Pierce  had  liis  trial  for  the  killing  of 
Officer  Wishart,  before  the  Warren  County  court.  He  was 
convicted  of  manslaughter  and  sentenced  to  four  and  (me- 
half  years  in  the  penitentiary.  He  appealed,  but  the  Su- 
preme Court  affirmed  the  judgment  and  he  is  now  serving 
out  his  sentence. 

In  May,  Fred  Crafton  shot  and  killed  Mabel  Swartz,  a 
handsome  but  wayward  young  girl.  It  was  claimed  tlie 
shooting  was  accidental,  but  the  coroner's  jury  held  differ- 
ent. Crafton  was  subsequently  tried  and  found  guilty  of 
the  crime,  and  sentenced  to  a  term  in  the  penitentiary.  He 
was  subsequently  pardoned  by  the  governor,  through  sym- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  497 

pathy  for  his  aged  mother  and  his  young  wife,  and  doubts 
as  to  his  criminal  intent  in  shooting  the  girl. 

In  May,  Ed.  Sheridan  died  from  the  effects  of  a  gun- 
shot wound,  but  how  it  was  received  and  by  whom  fired 
was  never  clearly  ascertained. 

A  stir  was  made  over  the  indictment  and  trial  in  the 
United  States  Court,  of  J.  C.  Newton,  President  of  the  Des 
Moines  &  Kansas  City  Eailroad  Company,  charged  with  an 
attempt  to  defraud  the  government  in  the  weight  of  mails 
carried  by  his  road.  After  a  long  and  exciting  trial  he  was 
acquitted. 

Among  the  dead  of  1892  were:  Newton  Lamb,  a  much 
esteemed  old  settler  who  came  to  the  county  and  opened 
the  farm  upon  which  he  died,  in  1845;  J.  P.  Casady,  a 
brother  of  P.  M.  Casady,  a  former  resident  here  and  after- 
wards a  distinguished  citizen  of  Council  Bluffs;  George 
W.  Baldwin,  a  much  esteemed  citizen;  James  Smith,  the 
first  nurseryman  in  the  county,  an  eccentric  but  valuable 
citizen;  Mrs.  Charles  Aldrich,  an  estimable  lady,  wife  of 
the  curator  of  the  State  Historical  Department;  Leopold 
Hirsch,  a  popular  clothing  merchant. 

In  December,  1892,  Peter  Sutter,  an  old  and  wealthy  res- 
ident of  the  county,  who  had  recently  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence in  the  city,  in  a  fit  of  passion  murdered  his  wife,  by 
beating  her  to  death  with  a  chair  or  club.  She  was  his 
second  wife,  and  had  previously  been  Mrs.  Squires.  At 
the  time  of  the  tragedy  they  were  living  in  West  Des 
Moines.  Sutter  was  arrested,  but  while  in  jail  committed 
suicide  by  cutting  his  throat. 

The  improvements  made  by  the  city  in  1892  was  figured 
at  1533,704,  the  buildings,  etc.,  erected  and  improvements 
made  by  individuals  at  |2,860,190,  and  the  real  estate 
transfers  amounted  to  more  than  eight  millions  of  dollars. 


498  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

In  February,  1893,  the  Spencer  block,  in  which  was  lo- 
cated the  Daily  News  office,  was  badly  injured  by  fire,  and 
the  proprietors  of  the  News  suffered  a  heavy  loss.  The 
publication  of  the  News  was,  however,  continued  without 
interruption. 

Sam  King  was  fatally  shot  by  Police  Officer  Seidler  and 
died  from  the  effects  of  the  wound.  The  coroner's  jury  in 
their  verdict  justified  the  officer  and  he  was  not  prose- 
cuted. 

In  May,  Dan  Stewart,  a  horse  trainer,  near  the  Fair 
Grounds,  assaulted  Mrs.  O.  Webb  Noon.  He  drugged  her 
and  afterwards  poisoned  himself  and  was  found  dead. 
Mrs.  Noon  recovered. 

In  July,  Frank  Le  Roy  was  shot  and  killed  while  being 
pursued  by  Detective  Bain  and  Police  Officer  Reich.  The 
officers  were  exonerated  by  the  authorities. 

In  July,  came  the  tornado  at  Pomeroy,  Iowa,  Avhich 
caused  the  loss  of  so  many  lives  and  the  destruction  of  so 
much  property.  The  citizens  of  Des  Moines  at  once  organ- 
ized relief  committees  and  donated  liberally  of  cash  and 
goods  to  help  the  sufferers.  Many  thousands  of  dollars 
in  money  and  goods  were  i^romptly  sent  from  this  city.  The 
Des  Moines  Insurance  Companj^  of  this  city,  had  tornado 
risks  on  much  of  the  property  destroyed,  and  promptly  ad- 
justed and  paid  their  losses  in  cash,  paying  out  between 
•130,000  and  .|I0,000  for  this  purpose,  and  doing  much  to 
help  the  distressed  people  of  that  unfortunate  town  and 
neighborhood. 

In  July,  Alexander  McGarraugh  and  wife  of  Camp  town- 
ship, celebrated  the  fifty-second  anniversary  of  their  mar- 
riage. They  came  to  Polk  county  in  1849,  and  always 
ranked  among  the  best  of  the  early  settlers. 


A2VZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  499 

Among  the  dead  of  1893  were:  Thomas  F.  Withrow, 
General  Solicitor  of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  E. 
R.  Company,  formerly  of  Des  Moines,  bnt  during  the  later 
years  of  his  life  a  resident  of  Cliicago;  Nicholas  Baylies, 
an  early  settler  and  member  of  the  General  Assembly  for 
I'olk  County;  Ben  F.  Kauffman,  a  leading  attorney;  C.  D. 
Sprague,  for  j^ears  agent  here  for  the  Rock  Island  Railroad ; 
W.  H.  McHenry,  an  early  settler,  sheriff,  attorney,  and  for 
eight  years  judge  of  the  district  court;  William  A.  Hunt, 
one  of  the  early  blacksmiths,  and  Avho  had  lost  his  arm  at 
the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  while  a  soldier  in  the  gallant 
Fourth  Iowa  Infantrj^ 

In  December  Governor  Boies  pardoned  G.  W.  Potts,  one 
of  the  constables  of  search  and  seizure  notoriety,  who  had 
been  convicted  of  perjury,  and  he  was  released  from  the 
penitentiarj'. 

In  January,  1894,  two  little  children,  Sadie  and  Zoda 
Ilobson,  were  burned  to  death  in  a  fire  at  the  dwelling 
house  of  their  parents. 

Risser's  large  stock  of  diy  goods  in  his  store  on  the  East 
Side  was  greatly  injured  by  fire  in  Febiaiary,  the  loss  foot- 
ing up  some  140,000  with  ,|35,000  insurance. 

The  Register  figured  up  that  the  salaries  paid  the  county 
and  city  officers,  school  teachers,  etc.,  in  Des  Moines,  and 
Polk  county,  reached  in  one  year  fully  |500,000,  or  more 
than  one-half  million  dollars.  These  are  large  figures  for 
a  town  and  count}-,  neither  of  which  had  been  in  existence 
fifty  years. 

John  Hopewell,  a  well  known  restaurant  keeper,  in  Feb- 
ruary committed  suicide  on  account  of  financial  troiibles. 
His  wife  attempted  suicide  at  the  same  time  but  was  saved 
by  timely  help.     About  this  time  or  during  some  three 


500  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

mouths  thereabouts,  a  suicidal  epidemic  appeared  to  pre- 
vail iu  city  aud  couuty.  Not  a  week  passed  Avithout  there 
was  reported  one  or  more  cases  of  suicide  or  attempt  at 
the  same. 

Iu  the  latter  part  of  April  came  one  of  the  most  strange 
sights  and  experiences  ever  seen  or  felt  in  the  county. 
This  was  the  coming  of  Captain  Kelly  and  his  army  of  "com- 
mon-wealers."  They  had  entered  Iowa  at  Council  Bluffs, 
and  being  refused  free  transportation  by  the  railroad,  de- 
termined to  march  across  the  State.  Their  progress  ou  the 
way  to  Des  Moines  attracted  much  attention,  and  caused 
no  little  excitement.  When  they  arrived  at  Des  Moines 
there  were  more  thau  one  thousand  men  and  a  few  women 
in  their  ranks.  They  were  almost  destitute  and  had  to  be 
taken  care  of.  An  arrangement  was  made  hj  Avhich  they 
marched  through  the  city,  and  finally  encamped  on  the 
East  Side  in  buildings  originally  designed  for  stove  works. 
Under  the  circumstances  the  soldiers  in  the  army  behaved 
very  well.  The  city,  aided  by  citizens  in  town  and  couuty, 
made  liberal  provisions  for  feeding  this  not  very  Avelcouie 
army,  but  wanted  to  have  them  move  on  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. No  arrangements  for  their  transportation  could  be 
made  with  the  railroad  companies,  and  finally  a  scheme 
was  originated  of  transporting  them  b.y  boats  down  the 
Des  Moines  river.  This  new-old  idea  was  acted  upon,  and  a 
number  of  roughly  built  flat  boats  were  constructed  at  this 
point,  and  after  a  delay  of  ten  days  or  two  weeks,  Kelly's 
"common-wealers"  started  May  9  upon  their  voyage  to  the 
Mississippi  by  way  of  the  Des  Moines  river.  The  citizens 
hailed  their  arrival  with  curiosity  and  witnessed  their  de- 
parture with  pleasure.  They  had  had  enough  of  them. 
The  "common-wealers,"  after  manj^  vicissitudes  and  the 
drowning  of  a  few  and  the  ducking  of  many,  reached  the 


AlfD  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  EIOINES.  501 

Mississippi  river  and  afterwards  the  Ohio,  but  few  of  them 
ever  got  through  to  their  original  destination — Washing- 
ton. It  is  noted  that  Kelly's  army  departed  by  boats  from 
here  on  the  anniversary  of  the  first  arrival  of  troops  at  the 
new  Fort  Des  Moines,  by  steamboat.  May  9,  1843. 

On  April  24th  Michael  Smith,  an  old  railroad  man,  died 
suddenly  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  arouse  the  suspic- 
ions of  physicians  and  others  that  all  was  not  right.  Sub- 
sequently Mrs.  Smith's  sister  accused  Mrs.  Smith  of  having 
caused  the  death  of  Michael  by  administering  jjoison  to 
him.  Mrs.  Smith  was  arrested,  indicted  and  upon  trial 
Avas  adjudged  guilty  and  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for 
life.  Subsequently  her  daughter,  Cora,  step-daughter  of 
the  murdered  Smith,  confessed  that  she  herself  had  admin- 
istered poison  to  her  step-father,  and  that  this  poisoning 
by  her  aunt  and  herself  was  for  the  two-fold  purpose  of 
putting  Smith  out  of  the  way  and  also  to  procure  what  was 
left  of  his  savings  and  the  proceeds  of  his  insurance  poli- 
cies. The  daughter  was  sent  to  join  her  mother  in  the 
Anamosa  penitentiary. 

The  Supreme  Court  having  affirmed  the  sentence  against 
him  in  the  Warren  connty  court,  in  May  Frank  Pierce,  the 
notorious  constable,  was  again  arrested  by  the  sheriff  and 
taken  to  Fort  Madison  penitentiary  to  serve  his  sentence 
of  four  and  one-half  years.  It  is  reported  that  Pierce  has 
become  an  expert  chairmaker  in  that  institution,  and  be- 
having himself  will  reduce  his  term  to  a  little  over  three 
years. 

Great  excitement  was  caused  by  the  shooting  and  kill- 
ing of  Conductor  Ridpath  of  the  Great  Western  Railroad, 
on  Third  street  by  two  young  foot-pads.  This  murder  is 
treated  of  more  fully  in  the  chapter  on  crime. 

In  July  there  was  some  excitement  in  Des  Moines  and 


502  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

much  in  other  parts  of  the  country  over  the  great  railroad 
strike,  which  affected  several  of  the  roads  leading  into  Des 
Moines.  The  strikers  made  several  demonstrations  here 
and  at  times  the  excitement  ran  high,  but  foi'tunately 
there  was  little  violence  to  mar  the  fair  fame  of  the  railroad 
men  and  the  city. 

In  August  there  was  some  excitement  over  the  applica- 
tions for  injunction  against  a  number  of  the  mulct  saloons 
which  had  been  in  peaceful  operation  in  the  city  for  several 
mouths.  After  much  litigation  Judge  Spurrier  decided 
that  the  "petition  of  consent"  was  not  exactly  legal  or  suf- 
ficient. This  closed  the  saloons  for  a  few  weeks,  and  to 
some  extent  revived  the  old  order  of  things.  But  the  sa- 
loon-men by  systematic  effort  soon  procured  a  new  peti- 
tion of  consent  signed  by  more  than  a  majority  of  the  legal 
voters  of  the  city,  and  this  being  satisfactory  even  to  the 
ojjponent  of  the  saloons  the  latter  were  again  opened  for 
business. 

In  August  was  the  celebration  of  what  was  termed  "Bat- 
tle Flag  Day,''  when  the  old  torn  and  tattered  flags  of  the 
Iowa  regiments  were  removed  from  the  old  arsenal  to  the 
State  eapitol,  there  to  be  deposited  and  preserved.  There 
were  some  four  thousand  old  soldiers  in  line  that  day.  And 
on  September  Gtli  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  the 
State  Sohliers  and  Sailors  monument  was  appropriately 
celebrated. 

In  September  George  Browne  was  fatally  craslied  by  a 
switch  engine  in  the  yards.  He  was  a  son  of  John  Browiie, 
so  well  known  for  many  years  as  the  agent  of  the  owners 
of  what  are  termed  the  Des  Moines  river  lands. 

Among  the  dead  of  1894  were:  George  C.  Baker,  an  old 
soldier,  county  auditor,  barbed  wire  manufacturer  and 
distinguished  inventor;  Rev.  S.  S.  Hunting,  an  able  Unitar- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  503 

ian  minister;  Dr.  Hobbs,  Cliristian  minister  and  professor 
in  Drake  University;  Tliomas  Mitchell,  one  of  the  earliest 
and  best  loved  of  the  early  settlers;  Thomas  S.  Wright, 
an  able  attorney  and  general  solicitor  of  the  Rock  Island 
Railroad,  son  of  Geo.  G.  Wright,  and  born  in  Iowa;  N.  B. 
Collins,  for  years  a  well  known  and  active  bnsiness  man 
and  farmer;  Stephen  Brooks,  one  of  the  early  sellers  and 
long  a  resident  of  Delaware  township. 

In  September  came  a  most  severe  wind  and  rain  storm, 
doing  much  damage  in  the  city  and  country. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

CRIMES. 

DUEING  the  first  years  of  the  history  of  the  section  of 
country  now  comprising  Polli  county,  there  may  have 
been  some  murders  or  at  least  manslaughters  com- 
mitted, by  or  among  the  Indians,  but  of  these  we  have  no 
record,  nor  were  any  of  them  taken  notice  of  judicially  by 
the  courts.  At  first  military  Law  was  supreme  and  there 
was  little  appeal  from  the  summary  judgment  of  the  U. 
S.  officer  in  command  of  the  post.  There  were  then  no 
writ  of  habeas  corpus  or  jury  trials.  The  legal  machinery 
of  courts,  attorneys,  sheriffs,  etc.,  were  not  at  first  in  oper- 
ation in  this  county,  and  after  they  were  established  the 
people  themselves  were  sometimes  prone  to  administer  in 
their  own  summary  manner  what  they  regarded  as  justice 
if  not  law. 

THE   REEVES   MOB. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  country  occurred  what  was 
known  as  "the  Reeves  mob,"  and  caused  considerable  ex- 
citement in  town  and  country.  A  family  by  the  name  of 
Reeves  had  settled  at  Linn  Grove  on  North  River,  and  were 
soon  suspected  and  afterwards  openly  charged  with  being 
connected  with  horse  thieves  and  other  criminals,  who 
more  or  less  disturbed  a  peaceful  and  generally  honest 
community  at  that  early  day.  The  settlers  may  not  have 
had  legal  proof  of  the  guilt  of  the  Reeves  familj^,  but  they 
became  fully  satisfied  as  to  their  bad  character,  and  they 
promptly  decided  to  drive  them  from  the  community  in 
which  their  presence  was  not  desired.     Accordingly  a 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEfi  MOINES.  505 

large  number  of  the  settlers  gathered  together  aud  going 
to  the  ReeA'^es  home  ordered  the  obnoxious  family  to  leave 
the  country  forthwith,  and  also  stating  that  a  failure  upon 
their  part  to  depart  as  told  would  bring  upon  them  certain 
and  severe  punishment.  The  Reeves  understood  this  gen- 
tle hint,  and  immediately  left,  but  to  the  dissatisfaction  of 
the  settlers  located  in  Fort  Des  Moines,  where  the  citizens, 
much  as  thej^  desired  an  increase  in  population,  did  not 
give  them  a  very  hearty  reception.  The  male  portion  of 
the  Reeves  family  consisted  of  two  old  men  and  several 
grown  sons. 

Not  long  after  settling  in  Des  Moines  one  of  the  young 
Reeves  managed  to  get  into  a  difficulty  with  and  shot  and 
seriously  wounded  a  man  named  Phipps.  Reeves  was 
arrested,  examined,  held  to  the  district  court,  and  for  safe 
keeping  placed  in  the  jail  at  Oskaloosa,  there  being  no 
jail  in  Polk  County  at  that  time.  This  again  aroused  the 
ire  of  the  settlers  on  North  river  and  thereabouts,  and  they 
became  satisfied  that  the  safety  of  themselves  and  their 
property  required  that  the. whole  Reeves  brood  should  not 
only  be  driven  from  the  county,  but  also  from  the  State. 
These  settlers  made  up  a  company  of  some  sixty  men,  all 
armed,  and  detemiined  to  march  upon  Des  Moines  aud 
there  capture  and  finally  dispose  of  the  Reeves  family. 
Some  idle  threats  may  have  been  made  at  the  people  at  the 
Fort  for  having  harbored  the  Reeves  family,  and  a  few  of 
the  citizens  became  somewhat  alarmed  upon  hearing  it 
was  the  intention  of  the  North  river  army  to  "clean  out  the 
town."  Colonel  Baker  and  a  few  other  citizens  were 
alarmed  at  the  wild  reports  of  the  saA^age  intentions  of  the 
people  of  North  river,  and  they  started  out  to  muster  up 
enough  fighting  men  to  save  the  Fort  from  "capture,  sack 
and  pillage."    Scouts  were  sent  out  to  reconnoitre  the  foe 


506  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  other  war  like  i^reparations  were  made.  But  manT 
of  tlie  citizens  were  not  alarmed  at  all  of  this  bluster. 
They  were  well  acquainted  with  the  North  river  settlers, 
and  knew  they  had  no  such  sanguinary  intentions  as  wild 
rumor  charged  them  with.  It  was  known  the  Eeeves  fam- 
ily were  the  only  ones  that  Avere  in  any  danger,  and  they 
were  not  loved  while  present  and  would  not  be  mourned 
when  absent. 

In  about  one  week  after  the  reports  had  commenced  to 
circulate,  and  the  morning  after  the  shooting  of  Phipps, 
theXorth  river  men  appeared  in  the  timber  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Racco(jn  river.  They  sent  two  men  across  to  find 
out  exactly  where  the  Reeves  family  were  domiciled,  and 
also  to  ascertain  if  the  citizens  of  the  Fort  would  make  any 
resistance.  These  scouts  located  the  sought  for  Reeves 
in  a  house  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town  and  reported  that 
Colonel  Baker  and  his  command  were  about  to  lay  down 
their  arms  while  they  ate  their  dinners,  and  the  citizens 
generally  cared  little  what  they  done  with  the  Reeves 
family.  They  didn't  claim  them  or  want  them  and  would 
not  ])rotect  them.  Forward  was  the  order  and  the  North 
river  troops  fording  the  'Coon  dashed  through  the  town  in 
single  file  on  a  gallop,  and  in  a  few  minutes  had  the  Reeves 
home  sui'rounded.  One  of  them,  Presly,  seeing  the  armed 
horsemen  coming,  sought  safety  in  flight  across  the  fields 
and  through  the  "jimson,"  but  he  was  soon  headed  off  and 
captured.  The  entire  family  was  notified  they  must  leave 
the  State  this  time,  and  not  stand  upon  the  order  of  their 
going,  but  go  at  once.  Their  team  was  soon  hitched  to 
the  wagon,  their  household  goods  piled  in  the  latter,  and 
the  line  of  march  was  soon  taken  towards  the  south. 
Tliere  was  no  resistance  save  in  talk  on  the  part  of  the 
Reeves  family,  Colonel  Baker's  force,  or  the  citizens  gener- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE>S  MOINEti.  507 

ally.  The  thus  exiled  family  was  escorted  by  some  of  the 
rangers  many  miles  on  the  way  to  Missouri,  and  there  left 
with  orders  to  get  within  the  boundaries  of  the  State  as 
soon  as  possible.  These  orders  were  obeyed,  and  Iowa  lost 
and  Missouri  gained  not  a  very  desirable  but  numerous 
family. 

Cameron  Eeeres,  who  shot  Phipps,  remained  in  jail  at 
Oskaloosa  for  some  time.  Then  Judge  George  G.  Wright,, 
then  of  Keosauqua,  but  for  many  years  a  prominent  resi- 
dent of  Des  Moines,  was  employed  by  Reeves  to  defend 
him  from  the  charge  made.  P.  M.  Casadj'  was  the  prose- 
cuting attorney,  through  whose  cool  judgment  and  prompt 
action  Reeves  had  been  saved  from  summary  punishment 
in  the  court  of  judge  lynch.  Phipps  having  made  an  as- 
sault upon  Reeves  with  a  big  stone  prior  to  the  shooting,  it 
was  more  than  probable  the  shooting  could  be  justified  un- 
der the  plea  of  self-defence,  and  all  the  other  members  of 
the  Reeves  family  having  been  banished,  Mr.  Casady  under 
the  circumstances  wisely  determined  to  make  no  resistance 
to  the  discharge  under  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  of  Cam- 
eron Reeves,  provided  the  latter  would  bind  himself  to 
never  return  to  Polk  County.  The  pledge  was  cheerfully 
given,  and  Reeves  was  released.  These  Reeves  were  de- 
scended from  a  noted  Virginian  family  of  that  name. 
This  brancli  had  run  down,  biit  afterwards  nuide  advances 
in  the  right  direction.  They  all  had  ability.  The  trouble 
was  to  give  it  the  right  direction.  In  later  years  this  same 
Cameron  Reeves  became  a  prominent  citizen  of  Omaha, 
and  was  slieriff  of  the  county  for  several  years.  A.  I). 
Jones,  who  laid  out  the  original  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines, 
married  his  sister. 

EARLY    KILLING  AT   LAFAYETTE. 

One  of  the  earl}'  murders  occurring  in  the  county  hap- 


508  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

pened  near  the  small  village  of  Lafayette  in  May,  1852,  and 
for  a  time  caused  much  excitement  among  the  early  set- 
tlers. Two  men  living  in  that  neighborhood,  by  the  names 
of  Collins  and  Atkins,  excited  by  a  too  free  indulgence  in 
the  whisky  of  that  da.y,  got  into  a  fight.  Collins  threw 
Atkins  to  tlie  ground  and  then  beat  him  so  severelj^  with 
his  fists  that  he,  Atkins,  died  in  a  few  hours  thereafter. 
Collins  was  aiTested  for  his  criminal  act,  but  in  some  way 
not  explained  managed  to  escape  from  custody  and  fled 
the  country.  What  finally  became  of  him  is  not  known 
to  the  historian.  .     . 

FOUTS   KILLS   HIS   WIFE. 

The  first  murder  in  the  countj',  of  which  we  have  any 
judicial  record,  occurred  in  August,  1854,  and  that  was 
the  worst  of  all  murders — that  of  a  wife  by  her  husband. 

Pleasant  Fonts  and  his  wife  for  some  time  previous  had 
lived  on  a  farm  of  their  own  in  Jefferson  township,  in  this 
county.  They  had  a  family  of  several  children.  There 
had  been  more  or  less  trouble  between  the  husband  and 
wife,  and  finallj^  a  separation  was  agreed  upon — Fonts  to 
go  further  west  and  there  remain.  He  went  according  to 
the  agreement,  and  remained  away  for  some  time,  but  be- 
coming dissatisfied  returned  to  his  former  home  and  be- 
sought his  wife  to  again  live  with  him.  To  this  she  finally 
consented.  Before  going  west  the  house  had  been  rented, 
and  Fonts  could  not  again  obtain  possession  imtil  the  ten- 
ant's term  Avas  out,  and  it  would  be  some  time  before  this 
would  occur.  In  the  meantime,  he  and  his  wife  made  their 
home  in  a  tent  a  short  distance  from  their  house.  From 
some  cause  their  former  troubles  must  have  been  renewed, 
for  on  the  evening  of  August  9, 1851,  Fonts  returned  shortly 
after  dark  to  the  tent  where  his  wife  was  busily  engaged 
in  the  ordinary  household  work,  and  rushing  upon,  seized 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  509^ 

and  stabbed  her  with  a  knife.  She  screamed,  and  brealving 
awaj'  from  her  murderous  husband,  sought  safety  and 
help  from  tlie  house  near  by.  She  rushed  against  the  door, 
bursting  it  open,  and  fell  to  the  floor.  Fouts  soon  aji- 
peared  there,  cdaiming  he  had  been  attracted  by  the  cries 
of  his  wife,  and  tliat  he  had  ruslied  to  her  defense,  and  was 
admitted.  He  came  in  stained  with  her  blood,  and  witli 
the  knife  in  his  hand.  No  sooner  had  he  gained  admission 
than  he  again  attacked  his  Avouuded  wife  with  bloody 
fieudishness,  and  before  he  could  be  prevented,  finally  cut 
her  throat.  The  poor  woman  died  in  a  short  time  in  the 
care  of  the  horror-stricken  women  of  the  house. 

After  the  completion  of  his  horrible  work,  Fouts  fled 
from  the  scene,  in  an  effort  to  escape  the  consequences  of 
his  crime.  But  in  a  short  time  he  was  arrested,  and  in  the 
custody  of  W.  H.  McHenry,  subsequently  district  judge, 
and  then  sheriff  of  the  county.  He  was  taken  to  the  log 
jail  at  Des  Moines,  and  strongly  guarded  to  prevent  his  es- 
cape and  also  to  prevent  the  shocked  and  indignant  people 
from  taking  the  law  into  their  own  hands,  and  executing" 
swift  judgment  upon  the  guilty  wretch.  He  employed 
three  leaders  of  the  bar  in  his  defense.  Attorneys  Parish, 
Bates  and  Finch,  and  when  arraigned  for  trial  before  Judge 
McFarland  in  October,  1854,  entered  a  plea  of  not  guilty. 
To  save  him  from  the  death  penalty  his  attorneys  applied 
for  and  obtained  a  change  of  venue  to  Jasper  County. 
When  the  cause  was  called  there  his  attorneys,  fearful  of 
the  judicial  wrath  of  Judge  McFarland,  asked  for  another 
change  of  venue  to  Warren  County,  which  was  then  in  an- 
other judicial  district,  presided  over  by  Judge  Townsend. 
This  change  was  granted.  At  the  follo-nang  term  of  court 
in  Warren  County,  Fouts  was  placed  on  trial  for  his  life. 
The  prosecution  was  in  the  hands  of  Barlow  Granger,  Pros- 


510  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ecuting  Attorney  of  Polk  County,  and  Lewis  Todhuuter, 
of  Warren.  The  attorneys  for  the  defense,  able  and  alert, 
tried  everj^  resoiirce  to  save  the  life  of  their  client,  but 
after  a  lengthy  and  exciting  trial,  the  jury  returned  a 
verdict  of  murder  in  the  first  degree. 

Judge  Townsend  j^romptly  overruled  a  motion  for  a  new 
trial,  holding  that  the  finding  of  the  jury  was  full.y  sus- 
tained by  the  facts  proven,  and  dulj^  sentenced  Fonts  "to 
be  hung  hj  the  neck  until  he  was  dead,  and  that  the  exe- 
cution of  the  said  defendant  take  place  at  some  public  and 
convenient  place  within  one  mile  of  the  town  of  Indiauola, 
within  the  county  of  Warren,  on  the  15th  day  of  De- 
cember, 1854,  at  1  o'clock,  p.  m.,  of  said  day." 

The  convicted  murderer  was  remanded  to  the  custody  of 
Sheriff  McHeniy,  and  his  attorney  appealed  his  cause  to 
the  Supreme  Court,  and  this  court  finally  decided  that  he 
could  not  be  convicted  of  murder  under  the  indictment. 
Several  other  errors  were  pointed  out  but  at  last  by  agree- 
ment, Fonts  was  convicted  of  miirder  in  the  second  de- 
gree, and  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  life.  Sheriff  Mc- 
Heurjr  had  charge  of  Fonts  from  the  time  of  his  arrest, 
and  in  illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  the  death  pen- 
alty and  imprisonment  for  life  are  regarded  by  murderers, 
says  that  while  in  the  coach  on  his  way  to  Iowa  City,  then 
the  capitol,  during  all  the  fun  and  jollity  then  so  prevalent 
ill  a  coach  load  of  passengers.  Fonts  never  smiled  or  in  any 
degree  relaxed  in  his  solemnity  of  face  and  manner.  He 
then  was  under  sentence  of  death.  In  the  coach  from  Iowa 
City  to  Fort  Madison,  Fonts  was  apparently  the  jolliest 
and  most  happy  man  in  the  coach.  Then  the  sentence  of 
death  had  been  commuted  and  he  was  on  his  way  to  the 
lienitentiary  where  he  was  to  be  imprisoned  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  511 

The  first  convicted  murderer  of  Polk  County  remained  in 
tlie  penitentiary  until  some  time  about  the  year  1877,  when 
death  released  him  from  all  earthly  imprisonment,  after 
J laving  been  in  confinement  for  a  long  period  of  twenty- 
three  years.  After  his  death,  his  two  daughters,  who  were 
then  living  in  the  vState  of  Kansas,  applied  for  a  settlement 
of  his  estate.  During  all  this  time  it  had  been  in  the 
honest  hands  of  William  Ashworth,  and  this  gentleman, 
under  order  of  court,  made  a  final  settlement  and  remitte<l 
the  proceeds  to  the  daughters. 

THE   HAMLINS. 

In  the  summer  of  1848  there  was  much  excitement  in  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  county  over  the  supposed  murder  of 
a  man  named  Knisely,  who  had  lived  on  Indian  creek  im- 
mediately east  of  the  county  line.  Knisely  was  a  Ger- 
man who  did  not  mingle  much  with  his  neighbors.  He 
suddenly  disappeared  about  this  time,  and  his  whereabouts 
were  unknown.  Two  brothers  named  Hamlin,  whose  rep- 
utations were  not  of  the  best,  lived  near  Knisel3''s  cabin, 
and  being  questioned  as  to  Knisely's  disappearance  gave 
what  were  considered  evasive  answers.  They  were  also 
insolent  to  questioners.  The  result  Avas  that  soon  every 
one  in  the  neighborhood  suspected  the  Hamlins  had  mur- 
dered and  robbed  the  missing  Knisely.  The  Skunk  river 
was  dragged  and  searched,  but  no  body  was  found.  Fin- 
ally a  mob  of  settlers  gathered  and  capturing  the  Hamlins, 
took  them  to  the  woods.  There  they  were  suspended  by 
the  thumbs  and  hanged  by  the  neck,  but  no  confession 
of  guilt  could  be  extorted  from  them.  Finally,  at  the 
suggestion  of  the  more  law-abiding  citizens  present  the 
Hamlins  were  turned  over  to  the  officers  of  the  law  and 
taken  to  the  Oskaloosa  jail  for  safe-keeping. 


512  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  Hariilins  employed  as  their  attorney  the  noted 
Enoch  W.  Eastman,  afterwards  Lieutenant  Governor.  He 
at  once  set  to  work  making  an  investigation,  and  the 
result  was  that  during  the  progress  of  the  trial  a 
brother  of  the  supposed  murdered  man,  came  from  his 
home  in  Missouri  to  testify  that  his  brother,  the  sup- 
posed victim,  had  gone  to  California,  where  he  then  was 
a  very  live  man,  so  far  as  he  knew.  The  Hamlins  were 
discharged  from  custody,  but  for  years  afterwards  many 
of  those  in  that  neighborhood  firmly  believed  that 
Knisely  had  been  murdered  and  the  Hamlins  were  guilty 
of  the  crime. 

SQUIRE    MEACHAM'S    ARRESTS. 

Among  the  noted  of  the  first  settlers  was  William  H. 
Meacham,  who  for  some  years  was  prominent  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  town  and  county.  He  was  justice  of  the  peace 
and  for  several  years  a  county  commissioner,  and  also 
became  noted  for  his  energj^,  untiring  zeal  and  undoubted 
courage  in  running  down  and  capturing  or  driving  out 
of  the  county  horse  and  other  thieves,  who  generally  in- 
fest all  newlj^  settled  communities  and  countries.  But 
sickness  and  other  causes  had  their  effect  upon  him,  and 
in  bis  later  years  he  became  almost  a  monomaniac  in  his 
pursuit  of  those  whom,  in  his  mind,  he  regarded  as  guilty 
of  crime.  An  instance  may  be  given.  In  the  winter  of 
18.5G-57  a  horrible  murder  had  been  committed  on  or  near 
a  public  road  in  Poweshiek  County,  and  some  j)arties  then 
residing  in  Camp  Township  in  this  county  were  suspected 
of  being  connected  with  this  crime.  The  excitement  was 
naturally  great  and  liberal  rewards  were  offered  by  the 
State  and  county  for  the  arrest  of  the  pei*petrators  of 
the  horrid  crime.  Every  suspected  person  was  closely 
watched. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  513 

These  facts  stin'ed  up  the  fitful  energies  of  "Squire 
Meacham,"  and  after  a  time  his  suspicions  rested  upou 
one  Van  Shoich,  who  was  a  son-in-law  in  the  then  noto- 
rious Kidgway  family,  living  in  Camp  Township.  Meach- 
am, with  an  armed  party,  made  a  sudden  descent  ujDon 
the  supposed  guilty  parties.  Van  Shoich  was  seized, 
chained,  and  by  Meacham  and  his  assitants  taken  to 
Poweshiek  County,  and  delivered  over  to  the  legal  au- 
thorities. After  an  investigation  it  was  decided  that  Van 
Shoich  was  not  the  man  wanted  and  he  was  discharged 
from  custody. 

A  short  time  after  this  Meacham  claimed  to  have  re- 
ceived further  evidence  of  their  guilt,  and  with  a  few 
others  went  to  their  home  and  again  arrested  Van 
Shoich  and  also  his  father-in-law,  Ridgway.  They  were 
hurried  into  a  sleigh,  being  threatened  with  sudden  death 
if  they  resisted,  and  again  started  on  their  way  to  Powe- 
shiek County.  The  weather  was  intensely  cold,  the  roads 
much  blocked,  and  it  was  finally  determined  to  bring  the 
men  to  Des  Moines,  and  here  they  were  brought  by 
Meacham  and  surrendered  to  the  sheriff.  He  really  had 
no  testimony  against  them,  and  they  were  again  dis- 
charged by  the  magistrate.  They  commenced  an  action 
against  Meacham  for  kidnapping,  but  the  condition  of  his 
mind  was  known  to  the  court,  and  he  was  acquitted  of 
the  charge.  And  yet  Squire  Meacham  was  getting  close 
to  the  truth.  Another  son-in-law  of  Ridgway,  one 
Thomas,  or  "Come-Quick,"  as  he  was  called,  was  after- 
wards arrested,  charged  with  this  murder  and  hanged  by 
a  Poweshiek  County  mob.  Of  this  more  is  given  in  an- 
other place. 

EARLY   JUSTICE. 

This  brings  to  memory  another  matter  in  which  this 


514  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

same  Eidgway  was  prominently  concerned.  In  the 
spring  of  1857  this  Isaac  Eidgway  came  to  Des  Moines, 
and  going  before  the  late  Judge  W.  H.  McHenry,  then 
mayor,  told  a  stoiy  of  how  a  large  number  of  men  on 
horseback  had  come  to  his  home  in  Camp  Township  and 
in  decided  language  ordered  him  to  pack  up  his  mov- 
ables inside  of  five  or  ten  days  and  leave  the  country. 
They  informed  him  that  they  were  very  tired  ha-sdng  him 
and  his  gang  around,  and  they  must  go.  Eidgway  swore 
he  Avas  afraid  of  being  killed  by  them  and  demanded  war- 
rants for  tlieir  arrest.  The  warrants  were  issued  and 
some  eight  or  ten  of  the  best  citizens  of  Camp  Township 
were  brought  to  Des  Monies.  After  a  hearing  before  the 
mayor,  held  in  the  old  court  house,  and  it  was  shown  they 
had  given  Eidgway  the  pressing  invitation  to  leave  the 
country,  the  mayor  decided  that  under  the  circumstances, 
he  would  not  hold  them  to  the  District  Court,  and  they 
were  discharged. 

Then  they  turned  the  tables  on  EidgTvay,  and  had  him 
arrested  and  charged  with  committing  perjury  in  their 
trial.  The  writer  was  then  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  he 
was  called  upon  to  examine,  as  magistrate,  the  charge 
against  Eidgway.  There  was  some  strong  swearing  all 
around  during  this  examination.  The  justice  finally  de- 
cided that  there  was  probable  cause  enough  to  hold  Eidg- 
way for  perjury  to  the  District  Court.  The  Camp  Town- 
ship men  were  jubilant  over  this  finding.  But  when  the 
justice  turned  to  them  and  administered  a  severe  lecture 
for  their  unlawful  conduct  in  acting  under  mob  law  when 
they  ordered  Eidgway  out  of  the  countrj^,  they  were  mad 
and  the  high  popularity  of  that  justice  immediately  sank 
many  degrees  below  zero.  The  trial  closed  late  in  the 
evening,  and  Eidgway  begged  not  to  be  sent  to  jail,  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  515 

stated  that  if  the  constable  would  go  with  him  on  the 
next  day  to  his  home,  he  would  there  furnish  good  se- 
curity for  his  appearance  at  court.  This  was  agreed  to 
and  Ridgway  and  the  constable  passed  the  night  at  the 
leading  hotel.  In  the  morning  the  justice  privately  in- 
structed the  constable  not  to  let  any  good  man  sign 
the  bond  through  sympathj^,  but  to  get  as  many  as  pos- 
sible of  the  Ridgways  and  their  connections  to  sign  it,  and 
then  turn  the  prisoner  loose.  This  was  done,  and  the 
bond  was  api^roved  and  sent  to  the  District  Court.  The 
result  was  as  anticipated.  Before  the  cause  was  again 
called  in  court,  Ridgway,  his  family  and  most  of  his  con- 
nections, had  departed  from  Polk  County,  and  were  then 
blessing  Missouri  and  Kansas.  Thus  was  Ridgway  ban- 
ished from  Polk  County,  in  due  accordance  with  law,  and 
that  justice's  popularity  arose  several  degrees  in  the  es- 
timation of  the  good  people  of  Camp  Townshij). 

MURDER   AND   SUICIDE. 

In  the  spring  of  1858  a  murder  was  committed  within 
the  corporate  limits  of  Des  Moines,  and  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  the  suicide  of  the  murderer.  All  the  persons 
directly  concerned  in  the  tragedy  were  of  English  birth 
and  parentage.  A  young  Englishman  by  the  name  of 
Charles  Rosseter  had  been  for  some  time  paying  atten- 
tion to  Miss  King,  a  young  lady  of  English  birth,  whose 
parents  then  resided  on  the  Peet  property,  then  well 
out  towards  the  northern  limits  of  the  city.  Rosseter 
had  become  dissipated  and  reckless,  and  if  there  had 
ever  been  any  engagement  between  Miss  King  and  him 
it  had  been  annulled  by  his  own  misconduct.  At  the 
same  time  there  resided  in  Des  Moines  another  young 
Englishman,  named  James  Chandler.    He  was  one  of  the 


516  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

best  of  men,  honest,  cheerful  and  industrious,  a  steady 
worlier,  and  at  the  same  time  fond  of  hunting  and  other 
sports,  and  popular  with  all  men  vv^ho  knew  him. 

James  Chandler  was  intimate  with  the  King  family, 
and  on  a  pleasant  Sunday  evening  accompanied  Miss 
King  to  church  services.  While  upon  their  return  and 
when  thej''  were  walking  along  the  road  on  the  hill  near 
where  Eutherford  Chapel  then  stood,  suddenly  and  stealth- 
ily behind  them  came  Charles  Kosseter.  He  was  crazed 
with  drink  and  jealousy,  and  armed  with  a  shotgun. 
Without  any  warning  he  raised  his  gun  and  fired  a  charge 
of  large  shot  into  the  back  of  Chandler.  Miss  King, 
frightened  into  wild  terror,  ran  rapidly  up  the  road  when 
he  fired  another  shot  at  her  and  she  fell  in  the  road,  but 
foi'tunately  not  seriouslj'  injured  by  the  shot.  Chandler 
was  killed  instantly,  shot  through  the  heart,  he  proba- 
bly never  realizing  what  the  trouble  was.  Then  Ros- 
seter,  after  gazing  upon  the  tragic  scene  before  him,  and 
supposing  that  Miss  King  was  also  his  victim,  reloaded 
his  gun  and  with  desperate  suicidal  intent  fired  a  heavy 
charge  into  his  own  body.  His  aim  was  not  as  true  as 
when  directed  towards  Chandler,  and  his  Avouuds,  though 
terrible,  were  not  immediately  fatal. 

The  shots  and  the  cries  soon  broiight  help,  and  notice 
was  at  once  sent  to  the  writer,  who  with  others,  hastened 
to  the  scene.  Miss  King  had  been  removed  to  her  home, 
and  it  was  soon  learned  that  her  injuries  were  not  fatal. 
Chandler  lay  as  he  had  been  shot,  a  pleasant  smile  play- 
ing, as  it  were,  over  his  features.  His  happy  look  in  life 
had  become  fixed  in  death.  The  murderer  had  been  re- 
moved to  a  rough  cabin  near  by,  where  he  lay  moaning 
while  the  doctors  examined  his  wounds  and  pronounced 
them  mortal.    Then  the  dying  man,  in  piteous  tones,  ap- 


Al^D  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  iMOINES.  517 

pealed  to  Rev.  Dr.  Peet,  who  was  intimately  acquainted 
with  all  the  parties,  to  know  if  there  was  any  hope  for 
him  in  the  great  hereafter.  The  good  doctor,  wrought 
up  as  he  was  by  the  death  of  one  friend  and  the  at- 
tempted murder  of  another,  could  not  give  the  dying 
man  those  assurances  he  now  so  much  desired.  The 
murderer  and  suicide  lingered  and  suffered  terribly  in 
mind  and  body  for  some  hours,  when  death  came  to  his 
relief,  and  he  followed  his  victim  before  the  bar  of  God, 
there,  and  not  before  the  courts  of  the  earth,  to  answer 
for  his  crime.  His  dead  body  was  laid  in  the  ground 
followed  by  much  more  anger  than  sorrow.  Many  sor- 
rowing friends  surrounded  the  burial  place  of  genial 
"Jimmy"  Chandler  and  deeply  mourned  his  untimely  and 
cruel  end.  Miss  King  in  time  fully  recovered  and  sub- 
sequently became  the  wife  of  one  of  the  prominent  citi- 
zens of  Des  Moines. 

CURIOUS   FATALITY. 

And  this  murder  of  Chandler  calls  up  the  somewhat 
sad  histoiy  of  five  young  Englishmen,  who  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  fifties  resided  in  Des  Moines,  and  were  much 
thrown  together,  and  often  hunted  and  fished  with  each 
other.  Of  the  deaths  of  Chandler  and  Rosseter  an  ac- 
count has  been  given.  Another  one  of  the  five,  W.  J. 
Payne,  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  was  handling  his  gun,  when 
it  in  some  manner  was  discharged,  the  shot  entering  his 
head  and  causing  instant  death.  James  Gaut  was  an- 
other of  the  five.  He  was  also  an  indefatigable  hunter, 
and  one  day  while  hunting  on  the  ice  was  killed  by  the 
accidental  discharge  of  his  gun.  John  H.  Watson  was 
another,  who  enlisted  in  the  Second  Iowa  Infantry',  was 
Gen.  Crocker's  orderly  and  went  with  him  to  the  Thir- 
teenth Iowa  Infantry.    He  was  afterwards  commissioned 


518  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

a  second  lieutenant,  was  wounded  at  the  battie  of  Sliiloh 
and  died  three  days  afterwards.  All  five  of  these  young 
Englishmen  died  in  the  space  of  less  than  five  years  from 
guushot  wounds. 

KILLING  OF   SMITH. 

Aaron  Smith,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Polk  County, 
in  the  spring  of  ISGi,  was  shot  while  driving  along  a  road 
leading  from  Saylorville  to  Polk  City,  near  the  township 
line  between  Saylor  and  Crocker  Townships.  The  ball, 
which  was  evidently  fired  from  a  rifle,  entered  Smith's 
back,  making  a  fatal  wound.  Smith  lived  but  a  short 
time,  but  before  he  died  stated  the  fatal  shot  had  been 
fired  by  his  nephew,  C.  C.  Howard,  and  that  he  had  fired 
at  him  from  the  brush  by  the  side  of  the  road,  and  that 
he  had  seen  the  accused,  Howard,  trying  to  make  his 
escape  immediately  after  the  shot  was  fired.  The  neigh- 
bors made  a  search  for  young  Howard,  and  he  was  found 
at  a  house  some  four  miles  distant  from  where  the  shot 
was  fired.  At  a  preliminary  examination  young  Hoav- 
ard  was  bound  over  for  trial  in  the  District  Court. 

As  the  Howard  family  was  among  the  first  settlers  and 
well  known  in  the  county,  and  the  Smiths  also  not  un- 
known, the  trial  in  court  was  watched  with  much  inter- 
est, and  was  earnestly  fought.  Attorneys  Polk,  Dorr  and 
Bartle  appeared  for  the  prosecution,  and  Dan  O.  Finch 
and  Stephen  Sibley  for  the  defense.  There  was  no  pos- 
itive proof  against  Howard,  except  the  dying  statement 
of  Smith,  and  this  was  much  weakened  by  occurrences 
prior  to  the  shooting.  Young  Howard,  the  defendant, 
was  a  son  of  Robert  Howard,  who  was  a  brother-in-law 
to  Aaron  Smith.  The  i^revious  year  Smith's  unmarried 
daughter  gave  birth  to  a  child  which  she  alleged  was 


AiVZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  M0INE8.  519 

the  child  of  her  own  father,  and  Smith  was  arrested  upon 
the  charge  of  incest.  Smith  was  arraigned  in  March, 
1874,  npon  this  charge,  but  his  daughter  then  refusing 
to  testify  he  was  acquitted  of  the  charge.  He  blamed 
the  Howards  for  urging  on  this  prosecution,  and  there 
was  bad  blood  between  the  parties.  Shortly  after  Smith 
was  acquitted  he  and  the  elder  Howard  had  a  dispute 
about  some  cattle,  and  as  Smith  was  about  to  strike  his 
father  young  Howard  rushed  to  his  rescue.  Whereupon 
Smith  stabbed  young  Howard  in  the  abdomen  with  a 
knife.  The  wound  was  a  serious  one,  but  not  fatal,  and 
not  long  after  this  Smith  was  shot  and  died,  as  previously 
stated. 

The  trial  of  young  Howard  for  the  murder  of  Smith 
occupied  the  attention  of  the  court  for  a  number  of  days, 
and  attracted  much  attention  and  interest.  The  jury  finally 
returned  a  verdict  of  not  guilty,  and  Howard  was  at  once 
discharged  from  custody.  He  afterwards  removed  to  Des 
Moines,  where  he  lived  many  years,  sustaining  an  excel- 
lent reputation. 

A   "TRUSTY"   MURDERER. 

An  incident  happening  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fifties, 
though  not  especially  pertaining  to  Polk  County,  may 
be  worth  noting.  The  man  had  been  convicted  in  Davis 
County  of  murdering  his  wife  by  poison  and  sentenced 
to  suffer  death  by  hanging.  His  attorneys  appealed  to 
the  Supreme  Court,  and  Sheriff  Spaulding,  of  Polk  County, 
was  sent  after  the  prisoner  and  brought  him  tO'  Des  Moines 
to  appear  before  the  court.  This  court  finally  affirmed 
the  proceedings  of  the  lower  court,  and  the  sheriff  was 
ordered  to  return  the  prisoner  tO'  Davis  County,  to  there 
be  executed  according  to  law.    Judge  Trimble,  the  well 


520  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

known  jurist,  had  told  the  sheriff  he  could  trust  the  pris- 
oner, that  he  would  not  attempt  to  escape;  and  he  was 
right.  When  the  sheriff  was  starting  back  with  his  pris- 
oner in  a  buggy,  sudden  business  required  he  should  re- 
main in  town  an  hour  or  more  longer,  and  in  the  mean- 
time he  left  the  prisoner  in  the  Journal  newspaper  office 
in  charge  of  the  writer.  The  prisoner  was  invited  to  take 
a  chair  and  look  over  the  newspapers.  He  sat  quietly 
reading,  when  the  writer  was  also  suddenly  called  down 
town  on  business.  He  went,  and  forgot  all  about  the 
prisoner  for  a  half  hour  or  more,  when  he  remembered 
his  charge  and  hastened  back  to  see  what  had  become  of 
him.  He  found  him  there  all  right  and  felt  relieved,  but 
learned  afterwards  he  made  some  inquiries  of  the  print- 
ers, who  supposed  he  was  a  personal  friend  of  the  sheriff 
and  the  editor,  and  the  prisoner  had  then  walked  quietly 
down  the  stairs  and  oiit  on  the  street.  After  an  absence 
of  some  time  he  returned  and  took  a  seat.  The  printers 
were  much  astonished  when  told  this  quiet  man  was  a 
convicted  murderer,  whom  the  sheriff  was  taking  on  his 
way  to  the  gallows.  He  went  peaceably  with  the  sheriff 
to  Davis  County,  Avhere  he  was  afterwards  hanged,  in 
accordance  with  the  sentence  of  the  courts. 

SQUIRE   MORRIS'   STORY-  -^-^ '-■■'-' -^j 

Squire  Absolam  Morris,  so  well  known  in  Des  Moines 
in  years  past,  delighted  to  tell  a  story  on  Stephen  V. 
White,  then  a  lawyer  of  Des  Moines,  and  a  later  prom- 
inent broker  and  financier  in  New  York  City.  Sheriff 
Spaulding  was  taking  a  prisoner  to  the  Fort  Madison 
penitentiary  who  had  been  convicted  in  the  State  courts 
of  counterfeiting  or  passing  base  coin.  White  was  going 
east,  and  to  save  expenses  was  appointed  a  guard  by  the 
sheriff.     Upon  arriving  at  Pella,  and  while  dinner  was 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  521 

being  prepared,  the  sheriff  went  out  in  town,  leaving  the 
prisoner  in  charge  of  Wliite.  The  prisoner,  wlio  was  a 
bright,  tallcative  man,  immediately  commenced  an  argu- 
ment, raising  the  legal  point  that  the  State  courts  had 
no  jurisdiction  in  his  case,  and  he  should  hare  been 
placed  on  trial  in  the  United  States  Court.  The  rascal 
made  a  plausible  argument  and  soon  had  White  deeply 
absorbed  in  considering  the  legal  points  involved.  Finally, 
stepping  to  the  door,  the  prisoner  politely  said,  "Mr. 
White,  I  know  you  are  a  lawyer,  and  a  good  one,  and  that 
you  are  impressed  with  the  legal  points  I  have  raised. 
Think  them  over  and  hereafter  we  will  discuss  them. 
Good  day."  And  out  the  prisoner  walked,  and  was  soon 
making  trades  through  an  extensive  cornfield  near  by. 
White  continued  in  deep  meditation,  until  the  arrival  of 
the  sheriff  and  the  hasty  query-:  "Where  is  the  prisoner?" 
made  him  instantly  see  the  point  the  prisoner  was  aim- 
ing at.  The  sheriff  and  White,  after  a  hard  afternoon's 
Avork,  and  with  the  assistance  of  many  citizens  and 
farmers,  late  in  the  evening  captured  the  argumentative 
rascal  some  five  or  six  miles  from  Pella.  White  became 
absorbed  in  no  more  legal  arguments  until  after  the  pris- 
oner was  safely  inside  the  walls  of  the  penitentiary. 

MARSH   KILLS   KING. 

Among  the  exciting  crimes  in  the  early  history  of  Des 
Moines  was  the  killing  of  King  by  A.  N.  Marsh,  then 
marshal  of  the  young  city.  This  occurred  in  1862.  Marsh 
had  been  a  resident  of  the  town  for  a  number  of  years, 
was  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  had  served  in  the  cavalry 
battalion  from  that  State  in  the  Mexican  war.  He  was 
an  enterprising,  trading  man,  and  had  accumulated  some 
wealth  in  real  estate,  and  owned  the  lots  upon  which 
Central  Presbyterian  Church  now  stands.    He  had  a  fair 


522  AAWALaS'  of  POLK  COUNTY 

reputation,  but  was  known  to  be  a  man  of  strong  pas- 
sions and  fearless  nature.  Even  liis  friends  feared  his 
hasty  temper  might  get  him  into  trouble  while  city  mar- 
shal. King  was  an  Irishman,  of  splendid  physique,  and 
while  a  little  prone  to  be  quarrelsome  at  times,  had  many 
friends.  He  and  Marsh  had  gotten  into  a  difflcultj^  over 
the  impounding  of  some  pigs  belonging  to  King,  and 
met  at  the  Sherman  building.  Marsh  had  arrested  King,, 
or  at  least  was  going  with  him  to  the  office  of  Mayor 
Thomas  Cavanaiigh,  on  the  third  floor  of  the  building. 
On  the  second  flight  of  stairs  King  struck  at  Marsh,  or  in 
some  manner  resisted  him,  and  after  a  short  scuffle.  Mar- 
shal Marsh  drew  a  knife  and  gave  King  a  fatal  stab.. 
The  dying  man  staggered  up  the  stairs  and  entering  the- 
office  of  the  mayor  fell  to  the  floor  and  died  in  a  short 
time.  Marsh,  seeing  his  victim  was  a  dying  man,  de- 
scended to  the  street  at  once,  walked  rapidly  towards 
his  home,  some  eight  or  ten  squares  distant,  and  soon 
from  there  took  his  flight  to  parts  unknown. 

All  this  had  happened  so  quickly  that  before  the  facts 
of  the  tragedy  were  known  to  the  citizens  generally  Marsh, 
had  disappeared.  The  people  were  much  aroused,  and 
especially  the  hot-blooded  and  warm-hearted  Irish  friends, 
of  the  murdered  man.  Threats  were  made  of  summary 
vengeance  to  be  wrought  upon  the  murderer,  and  parties^ 
were  soon  in  eager  pursuit  of  him.  At  the  same  time  his 
pursuers  knowing  how  desperate  Marsh  might  be  under 
the  circumstances,  acted  with  more  or  less  prudence  in 
their  hunt.  He  was  not  found  or  captured,  though  for 
several  days  reports  were  circulated  he  had  been  seen 
in  or  near  the  town.  King's  body  was  duly  buried,  and 
it  was  soon  known  Marsh  had  left  the  county  and  State, 
but  where  he  had  gone  remained  generally  unknoAvn. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  523 

The  remembrance  of  this  murder  was  j)assiug  away, 
as  the  years  went  by,  when  the  people  were  again  ex- 
cited by  the  news  that  Marsh  liad  been  located.  Tall- 
madge  E.  Brown,  a  noted  lawyer  and  capitalist  of  Des 
Moines,  had  visited  Texas  on  a  speculative  mission  and 
had  there  encountered  the  missing  Marsh.  It  was  stated 
the  latter  had  laid  plans  with  associates  to  rob  if  not 
murder  Brown,  who  carried  with  him  a  large  amount  of 
mone3^  In  this  he  aroused  the  wrong  man.  Brown  was 
a  resolute  man  of  abundant  nerve,  and  he  determined 
to  hunt  the  hunter.  This  he  did  so  effectually  that  Marsh 
was  captured  and  turned  over  to  the  Texas  authorities 
until  the  arrival  of  the  Iowa  authorities  to  bring  him 
back  here  to  answer  for  the  killing  of  King.  In  due  time 
Sheriif  McCalla,  of  this  countj^,  was  sent  to  Texas  for 
the  prisoner,  and  took  with  him  Jonathan  Stutsman  as 
an  assistant.  They  proceeded  to  Texas,  secured  Marsli, 
and  started  by  a  gulf  steamer  to  New  Orleans.  When 
the  steamer  arrived  at  the  latter  j^ort  Marsh  was  not  witli 
them.  In  explanation  they  stated  that  while  coming  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  Marsh,  who  had  repeatedly 
said  he  would  never  return  alive  to  Des  Moines,  had 
suddenly  sprung  from  the  deck  of  the  steamer  into  the 
turbid  waters  of  the  broad  and  swiftly  flowing  river. 
The,y  said  that  he  was  heavily  ironed  at  the  time,  and 
must  have  gone  down  to  a  speedy  deatli.  They  brought 
with  them  some  of  his  possessions,  etc.,  and,  though  a 
few  doubted,  it  was  generally  believed  this  was  the  earthly 
end  of  Marsh,  murderer  and  suicide. 

Before  many  months,  however,  it  was  known  that  if 
Marsh  had  thrown  himself  heavily  ironed  into  the  Mis- 
sissippi River,  his  life  through  some  miraculous  means 
had  been  saved.    He  was  certainly  very  much  alive  and 


524  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

free.  James  F.  Kemp,  a  well  kuown  citizen  of  Des  Moiiies, 
while  temporarily  stopping  in  NeAV  Orleans,  on  his  way 
to  Texas,  there  met  and  talked  with  Marsh,  whom  he  had 
known  in  Des  Moines.  Marsh  told  him  he  had  been  or 
was  then  chiefly  engaged  in  dealing  in  Texas  cattle.  Other 
Des  Moines  men  at  other  times  had  seen  or  heard  of 
Marsh,  but  no  steps  were  again  taken  to  bring  him  to 
justice  for  his  crime  committed  in  this  citj.  No  one  here 
now  knows  where  he  is  or  whether  living  or  dead. 

PEACEABLE    NEGRO    KILLED. 

An  unprovoked  murder  Avas  committed  in  1864,  on 
Walnut  street,  between  Second  and  Third,  in  front  of 
Ensign's  livery  stable.  The  site  of  this  is  now  occupied 
by  a  brick  building  recently  erected  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Dick- 
inson. At  that  time  a  number  of  the  soldiers  of  the 
Tenth  Iowa  Infantry  were  at  home  on  veteran  furlough. 
One  of  these  soldiers,  named  McRoberts,  became  drunk, 
and  after  threatening  to  shoot  S.  A.  Robertson,  who  for- 
tunately escaped  his  crazy  wrath,  hailed  a  quiet,  peace- 
able colored  man,  named  Brown,  who  happened  to  be 
passing  along  the  sidewalk.  The  negTO  halted,  when  the 
soldier  fired  a  pistol  and  his  victim  fell,  dying  almost 
instantly.  The  murderer  was  afterwards  arrested  and 
]»laced  in  jail.  But  he  was  never  placed  on  trial,  found 
guilty  and  hung,  as  he  should  have  been.  He  escaped 
or  was  quietly  released  and  hurried  off  to  the  army,  then 
in  the  field.  After  the  close  of  the  Avar  and  his  discharge 
from  the  army,  it  is  said,  the  reckless  murderer  A'isited 
Des  Moines,  and  no  effort  Avas  made  to  apprehend  him. 
Tlie  man  he  wantonly  murdered  had  been  long  buried 
and  forgotten. 

TURBULENT  NEGRO   KILLED. 

In  1875,  a  young  Irishman  named  McNerney  was  a 


AlS^D  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  525 

menaber  of  the  city  i)olice.  He  was  a  prompt  and  efii- 
cient  officer,  quiet  and  gentlemanly  in  his  conduct.  One 
night  there  was  a  disturbance  on  Third  street,  near  Wal- 
nut, and  Officer  McNernej  endeavored  to  quiet  the  sam<^ 
One  of  the  worst  men  in  the  row  was  a  negro,  whom  the 
officer  attempted  to  arrest.  The  negro  resisted  and  as- 
saiilted  the  officer.  To  save  himself  the  latter  drew  a 
pistol  and  fired  at  the  negro.  The  wound  proved  fatal. 
Officer  McXerney  promj^tly  surrendered  himself  to  the 
law,  and  some  time  after,  by  a  close  vote,  was  indicted 
by  the  grand  jury.  His  trial  took  place  in  the  District 
Court  before  Judge  Leonard.  In  defense  it  was  plead 
that  under  the  circumstances  he  did  right  in  shooting 
and  that  the  killing  of  the  negro  was  justifiable  homi- 
cide. The  court  and  jury  took  this  view  of  it,  and  the 
defendant  was  promptly  acquitted.  McNerney  remained 
some  time  on  the  police  force,  but  took  a  great  distaste 
to  it  and  finally  engaged  in  other  pursuits.  He  contin- 
ued brooding  over  the  unfortunate  killing  of  the  negro 
until  his  mind  became  so  affected  he  was  pronounced  in- 
sane and  sent  to  one  of  the  State  hosi^itals.  He  could 
not  be  cured,  and  pined  away  and  died. 

THE   DISAPPEARANCE   OF   JACK   HINER. 

A  simple  story  of  Polk  County,  and  yet  ending  in  a 
tragedy.  The  disappearance  from  this  earth  of  one  man 
in  the  very  prime  of  vigorous  life,  causing  gTief  to  a  few, 
and  no  doubt  a  lifelong  regret  to  others  who,  outside  of 
and  in  direct  violation  of  the  law,  human  and  divine, 
took  upon  themselves  voluntarily  the  heavy  responsibil- 
ity of  taking  the  life  of  their  fellow  man.  The  victim 
has  been  dead  for  many  years,  his  grave  has  remained 
unknown  to  all  save  the  comparatively  few  who  know 
whether  or  not  his  body  ever  had  burial,  and  a  majority 


526  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  these  have  since  died  natural  deaths,  had  proper  graves 
made  for  their  bodies,  were  buried  and  wept  and  mourned 
over  by  relatives  and  friends,  and,  if  we  are  to  believe 
in  divine  revelation,  have  been  or  will  be  called  upon  to 
answer  for  the  deed  performed  upon  that  dark  night  of 
years  ago.  It  is  not  for  us  to  say  or  even  surmise  as  to 
the  judgment  of  the  Great  Jehovah  in  this  matter. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  this  section  was  one  Jack 
Hiner,  who  became  well  known  to  a  large  majority  of  the 
limited  number  of  citizens  then  dwelling  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Raccoon  fork  of  the  Des  Moines  Eiver.  He 
was  a  splendid  specimen  of  physical  manhood  and  espe- 
cially in  his  youth  would  have  been  called  handsome.  His 
•education  was  limited  and  his  morals  it  must  be  admitted 
were  not  of  the  best.  He  drauk,  perhaps  gambled  to  some 
extent,  and  yet  he  was  even  tempered  and  never  regarded 
as  a  naturally  vicious  man.  He,  however,  was  not  a  hypo- 
crite. He  made  no  special  pretensions  to  goodness.  He 
was  something  of  that  class  of  men  called  "never-do- 
wells."  He  was  not  regarded  as  particularly  lazy,  for  at 
times  he  would  work,  and  work  hard  and  diligently. 
There  were  stories  about  at  times  of  his  having  some 
connection  with  horse  and  other  thieves,  who  were  then 
hunted  down  without  much  mercy  by  angry  honest  set- 
tlers, but  it  does  not  appear  that  it  was  clearly  proven 
that  Jack  Hiner  ever  stole  a  horse  or  any  other  plunder, 
or  aided  others  in  doing  this.  Eumor  and  report  may 
have  said  he  was  guilty.  That  he  had  perhaps  done  that 
which  is  now  called  "boot-legging"  may  be  time.  He  may 
have  also  had  with  him  in  his  travels  through  the  coun- 
try and  to  neighboring  towns,  some  women  who  were 
not  exactly  like  Caesar  wished  his  wife  to  be,  above  sus- 
picion.    This  all  was  bad  enough,  but  Jack  Hiner  only 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  527 

a  short  time  before  his  disappearance  when  cautioned 
by  tlie  writer  as  to  what  might  and  did  happen,  solemnly 
asserted  that,  bad  in  some  respects  as  he  may  have  been, 
he  had  never  stolen  a  horse  or  any  other  thing  or  aided 
others  in  perpetrating  or  hiding  thefts,  and  the  writer 
believed  and  advised  him  accordingly.  Jack  said  then 
he  did  not  believe  those  who  knew  him  would  ever  do 
liim  grievous  harm.  He  seemed  perfectly  confident  of 
this. 

A  short  time  after  this  Jack  Hiner  was  arrested, 
charged  at  the  time  with  stealing  some  harness  and  other 
property.  The  vigilance  clubs  or  associations  of  Allen 
Township  and  of  Four  Mile  and  adjoining  neighborhoods 
were  somewhat  excited  at  the  time.  There  had  been  a 
number  of  petty  depredations  of  late,  and  the  conclusion 
became  fixed  in  the  minds  of  many  that  a  summary  stop 
must  be  put  to  it.  Hiner,  when  arrested,  was  taken  be- 
fore F.  R.  Prentice,  a  highly  esteemed  old  settler  who 
then  resided  a  few  miles  east  of  the  Capitol  and  was  a 
justice  of  the  peace.  The  late  Hiram  Y.  Smith,  who  had 
then  just  commenced  'the  practice  of  law,  appeared  as 
attorney  for  the  defense  of  Hiner.  Witnesses  were  ex- 
amined as  the  trial  proceeded,  but  no  legal  proof  of  the 
defendant's  guilt  was  forthcoming,  and  as  night  came 
on  the  justice  was  forced  to  discharge  Hiner  from  cus- 
tody. 

At  the  trial  a  number  of  neighboring  farmers  and  others 
from  a  distance  had  gathered  together,  and  much  more 
than  the  usual  whisperings  and  private  consultations  had 
been  going  on  during  the  trial.  The  result  of  this  was 
immediately  seen  when  the  justice  discharged  Hiner  from 
legal  arrest.  He  was  at  once  taken  in  charge  by  a  num- 
ber of  resolute  men.    Young  Attorney  Smith's  horse  was 


528  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ordered  out  and  he  was  quietly  but  firmly  told  to  mouut 
and  make  his  way  to  his  home  in  Des  Moines  as  speedily 
as  possible.  Neither  his  legal  sendees  nor  his  presence 
were  any  longer  desired  at  that  time  in  that  neighbor- 
hood. It  was  useless  for  him  to  resist.  He  could  not 
save  his  client.  These  men  had  the  power  and  the  will 
to   exercise  it. 

What  followed  has  never  been  clearly  told,  at  least 
publicly.  Hiner  was  taken  to  the  Four  Mile  timber.  He 
began  to  realize  his  danger,  and  yet  it  is  said  he  faced 
it  manfully.  He  protested  his  innocence  to  the  last,  made 
no  threats,  and  as  was  but  natural  plead  for  his  life,  even 
if  this  entailed  banishment  from  home  and  country.  A 
well  known  citizen  then,  and  now  living  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river  is  said  to  have  made  the  greatest  speech  of 
his  life  on  this  occasion.  He  has  made  not  a  few  polit- 
ical speeches  and  has  been  a  candidate  for  high  office,  • 
but  no  speech  like  this.  He  plead  out  of  the  generosity 
of  his  heart  for  mercy  to  be  shown  to  the  victim  then 
within  the  dread  shadow  of  death.  As  he  so  plead  the 
eyes  of  poor  Jack  Hiner  were  fixed  upon  him  at  times 
with  the  wild  glitter  of  hope  and  again  with  the  blank- 
ness  of  despair.  He  was  pleading  for  a  life.  And  years 
afterwards  those  eyes  would  ever  and  anon  haunt  his 
memory  day  and  night  His  pleading  was  unavailing. 
He  withdrew  from  all  further  connection  with  the  swift 
coming  tragedy,  and  Hiner  saw  with  sinking  heart  his 
last  hope  for  mercy  depart.  Another  prominent  citizen, 
recently  deceased,  in  a  few  emphatic  words,  denounced 
the  whole  affair  and  departed,  as  did  several  others  from 
the  scene. 

What  followed  has  never  been  told,  save  perhaps  when 
the  actors  in  this  tragic  scene  in  days  and  nights  there- 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  529 

after  whispered  of  it  to  each  other.  That  Hiner  died  that 
dark  night  there  is  no  doubt.  A  rope  was  taken  from 
the  well  on  the  farm  of  N.  J.  Miller,  now  superintendent 
of  mails  in  the  Des  Moines  postoffice,  and  it  was  gener- 
ally supposed  it  was  utilized  for  the  purpose  of  choking 
the  life  out  of  poor  Jack  Hiner.  On  that  dark  night  that 
dark  deed  was  committed  within  a  few  miles  and  now 
within  sight  of  the  gold-gilded  dome  of  the  Capitol  of 
the  State,  where  laws  for  the  government  and  protection 
of  all  citizens  of  the  State  are  made  and  where  sit  the 
Supreme  Judges  of  the  law.  There  was  Jack  Hiner 
"lynched,"  or  murdered,  as  each  may  see  fit  to  call  it. 
His  widow  sought  in  vain  for  knowledge  of  his  burial 
place.  Reports  were  started  that  he  had  suddenly  left 
the  country,  and  again  that  his  dead  body  had  been  found, 
and  later  that  human  bones,  supposed  to  be  his  remains, 
had  been  seen  in  a  hollow  log  where  he  was  known  to 
have  been  taken  when  alive,  or  that  his  bones  had  at 
last  been  found  partly  covered  with  sand  and  gravel  in 
the  river  bed  some  distance  below  the  mouth  of  Four 
Mile  Creek.  But  none  of  these  stories  were  ever  verified; 
Jack  Hiner's  grave  remains  unknown.  Many  of  those 
supposed  to  have  been  present  when  the  tragedy  was  en- 
acted are  now  dead,  gone  to  be  judged  at  a  higher  court; 
several  removed  to  other  sections  of  the  country,  and  a 
few  yet  live  in  this  county.  Of  one  of  the  supposed  prin- 
cipals in  this  midnight  deed  it  is  told  that  from  that  time 
he  was  apparently  pursued  by  ill  fortune.  A  wealthy 
farmer  he  became  poor.  He  tried  different  countries,  but 
everywhere  financial  and  other  misfortunes  overtook  him ; 
and  now  he  is  an  aged  and  broken  down  man,  utterly 
disappointed  and  without  hope.  And  yet  some  of  the 
early  settlers  and  their  families  to  this  day  at  times  pro- 
pound the  now  old  query,  "What  became  of  Jack  Hiner?" 


CHAPTER  XXllI. 

CRIMES— TRAIN   ROBBERY. 

THERE  were  never  any  railroad  train  robberies  in 
or  near  Des  Moines  save  the  many  large  and  small 
burglaries  and  thefts  so  often  made  from  the  cars 
standing  in  the  yards  of  the  various  railroads  centering 
in  Des  Moines.  But  at  the  time  when  the  James  and 
Younger  Brothers  were  engaged  in  their  notorious  hold- 
ing up  and  robbery  of  trains,  on  the  night  of  July  21, 
1873,  the  east  bound  train  on  the  Rock  Island,  due  at 
10:30,  failed  to  arrive  on  time,  and  soon  after  it  was  re- 
ported the  train  had  been  ditched  and  robbed  by  a  gang 
of  masked  robbers  between  Anita  and  Adair,  some  sixty 
miles  west  of  Des  Moines.  This  report  caused  the  great- 
est excitement  in  Des  Moines  and  throughout  the  coun- 
try. The  report  was  soon  found  to  be  true.  The  spot  se- 
lected for  the  crime  was  then  a  sparsely  settled  stretch 
of  countiy.  The  first  report  was  that  Engineer  Rafferty, 
of  the  train,  had  been  shot  to  death  by  the  robbers,  but 
further  investigation  showed  he  had  been  killed  by  the 
falling  engine  when  it  was  ditched.  There  were  at  least 
seven  of  the  robbers  and  perhaps  more.  They  held  pos- 
session of  the  train  for  some  twenty  minutes  or  more, 
and  the  trainmen  and  others  present  were  compelled  at 
the  muzzles  of  pistols  to  obey  the  orders  of  the  robbers, 
who  also  compelled  the  passengers  to  remain  closely  in 
the  coaches. 

The  object  of  the  attack  was  doubtless  to  capture  a 
large  amount  of  money  which  it  was  supposed  would  be 
in  charge  of  the  express  messenger  on  that  trip,  but  this 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  531 

large  sum  was  not  there.  The  robbers  secured  by  their 
raid  some  two  thousand  dollars.  After  fully  satisfying 
themselves  they  had  air  the  money  in  the  express  car,  the 
robbers  mounted  their  horses  and  started  rapidly  to- 
wards the  south.  All  the  people  in  the  surrounding  coun- 
try were  soon  aroused,  and  many  at  once  started  in  eager 
pursuit  of  the  robbers,  but  the  latter,  without  much  diffi- 
culty, made  a  safe  escape  to  their  haunts  in  the  State  of 
Missouri. 

THE   JOHNSON   MURDER. 

Prior  to  his  death  in  1874,  there  lived  in  Des  Moines 
for  a  number  of  years  John  Johnson,  an  Irishman  by 
birth  and  a  tailor  by  trade.  He  was  a  quiet,  peaceable 
man,  and  had  many  friends  among  the  citizens  of  the 
city  and  county.  One  Sunday  morning,  June  14,  1874, 
his  dead  body  was  found  on  Second  street,  near  Walnut, 
and  from  the  nature  of  the  wounds  and  other  circum- 
stances, it  was  at  once  known  that  Johnson  had  been 
foully  murdered.  This  caused  naturally  a  large  amount 
of  excitement. 

Near  where  the  body  of  Johnson  was  found  and  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street  was  a  notorious  house  of  ill- 
fame  kept  by  a  woman  named  Annie  Groves.  She  is  said 
to  have  once  been  a  school  teacher  and  belonged  to  a 
respectable  family  residing  in  Greene  County.  She  was 
not  regarded  as  a  cruel  or  vicious  woman,  though  lack- 
ing in  chastity,  but  it  was  known  some  vicious  charac- 
ters frequented  her  house.  The  presumption  was  strong, 
and  it  was  generally  believed  that  Johnson  had  been  mur- 
dered in  her  house  and  that  Annie  Groves  knew  much 
about  the  murder.  Notwithstanding  this  no  arrests  were 
made,  and  in  fact  no  special  investigation  had  at  the  time 
beyond  a  brief  and  unsatisfactory  coroner's  inquest,  which 


532  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY      '  ■ 

developed  little  beyond  the  fact  that  Johnson  had  un- 
doubtedly been  murdered,  but  by  whom  was  left  an  open 
question.  The  body  of  Johnson  was  duly  buried.  The 
murder  was  much  discussed  for  a  time,  large  rewards 
were  offered  for  the  arrest  and  conviction  of  the  person 
or  persons  guilty  of  the  crime,  and  then  in  a  short  time 
this  tragedy  appeared  to  be  on  the  way  to  the  forgotten 
past. 

The  suspicions  of  the  officers  and  others  had,  however, 
became  fixed  uf)on  certain  parties,  and  especially  upon 
Annie  Groves  and  certain  inmates  and  frequenters  of 
her  house,  aud  active  steps  Avere  being  taken  to  find  evi- 
dence which  would  connect  them  with  the  crime.  For 
more  than  two  months  this  waiting  policj'  was  carried 
on.  Finally,  on  August  28,  the  citizens  were  startled  by 
the  arrest  of  Annie  Groves  and  Charles  Howard,  charged 
with  the  murder  of  Johnson,  or  complicity  therein. 

This  Charles  Howard  had  been  a  resident  of  Des  Moines 
for  some  time.  He  was  a  young  man  of  rather  x)repos- 
sessing  appearance,  generally  well  dressed  and  quiet  in 
his  manners  and  address.  He  had  been  employed  in 
hotels,  and  at  the  time  of  the  murder  was  barkeeper  in 
a  saloon  on  Third  street.  It  had  been  ascertuined  that 
he  was  a  frequenter  of  Annie  Groves'  house,  and  some- 
tliing  of  a  favorite  with  the  mistress.  To  the  surprise  of 
all  who  knew  the  parties  it  had  recently  been  announced 
that  Howard  had  been  married  to  Annie  Groves.  As  he 
was  much  younger  than  she  was  and  of  a  more  well  bred 
appearance,  and  the  character  of  Annie  being  so  gener- 
ally known,  this  sudden  marriage  naturally  caused  much 
comment.  To  those  on  the  hunt  of  the  murderer  it  fur- 
nished what  they  desired,  a  sure  clue.  They  reasoned 
that  Howard  would  never  have  made  this  marriage  but 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  533 

fov  the  fact  that  Annie  had  some  peculiar  hold  upon  him. 
What  was  the  hold?  Naturally,  as  Johnson  it  was  almost 
certain  had  been  killed  in  Annie  Groves'  house,  it  was  sus- 
pected that  Howard  had  something  to  do  with  the  mur- 
der, and  Annie  herself  was  an  eye  witness  or  knew  of  his 
guilt.  She  held  this  knowledge  over  Howard,  and  by  it 
compelled  him  to  marry  her.  She  wished  to  return  to 
her  people  in  Carroll  County  as  a  married  woman,  and 
here  was  her  opportunity.  Be  the  reasons  therefor  what 
they  may,  they  were  legally  married  and  in  a  short  time 
thereafter  left  Des  Moines,  openly  and  in  the  day  time, 
and  went  to  Carroll  County,  at  or  near  the  place  where 
Annie's  relatives  resided. 

Not  long  after  this  the  officers  discovered,  through  the 
talk  of  some  of  the  parties  who  had  been  inmates  or  fre- 
quenters of  the  Groves  house  and  otherwise,  sufficient 
testimony  upon  which  to  base  the  arrest  and  trial  of  How- 
ard and  his  wife  for  the  murder  of  Johnson.  Hugh  Bren- 
nan,  then  a  police  officer  and  subsequently  city  solicitor, 
armed  with  a  warrant  started  in  pursuit  of  the  suspected 
persons.  Without  much  difficulty  they  were  both  found 
in  Greene  County,  arrested  and  brought  back  to  Des 
Moines.  Here  they  were  both  held  for  trial  in  the  Dis- 
trict Court. 

Other  arrests  were  made  and  much  excitement  was 
again  aroused  among  the  citizens,  and  even  then  there 
was  some  talk  of  summai-y  punishment  being  meted  out 
to  the  guilty  ones  at  the  hands  of  an  enraged  people. 
Among  the  other  parties  arrested  for  complicity  in  the 
murder  of  Johnson  was  Charles  Eicord.  He  was  a  young- 
man  of  good  familjr,  being  the  son  of  the  then  mayor  of 
Iowa  City.  He  had,  however,  become  somewhat  reckless 
and  dissipated,  and  while  in  Des  Moines  was  a  frequenter 


534  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  Annie  Groves'  house,  and  an  associate  of  a  number  of 
fast  young  men.  Two  young  women,  Vina  Wear  and 
Belle  Barton,  who  had  been  reared  in  Des  Moines,  and 
had  "gone  to  the  bad,"  were  also  placed  under  police 
surveillance.  They  had  been  frequenters  or  inmates  also 
of  Annie's  house,  and  it  was  believed  knew  much  about 
the  murder,  having  been  in  the  house  on  that  fatal  night 
in  July. 

Howard  and  his  wife  remained  in  the  county  jail  for 
some  time  awaiting  trial,  as  at  that  time  this  judicial 
district  embraced  several  counties,  and  courts  were  held 
here  only  at  stated  terms.  After  a  delay  of  some  length 
Howard  was  placed  on  trial  in  the  District  Court,  Hon. 
Hugh  W.  Maxwell  presiding  as  judge.  Several  attorneys 
appeared  in  Howard's  defence,  but  there  is  no  doubt  that 
public  feeling  was  much  aroused  against  him,  and  this 
probably  was  not  without  its  effect  upon  the  court  and 
jury.  After  a  lengthy  and  at  times  exciting  trial  the  jury 
returned  a  verdict  of  guilty,  which  was  evidently  satis- 
factory to  the  hundreds  present  and  to  the  people  gen- 
erally. But  they  were  dissatisfied  in  that  the  jury  had 
not  fixed  the  penalty  at  death. 

On  Monday  afternoon,  December  14,  1874,  Howard  was 
brought  before  Judge  Maxwell  for  sentence.  This  was 
one  of  the  last  judicial  acts  of  Judge  Maxwell,  who  was 
then  retiring  from  the  bench.  The  court  room  was 
crowded  with  people,  anxious  to  hear  and  see  the  closing 
words  and  scenes  of  this  exciting  drama.  Few  supposed 
that  it  would  soon  be  followed  by  a  tragedy.  The  con- 
victed murderer,  Howard,  had  shown  much  nerve  and, 
coolness  during  the  entire  trial,  and  he  lost  none  of  this 
during  the  closing  scene  in  court.  In  answer  to  the  usual 
inquiry  of  the  judge,  he  said  he  was  innocent  of  the  crime 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  535 

for  which  he  had  been  convicted,  that  he  had  not  had  a 
fair  and  impartial  trial,  and  that  at  some  future  day  his 
innocence  would  be  proven.  In  pronouncing  sentence 
upon  him,  Judge  Maxwell  was  very  severe  in  his  words 
— much  more  than  many  thought  he  was  justified  in. 
During  the  course  of  his  remarks  he  intimated  very 
plainly  that  in  his  judgment  the  penalty  of  death  would 
have  been  the  proper  one,  and  concluded  by  pronounc- 
ing upon  Howard  the  sentence  of  imprisonment  in  the 
penitentiary  during  the  term  of  his  natural  life.  How- 
ard never  flinched  during  this  fearful  ordeal,  and  quietly 
passed  with  his  wife,  who  had  faithfully  stood  by  him 
during  the  entire  trial,  to  the  prison  cells  below.  The 
large  crowd  quietly  separated,  and  though  they  may  have 
lingered  in  groups  talking  of  the  trial  and  its  incidents, 
nothing  was  visible  that  apparently  portended  the  wild 
vengeance  of  a  mob  which  was  in  so  few  hours  to  follow. 

Dan  M.  Bringolf  was  then  and  had  been  for  some  time 
the  sheriff  of  the  county.  Not  long  after  Howard's  ar- 
rest there  had  been  not  a  little  talk  of  mob  violence  and 
something  like  an  attempt  at  it  had  been  made.  In  con- 
sideration of  these  reports  and  actions  Sheriff  Bringolf 
had  very  wisely  increased  the  guard  at  the  jail,  which 
was  in  the  basement  of  the  Court  House.  Other  prepar- 
ations were  made  for  the  protection  of  the  prisoner,  and 
a  careful  watch  was  kept  over  any  movements  of  the  peo- 
ple in  the  city  and  county  which  might  portend  to  mis- 
chief. It  was  naturally  supposed  that  now,  when  How- 
ard had  been  tried,  convicted  and  sentenced,  and  on  the 
next  morning  would  be  on  his  way  to  the  penitentiary 
for  life,  that  all  danger  of  mob  law  would  be  at  an  end; 
that  the  people  would  now  be  content  to  allow  the  law  to 
take  its  course.     The  guards,  however,  were  retained  at 


536  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  Court  House  and  jail,  and  Howard  was  placed  with 
his  wife  in  a  large  cell,  which  was  closely  guarded,  and 
where  it  was  supposed  they  would  be  allowed  to  pass 
their  last  night  together  in  such  peace  as  they  could  ex- 
tract from  their  dark  surroundings. 

That  evening  the  members  of  the  Bar  gave  Judge  Max- 
well a  farewell  supper  at  the  Savery,  now  Kirkwood, 
House,  and  heartily  enjoyed  themselves  with  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  table,  toasts  and  speeches.  Their  festivities 
continued  up  to  about  midnight  when  they  adjourned. 
About  this  hour  a  rumor  was  started  that  an  attempt  at 
illegal  vengeance  upon  Howard  might  be  made,  and  to 
the  credit  of  the  Bar  be  it  said  they  almost  to  a  man 
cheerfully  volunteered  to  arm  and  defend  the  supremacj^ 
of  the  law.  The  sheriff  and  others  immediately  started 
out  and  search  as  they  did  could  nfid  no  real  basis  for  the 
rumor,  and  it  was  finally  set  down  as  one  of  the  idle  tales 
which  had  previously  been  placed  in  circulation,  and  all 
went  to  their  homes.  Sheriff  Bringolf,  on  leaving  the 
Court  House,  about  1  a.  m.  directed  the  deputy  sheriff, 
jailor  and  guards  not  to  allow  any  person  or  persons  to 
enter  the  jail  upon  any  pretext  whatever  and  not  to  de- 
liver the  keys  to  anyone.  He  then  left  the  officers  to 
discharge  their  duties,  not  one  of  them  suspecting  the 
tragedy  which  was  soon  to  follow. 

Suddenly  between  2  and  3  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
December  15,  1874,  a  mob  of  men,  most  of  them  with 
blackened  faces,  estimated  as  numbering  one  hundred  to 
two  hundred,  ciuietly  surrounded  and  entered  the  Court 
House  and  jail,  and  in  a  few  minutes  had  overj)owered 
the  guard  and  officers,  and  were  in  full  possesion.  They 
were  determined  men  and  their  manner  of  procedure  was 
thus  told  by  B.  Wise,  the  jailer,  in  his  sworn  testimony: 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  537 

"I  was  awakened  about  half  past  two  'oclock  by  a  knock 
at  the  door  of  my  bedroom  in  the  basement  of  the  jail; 
supposed  it  was  a  policeman  with  a  prisoner;  opened  the 
door  and  a  man  drew  a  hatchet  on  me;  I  caiight  him  by 
the  throat;  a  second  man  drew  a  revolver  on  me;  three 
others  clinched  and  threw  me  down  and  tied  me;  one 
then  put  his  knee  on  my  breast  and  pointed  a  second  re- 
volver at  my  head;  the  hall  Avas  full  of  men;  I  was  thrown 
down  and  tied  in  my  own  room.  The  men  demanded  my 
keys  or  my  life;  then  bound  my  hands  and  took  the  keys 
from  my  pocket.  The  first  time  they  did  not  get  all  of 
them  and  came  back  to  get  the  others;  did  not  threaten 
to  hurt  me  then;  all  seemed  to  be  large  men  and  handled 
me  lively.  They  did  not  speak  much;  the  man  who  talked 
to  me  did  so  in  a  very  coarse  voice.  All  of  them  that  I 
saw  had  blackened  faces.  They  seemed  to  be  stern  and 
were  very  cool  and  sober.  Did  not  see  Howard  as  they 
passed  out  Avith  him;  saw  his  body  afterAvards  hanging 
to  a  lamp  post.  Always  carried  the  kej^'S  in  my  pocket 
or  kept  them  under  my  pillow  at  night;  was  asleep  when 
they  first  came,  about  2:30  a.  m." 

Clinton  Wise,  son  of  the  jailer,  who  had  been  on  guard 
for  some  two  months,  testified  that  he  was  in  the  sher- 
iff's office  when  another  guard  rushed  in  saying  "the  mob 
has  come."  He  rushed  out  and  found  the  main  haJl  of 
the  Court  House  filled  Avith  men.  He  managed  to  slip 
down  the  back  stairs,  but  was  intercepted  by  men  in  the 
basement.  He  struggled  to  get  to  his  father,  but  the 
men  forced  him  to  go  with  them  and  unlock  the  inside 
■door.  He  then  threw  the  keys  down  and  ran  into  the  hall. 
The  men  pulled  him  back  inside  to  the  women's  cell,  and 
learning  there  were  none  but  women  there,  they  shoved 
young  Wise  up  to  the  door  of  the  cell  where  Howard  and 


538  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

his  wife  were  confined.  Wise  was  there  ordered  to  un- 
lock the  door,  but  sturdily  refused  to  do  this.  Then 
one  of  the  men  unlocked  it,  and  they  soon  had  hold  of 
their  victim.  Wise  says  Howard  did  not  make  any  noise, 
only  asking  once  or  twice  that  he  might  be  given  a  min- 
ute or  two  of  time  to  say  farewell  to  his  wife.  Mrs.  How- 
ard was  screaming,  begging  for  mercy  and  reproaching 
the  men.  A  rope  was  called  for  and  one  Avas  brought  in 
and  one  end  of  it  placed  around  Howard's  neck.  He  was 
then  hastily  dragged  from  the  cell. 

The  doomed  man  was  in  this  manner  dragged  up  the 
stairs  into  the  main  hall  of  the  Court  House,  and  from 
there  down  the  front  stone  steps,  and  from  what  is  known 
is  supposed  to  have  been  stunned  if  not  killed  by  the 
brutal  dragging  over  the  stone  steps  and  the  stone  and 
gravel  of  the  outside  walk.  There  was  nothing  on  him 
but  an  undershirt,  and  his  body  was  much  bruised.  The 
mob  dragged  his  body  to  a  lamp  post  on  the  northeast 
corner  of  the  Court  House  square,  and  there  it  was  sus- 
pended with  the  rope  by  the  neck,  his  feet  reaching 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  ground.  Then  there  was 
yelling  by  the  mob,  accompanied  by  the  firing  of  pistols., 
guns,  etc.  Having  accomplished  their  deadly  purpose  the 
mob  quickly  dispersed,  going  in  separate  parties  in  dif- 
ferent directions.  Some  went  down  Fifth,  while  others 
went  down  Court  avenue,  some  crossing  the  Des  Moines 
and  others  the  Raccoon.  Not  a  few  of  them  had  horses, 
which  had  been  left  a  few  blocks  away,  and  these  no 
doubt  came  from  the  country.  Apparently  the  whole 
affair  had  been  carefully  planned  before  hand  and  was 
relentlessly  carried  out  to  the  end. 

This  brutal  work  of  a  mob  naturally  caused  intense 
excitement  in  town  and  county.    The  Register,  with  true 


AiYi)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  58«l' 

newspaper  enterprise,  in  a  few  hours  after  tlie  tragedy 
had  been  enacted,  published  a  full  account  of  the  same. 
The  body  of  Howard  was  taken  down  in  a  short  time 
after  the  mob  dispersed  and  soon  a  coroner's  jury  was 
empaneled  to  investigate,  under  the  direction  of  Dr.- 
A.  M.  Overman,  at  the  time  coroner  of  the  county.  The 
three  jurors  were:  James  F.  Kemp,  Will.  Porter  and  W. 
P.  Hearty.  The  demand  was  such  that  the  body  of  How- 
ard was  placed  in  a  room  in  the  Court  House,  and  during 
the  daj''  thousands  of  curious  men,  women  and  children 
crowded  there  to  look  upon  the  bruised  and  dead  body. 
While  a  few  expressed  more  or  less  disapprobation  of 
the  action  of  the  mob  it  was  noticeable  that  but  little 
sympathy  was  expressed  in  regard  to  the  dead  man.  Few 
had  any  sympathy  to  extend  in  that  direction. 

On  that  day  and  also  on  the  day  following  large  meet- 
ings of  the  citizens  were  held  at  the  Court  House,  at 
which  speeches  were  made  and  resolutions  were  adopted 
denouncing  the  action  of  the  mob,  and  calling  for  the 
arrest,  conviction  and  punishment  of  those  who  had  en- 
gaged in  this  illegal  work.  And  in  addition  the  city  and 
county  police  officers  were  urged  to  greater  diligence 
in  the  prevention  of  crime.  But  at  the  same  time  few 
expected  or  even  hoped  that  any  of  the  members  of  the 
mob  would  be  exposed  and  punished.  The  coroner's  jury 
continued  its  investigation  for  three  days,  and  while  hav- 
ing a  well-grounded  suspicion  as  to  who  some  of  the 
guilty  men  were,  at  the  same  time  were  so  baffled  by 
contradictory  evidence,  etc.,  that  they  could  not,  much 
as  they  may  have  desired,  name  any  of  the  men  with 
the  assurance  that  the  proof  thereafter  would  sustain 
the  charge.    They  finally  returned  the  following  verdict:: 

An  inquisition  held  at  Des  Moines,  Polk  County,  Iowa,, 


^40  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ou  the  fifteenth  to  the  eighteenth  days  of  December, 
1874,  before  A.  M.  Overman,  coroner  of  said  county,  on 
the  body  of  Charles  Howard  Nelson,  then  lying  dead, 
by  the  jurors,  whose  names  are  hereto  subscribed.  The 
said  jurors,  upon  their  oaths,  do  say:  That  the  said 
Charles  Howard  Nelson  came  to  his  death  on  the  fifteenth 
day  of  December,  by  being  dragged  and  hung  by  the 
neck  until  he  was  dead,  by  the  hands  of  some  persons 
to  us  unknown,  acting  as  a  mob;  and  that  the  same  was 
done  feloniously. 

In  testimony  whereof  the  said  jurors  have  hereunto 
s-et  their  hands  the  day  and  year  aforesaid. 

WILL  PORTER, 
W.  P.  HEARTY, 
JAMES  F.  KEMP. 

Approved:     A.  M.  OVERMAN,  Coroner. 

No  real  effort  was  afterwards  made  to  discover  and 
punish  members  of  the  mob,  and  it  must  be  confessed 
that  for  some  time  thereafter  the  hanging  of  Howard 
had  a  very  salutary  effect  upon  the  roughs  of  the  city  and 
■county.  They  feared  thej  might  meet  Avith  the  same  swift 
punishment.  The  writer  was  a  member  of  a  subsequent 
grand  jurj',  then  composed  of  fifteen  members,  and 
charged  with  the  investigation  of  the  Howard  lynching. 
One  day  members  were  joking  each  other  about  having 
been  with  the  mob,  when  some  one  suggested  they  each 
and  all  take  an  oath  that  they  had  not  been  members  of 
that  mob.  Immediately  nearly  all  raised  a  hand  to  take 
tlie  oath,  when  the  writer  quietly  but  pointedlj^  whispered 
to  one  of  the  jurors :  "You  can't  take  that  oath."  Quickly 
his  face  paled  and  flushed  and  his  hand  dropped  to  his 
side.  The  oath  was  not  taken,  and  the  writer  was  then 
convinced  of  the  truth  of  what  he  had  before  suspected, 
that  one  or  more  of  the  grand  jury  had  been  active  par- 
ticipants in  the  Howard  mob.  This  gi'and  juiy  reported 
no  facts  or  indictments,  and  the  Howard  lynching  passed 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  541 

into  history,  without  any  of  the  participants  therein  ever 
being-  Ijnown  to  the  public.  The  mob  and  its  action  was 
long  a  disgrace  to  tlie  city  and  county,  and  was  felt  to 
be  such  by  most  of  the  best  citizens,  though  it  may  have 
been  not  altogether  without  its  compensation. 

Charles  Ricord,  indicted  for  complicity  in  the  murder 
of  Howard,  was  after  considerable  delay  placed  on  trial 
in  the  District  Cburt,  and  after  a  legal  struggle  of  some 
length  was  acquitted  hj  the  juiy.  The  main  counsel  in 
his  defense  was  Judge  Sam  H.  Fairall,  of  Iowa  City. 

George  Jamieson,  another  young  man  who  was  also 
connected  with  the  crime,  was  also  let  go  free.  Annie 
Groves  or  Mrs.  Howard  was  also,  after  a  time,  discharged 
from  custody.  Vina  Wear  and  Belle  Barton,  the  young- 
women  who  were  occupants  of  Annie  Groves'  house  at 
the  time  of  the  murder,  and  knew  nearly  all  about  it, 
were  also  allowed  to  go  free.  In  a  short  time  afterward 
Vina  Wear  married  Charles  Ricord,  and  went  to  live  with 
her  husband  at  Iowa  City,  his  old  home.  Not  many 
months  after  it  was  announced  she  had  died  very  sud- 
denly, and  under  somewhat  suspicious  circumstances. 
Belle  Barton  married  George  Jamieson,  and  they  took 
up  their  residence  in  Omaha,  Neb.  She,  too,  died  sutl- 
denly.  There  may  be  no  foundation  in  fact  for  it,  but 
the  belief  was  general  among  those  more  or  less  familiar 
with,  the  circumstances,  that  both  of  these  young  women 
were  foully  dealt  with,  and  that  their  deaths  were  the 
result  of  the  knowledge  they  had  .concerning  the  murder 
of  Johnson.  The  fate  of  Annie  Groves  or  Mrs.  Howard, 
is  not  generally  known,  although  it  was  reported  she  had 
again  married  and  reformed,  and  may  yet  be  living  some- 
where in  the  West.  The  murders  of  Johnson,  Mrs.  Bar- 
rett and  Mailand  all  occurred  in  one  year — Johnson  being 


542  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

murdered  in  June  and  Mrs.  Barrett  and  Mailand  it  was 
supposed  on  the  same  night  in  September,  and  Howard 
was  hung  in  December — making  the  year  1874  famous 
in  the  criminal  annals  of  Des  Moines  and  Polk  County. 

KIRKMAN    MOB. 

The  same  week  in  which  Howard  was  hung  another 
mob  gathered  in  Washington  Township,  in  the  extreme 
northeastern  corner  of  the  county,  and  made  threats 
against  a  man,  although  it  did  not  take  his  life.  Not 
much  was  published  at  the  time  in  regard  to  this  affair, 
and  afterward  an  effort  seemed  to  be  made  to  prevent 
all  reports  of  it  reaching  the  public.  The  newspapers  of 
the  day  made  only  brief  mention  of  the  facts.  It  ap- 
pears there  had  resided  in  that  portion  of  the  county  for 
a  number  of  years  an  old  man  named  Kirkman,  who  had 
gathered  considerable  wealth,  but  had  the  reputation  of 
being  a  very  disagreeable  neighbor  and  very  unpleasant 
husband  and  father.  Finally  his  treatment  became  so 
Dad  the  wife  was  compelled  to  leave  him  and  take  refuge 
with  her  son-in-law,  Zinsmaster.  This  angered  the  old 
man,  not  only  against  his  wife,  but  also  against  the  son- 
in-law,  Zinsmaster.  It  is  said  he  made  threats  of  injury 
to  the  latter.  Be  that  as  it  may  Zinsmaster's  large  barn 
was  fired  and  destroyed  with  five  head  of  horses,  several 
hundred  bushels  of  grain,  farming  implements,  etc.  This 
fire  and  the  suspicions  concerning  its  origin  caused  great 
excitement  in  the  neighborhood,  and  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore some  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  of  the 
farmers  and  others  of  that  rural  community  gathered 
together  and  made  a  visit  to  old  man  Kirkman. 

Nearly  all  were  satisfied  that  the  old  man  was  in  some 
way  responsible  for  the  fire  and  destruction  of  valuable 
property.     This  was  denied  by  him  and  there  was  no 


Al^D  THE  CITY  OP  DES  MOINES.  543 

proof  to  substantiate  his  guilt.  A  few  thought  that  per- 
haps some  miscreants  had  perpetrated  the  crime,  rightly 
thinking  that  on  account  of  the  feud  between  the  old 
man  and  Zinsmaster,  the  crime  would  be  charged  upon 
the  former.  The  assembled  farmers,  however,  had  Kirk- 
man  in  their  power,  and  for  a  time  his  life  was  in  some 
danger.  Some  of  the  crowd  were  willing  to  waive  proof 
of  his  guilt  as  an  incendiary  and  hang  him  on  general 
principles — that  he  was  a  bad  man  to  have  in  the  neigh- 
borhood and  his  death  would  be  a  benefit  to  the  com- 
munity generally.  But  the  better  sense  and  love  of  jus- 
tice of  many  of  those  present  finally  prevailed,  and  Kirk- 
man  was  let  go  a  free  but  somewhat  frightened  man.  The 
gathered  farmers  then  dispersed  to  their  respective  homes, 
no  doubt  feeling  much  better  satisfied  with  themselves 
than  they  would  if  they  had  pursued  the  matter  to  a  fatal 
termination.  Kirkman  did  not  escape  so  well  some  time 
after  when  in  Story  County  he  came  to  his  death  at  the 
hands  of  a  mob  of  citizens,  some  of  whom  may  have  been 
residents  of  Polk  County. 

THE   BARRETT  MURDER. 

Johnson,  for  whose  murder  Howard  was  hung  by  a  mob, 
was  murdered  June  14,  1874,  and  another  murder,  which 
occurred  a  little  more  than  two  months  after  had  much 
to  do  with  ultimately  causing  the  death  of  the  latter  at 
the  hands  of  the  mob.  This  was  the  horrible  murder  in 
Des  Moines  of  a  young  woman  named  Ellen  or  Ella  Bar- 
rett. This  murder  was  perpetrated  on  the  night  follow- 
ing August  27,  1874.  This  fiendish  crime  aroused  the 
people  of  the  city  and  county  as  they  never  were  aroused 
before  or  since.  Had  the  perpetrator  of  the  crime  been 
found  at  once,  and  his  guilt  fully  established,  he  would 
have  met  with  summary  punishment  at  the  hands  of  a 


544  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

shocked  and  indignant  people,  who  would  not  have  feared 
to  execute  their  vengeance  in  the  broad  light  of  day.  The 
Register  of  the  next  day  after  this  murder  was  discov- 
ered gives  so  full  and  clear  an  account  that  we  do  not 
think  we  can  do  better  than  to  copy  it  entire. 

"The  most  horrible  murder  in  the  history  of  Des  Moines 
was  committed  on  Thursday  night  in  the  building  on  the 
corner  of  Seventh  and  Walnut  streets,  the  lower  story 
of  which  is  occupied  by  McFarland's  dry  goods  store. 
How  or  when  the  murder  was  committed  is  still  a  part 
of  unknown  historj',  the  terrible  deed  not  having  been 
discovered  till  about  noon  yesterday. 

"Mrs.  Ellen  Barrett,  the  victim,  from  all  that  we  have 
been  able  to  learn,  came  tO'  Des  Moines  aboiit  tAvo  weeks 
ago.  Monday,  August  17th,  she  went  to  Mr.  McFarland 
to  rent  the  three  rooms  over  his  store,  stating  that  she 
desired  to  engage  in  the  business  of  dressmaking  and 
family  sewing.  Mr.  McFarland  at  once  told  her  that  he 
did  not  like  to  let  her  have  the  rooms  as  she  was  a  stran- 
ger, and  as  she  could  not  give  any  city  references,  she 
might  not  be  a  proper  character.  At  this  she  grew  very 
indignant,  replying  that  while  a  lone  and  friendless 
woman  was  always  subject  to  distimst,  a  man,  no  matter 
what  his  character  might  be,  was  always  treated  as  a 
person  of  decency  and  honor.  She  seemed  very  much 
hurt  at  Mr.  McFarland's  hesitancy  about  letting  her  have 
the  rooms.  Seeing  this,  and  fearing  that  he  had  wronged 
the  lady  in  questioning  her,  rented  her  the  rooms  and 
she  paid  a  month's  rent  in  advance. 

"The  same  day  she  bought  furniture  of  Merrill,  Keeney 
&  Co.,  and  fitted  up  her  rooms,  to  be  used  as  a  dressmak- 
ing and  sewing  establishment,  and  as  a  lodging  place. 
Securing  work  a  day  or  two  afterward  she  seemed  to  be 
in  excellent  spirits,  as  Mr.  McFarland  saw  her  as  she 
passed  back  and  forth  to  the  Avenue  House,  where  she 
had  engaged  meals. 

"A  day  or  two  ago  Mr.  McFarland  thought  there  was 
too  much  running  up  and  down  stairs  for  a  lady  without 
friends,  and  after  thinking  the  matter  over  concluded  to 
notify  her  to  move  out.    Thursday  afternoon,  soon  after 


"      AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  545 

dinner,  he  called  her  down  stairs  and  informed  her  that 
she  must  seek  other  quarters  at  once,  as  she  had  betrayed 
confidence  with  him  and  he  would  not  permit  her  to  re- 
main any  longer.  She  replied  that  she  could  not  get 
away  that  day,  but  she  knew  where  she  could  get  other 
rooms,  and  would  move  out  the  next  day.  This  AA^as  the 
last  time  Mr.  McFarland  saw  her  alive.  About  eight 
o'clock  that  night  he  heard  her  come  down  the  back 
stairs  and  lock  the  door  from  the  inside.  At  nine  o'clock 
he  closed  his  store  and  went  home.  At  that  houi'  every- 
thing was  quiet,  and  just  before  leaving  he  heard  Mrs. 
Barrett  walking  around  on  the  floor  above. 

"Yesterday  morning  when  he  came  to  the  store  he  no- 
ticed that  the  curtains  were  still  down  in  Mrs.  Barrett's 
rooms,  and  thought  it  a  little  singular,  as  she  was  in  the 
habit  of  rising  early.  Shortly  afterward  a  negro  boy 
went  up  the  stairs  and  knocked  at  her  door.  Eliciting 
no  response  he  came  down  into  the  store  and  asked  where 
she  was,  as  she  had  some  work  he  had  been  sent  for.  No 
one  being  able  to  inform  him  he  went  away.  About  11 
o'clock  a  woman  came,  with  the  same  result.  Just  be- 
fore going  to  dinner  Mr.  McFarland  remarked  to  some  of 
the  attendants  in  the  store  that  the  woman  must  be  sick 
and  that  as  soon  as  he  returned  if  they  did  not  hear  from 
her  some  of  them  must  go  up  and  see  if  she  needed  as- 
sistance. 

"When  McFarland  came  back,  nothing  having  been 
heard  from  her,  he  proceeded  to  the  back  door.  On  open- 
ing it  he  was  horror-stricken  to  find  the  steps  covered 
with  pools  of  blood. 

"His  fears  were  at  once  aroused;  he  sent  a  boy  to  notify 
the  police,  and  seeing  Alderman  EoUins  and  several  other 
city  officials  across  the  street,  he  called  them  over,  and 
they  proceeded  at  once  to  the  place  of  horror. 

"At  the  head  of  the  back  stairs  they  found  the  coi-pse 
on  the  fioor,  the  head  all  covered  over  with  blood,  the 
eyes  upturned  as  if  the  last  thought  and  act  had  been  a 
plea  for  mercy.  The  murderer  had  evidently  been  obliged 
to  perform  the  horrible  task  of  dragging  her  up  stairs, 
the  passageway  being  so  narrow  and  short  that  he  could 
not  shut  the  door  after  him  as  he  went  out  withou,t  the 


546  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

•corpse  falling  out,  or  a  portion  of  it  protruding  through 
the  open  door. 

"The  murdered  woman  was  of  medium  size,  with  light 
complexion,  face  slightl}^  freckled,  dark  auburn  hair,  and 
light  blue  eyes.  She  had  on,  as  left  by  the  murderer,  a 
dress,  chemise,  and  gaiter  shoes.  Dr.  McGorrisk  was 
among  the  first  at  the  scene,  and  gave  it  as  his  oj^inion 
that  the  murder  had  been  committed  about  midnight  on 
Thursda^r  night.  The  corpse  being,  as  he  expressed  it, 
'stiff  enough  to  have  been  murdered  at  11  o'clock  last 
night.' 

"There  is  but  one  opinion  as  to  hoAV  she  was  mur- 
dered. The  shoes  and  dress  clearly  indicate  that  hear- 
ing somebody  at  the  back  door  she  had  arisen  from  bed 
and  quickly  slipping  them  on,  had  gone  down  to  the 
back  door  to  ascertain  who  it  was.  In  further  support 
of  this  oijinion  her  stockings  and  garters  were  found 
lying  on  the  floor  at  the  side  of  the  bed,  and  the  bed 
itself  looked  as  if  some  one  had  arisen  from  it.  Arriv- 
ing at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  and  opening  the  door  to  her 
cold-blooded  murderer,  the  supposition  is  that  he  struck 
her  on  the  forehead  with  a  hand-ax  before  she  had  an 
opportunity  to  ascertain  whO'  he  was  or  to  raise  a  cry 
for  assistance.  No  evidence  of  a  struggle  having  taken 
place  was  visible,  and  the  only  marks  visible  in  the  nar- 
row stairway  were  two  indentures  made  in  the  firm  stud- 
ding by  the  fall  of  a  small  ax,  hatchet,  or  some  equally 
l)lunt  instrument. 

"The  wounds  are  thus  described  bv  Drs.  McGorrisk, 
liawson  and  Davidson,  who  made  the  examination: 
'The  first  incised  wound  of  the  scalp  was  in  the  right 
mastoid  region,  extending  from  the  ear  backwards  and 
upwards,  with  fracture  being  four  inches  in  length.  The 
second  wound  two  and  a  half  inches  above  the  first, 
fracturing  the  light  parietal  bone,  extending  some  three 
inches  from  the  parietal  ridge  to  the  middle  of  the  skull. 
The  third  wound  two  inches  above  the  second,  two  inches 
in  length,  cutting  down  to  the  bone  without  fractnre. 
The  fourth  wound,  one  and  a  half  inches  long,  extend- 
ing from  the  left  parietal,  or  the  left  side  of  the  head, 
backwards,  cutting  also  the  bone.  Tlie  fifth  wound, 
about  one  inch  below  the  fourth  wound,  and  about  three 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  547 

inches  above  the  left  ear,  tAvo  inches  long,  and  cutting 
through  to  the  bone  without  fracture.  The  sixth  wound 
was  a  contused  wound,  as  if  made  by  some  blunt  instru- 
ment, on  the  left  frontal  bone,  immediately  above  the 
left  eye.  Upon  examination  it  was  found  that  the  skull 
was  fractured  in  the  most  shocking  manner.  The  right 
parietal  bone  and  the  right  and  upper  side  of  the  oc- 
cipital bones  were  crushed  to  atoms.  Also  there  was 
a  contusion  in  front  of  the  right  ear,  fi-acturing  the 
rames  of  the  lower  jaw,  and  causing  blood  to  pass  freely 
from  the  meatus  of  the  right  ear  in  the  region  of  the 
wound.  The  phj^sicians  state  that  either  of  the  four 
more  prominent  wounds  would  have  killed  her,  and  that 
her  death  must  have  been  instantaneous.' 

"In  the  front  room,  which  Avas  occupied  bj'  Mrs.  Bar- 
rett as  work  and  bedroom,  was  found  the  rifled  trunk, 
which  had  been  dragged  from  the  corner  to  the  stand, 
on  which  the  lamp  sat,  still  burning  at  the  time  the  ex- 
amination was  made,  which  had  been  lighted  hj  the 
murdered  woman  or  her  murderer  the  night  before.  The 
murderer  had  eAddentlj'  made  a  hastj'  examination  of  the 
trunk.  The  drawer  had  been  taken  out  and  set  on  the 
floor  and  then  thoroughly  oA'erhauled.  A  fcAv  articles 
below  tlie  drawer  had  then  been  taken  out,  when,  prob- 
ably finding  what  he  was  seeking,  he  left  the  remainder 
of  the  tiTink  just  as  he  had  found  it.  An  examination 
of  the  trunk  by  the  coroner  and  police  resulted  iu  find- 
ing a  number  of  letters,  photographs,  a  bank  book,  con- 
taining some  tAventy  or  more  canceled  checks,  and  a 
number  of  keepsakes  and  trinkets.  The  letters  covered 
a  period  of  four  years,  including  probably  the  last  letter 
written  by  Mrs.  Barrett,  which  Avas  dated  August  28, 
1874.  It  Avas  probably  written  the  night  before,  and 
dated  with  the  A^ew  of  liaA'ing  it  bear  the  same  date  as 
the  postmark.  The  contents  of  these  letters  we  are  not 
at  liberty  to  make  public,  as  the  eAidence  contained  in 
them  may  be  of  A^alue  in  ferreting  out  the  perpetrators 
of  the  bloody  deed. 

"The  woman  liA^ed  entirely  alone  and  employed  no 
help.  Her  situation,  therefore,  as  her  fate  came  upon 
her,  was  one  of  a  lone,  friendless  and  defenceless  woman. 
Dramatic  skill  can  add  nothing  to  the  unveiled  horror 


548  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  the  tragedy.  It  is  utterly  black  and  wholly  fiendish 
in  all  its  features.  Imagination  of  man  or  woman  can 
supply  nothing  to  make  it  more  horrible. 

"It  is  evident  from  the  many  letters  found  in  the 
trunk,  and  those  from  her  husband,  that  the  woman  was 
originally  from  Cleai'field,  Pennsylvania,  and  that  she 
afterwards  visited  Quincy,  Illinois,  Atchison,  Kansas, 
and  Washington  and  loAva  City,  Iowa.  Among  the 
photographs  found,  two  or  three  dozen  of  them,  was  one 
marked  'my  husband,  1873,'  and  another  with  the  name 
of  a  gentleman,  whose  address  was  Davenport. 

"The  woman  was  of  good  appearance,  and  probably 
twenty-eight  or  thirty  years  old." 

From  the  character  and  manner  of  this  brutal  mur- 
der, or  from  other  causes,  it  was  at  once  suggested  that 
the  crime  had  been  committed  by  one  or  more  negroes. 
The  writer  remembers  visiting  the  scene  shortly  after 
the  discovery  of  the  dead  body,  in  company  with  James 
S.  Clarkson,  then  the  editor  of  the  Eegister.  After  mak- 
ing an  examination  they  retired  together,  when  the 
fiuestion  arose,  "Who  could  have  done  it?"  After  a  pause, 
with  a  tone  of  deep  conviction,  Mr.  Clarkson  answered, 
"This  horrible  crime  was  committed  by  one  or  more  ne- 
groes." The  people  were  very  much  excited  over  the 
murder  and  many  rumors  as  to  suspected  persons  were 
in  circulation.  The  officers  of  the  law,  to  their  credit 
be  it  recorded,  were  indefatigable  in  their  searches  for 
the  criminal.  It  was  evident  from  the  first  that  rob- 
bery was  not  the  object  of  the  murder.  It  must  have 
been  committed  for  revenge,  or  for  some  other  purj^jose, 
perhaps  to  silence  the  woman  who  might  have  had  some 
hold  upon  some  man.  The  manner  in  which  the  letters 
and  private  papers  of  the  murdered  Avoman  had  been 
overhauled  added  to  this  suspicion.  Among  these  let- 
ters were  found  some  from  prominent  men  in  other  cit- 
ies in  this  and  other  States  where  the  woman  had  tem- 


AJSfD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINEn.  549 

porarily  resided,  which,  had  they  been  published,  would 
have  caused  trouble  and  grief  in  a  number  of  homes,  but 
the  coroner  pnidently  withheld  them  from  the  public, 
and  they  were  finally  destroyed. 

After  a  time,  and  when  the  officers  judged  they  had 
pr(jper  evidence,  a  number  of  arrests  were  made,  all  of 
these  arrests  being  negroes.  Three  of  these,  well  known 
in  the  city,  were  indicted  at  the  next  term  of  the  District 
Court,  namely:  Henry  Eed,  Andy  Smith  and  Archie 
Erown.  Red  was  a  stout,  surly  negro  man,  who  was 
looked  upon  as  being  somewhat  brutal  and  desperate. 
tSniith  was  a  more  pleasant  and  popular  negro,  though 
he  had  been  in  several  difficulties  prior  to  this.  Archie 
Brown  was  the  popular  porter  of  the  Savery  House  and 
Icnown  and  much  liked  by  hundreds  of  persons  who  had 
in  the  years  of  his  service  been  guests  of  the  hotel.  The 
general  belief  was  that  Red,  whose  character  was  known 
and  who  had  previoiisly  had  a  trifling  quarrel  with  the 
woman,  had  himself  used  the  bloody  hatchet  and  com- 
mitted the  murder,  in  which  he  had  been  aided  and 
abetted  by  Brown  and  Smith  and  perhaps  others.  It 
was  also  generally  believed  that  some  white  man  was 
behind  the  tragedy  and  was  the  backer  of  Archie  Brown 
in  all  his  connection  therewith.  These  rumors,  how- 
ever much  foundation  they  may  have  had  in  fact,  were 
never  lu-oven  to  be  true.  Brown,  however,  never  lacked 
for  help  or  money  in  his  defense.  He  was  finally  tried 
upon  the  indictment  at  Ottumwa,  in  Wapello  County,  a 
change  of  venue  from  the  county  and  judicial  district 
haA'ing  been  taken,  and  after  an  exciting  trial  was  ac- 
quitted. He  lived  in  the  city  for  years  afterwards,  and 
(lied  some  three  years  ago,  after  a  lingering  illness. 

Henry  Red  was  also  granted  a  change  of  venue  and 


550  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

was  piuv-ed  on  trial  at  Newton,  in  the  adjoining  county 
of  Jasper.  After  a  leiigtlij'  trial  he  was  found  guilty, 
and  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  life.  He  was  removed 
to  Fort  Madison,  where  after  a  time  his,  health  failed 
and  finally  death  came.  It  is  stated  on  good  authority, 
that  A\']ien  he  saw  and  realized  that  his  earthly  end  was 
near,  on  the  day  before  he  died,  he  confessed  his  guilt 
and  acknowledged  he  had  murdered  the  woman  A'ery 
much  in  the  manner  indicated  on  his  trial.  While  con- 
fessing this  lie  obstinately  refused  to  the  last  to  state 
w  hy  he  murdered  her,  or  who  his  accomplices  were,  if, 
as  was  supposed,  he  had  accomplices. 

Andy  Smith,  the  last  of  the  trio,  was  tried  in  Polk 
Countj',  and  was  ably  and  earnestly  defended  by  Josiah 
Given,  now  one  of  tlie  judges  of  the  Iowa  Supreme 
Court.  'I'lie  judge  believed  in  liis  innocence  from  first 
to  last,  but  the  jury  took  another  view  of  the  testimony 
and  Smith  was  convicted. 

MAILAND    KILLED    AND    ROBBED. 

At  about  the  time,  or  the  same  night  of  the  Ella 
Barrett  murder.  Farmer  Mailand,  an  eccentric  bachelor, 
living  on  Mud  Creek,  in  Camp  Township,  was  also  mur- 
dered. He  lived  in  a  farm  house  in  the  timber  alone 
on  his  farm,  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  more  distant  from 
his  nearest  neighbor.  Those  acquainted  with  his  char- 
acter spoke  of  him  as  being  of  a  timid,  cautious  dispo- 
sition, never  permitting  any  strangers  to  be  about  his 
habitation  after  dark.  Then  he  would  not  open  his  door 
to  any  persons  unless  he  was  well  acquainted  with  them. 
He  was  generally  understood  to  be  well  supplied  with 
money,  and  frequently  loaned  his  neighbors  small  sums. 

On  the  afternoon  of  October  1,  1874,  a  young  man  of 


AUD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  551 

the  neighborlioocl  went  to  Mailand's  house  for  the  pur- 
pose of  borrowing  a  farming  implement,  and  entering 
the  house  was  horrified  to  see  Mailand's  body  l,ying  on 
the  floor,  cold  and  stiff  in  death.  The  alarm  was  given 
and  the  startled  neighbors  soon  gathered  and  entered 
upon  an  investigation.  The  body  when  found  was  lying 
in  the  front  room,  face  upturned,  eyes  staring  wildly, 
and  the  palms  of  the  hand  clutched  as  if  in  great  pain. 
The  body  was  clad  in  pantaloons  and  shirt,  the  remain- 
der of  his  ordinary  clothes  being  on  a  chair  near  the  bed. 
Three  wounds  appeared  upon  the  body,  either  one  being 
sufficient  to  cause  death.  One  was  under  the  right  arm 
and  one  on  each  breast.  They  were  evidently  made  by 
balls  of  large  size  from  a  revolver.  The  appearance  in- 
dicated tliat  some  person  or  persons  had  aroused  the 
murdered  man  in  the  night,  and,  hastily  slipping  on  his 
pantaloons,  he  had  gone  to  and  partly  opened  the  door 
to  see  who  was  there.  Then  the  first  shot  was  fired,  and 
as  he  staggered  back  into  the  room  two  more  were  fired 
into  his  body,  when  he  fell  to  the  floor  dead.  Robbery 
was  no  doubt  the  intent  of  the  assassins,  though  they 
evidently  failed  to  obtain  the  booty  they  sought,  as  on 
the  bodj'  of  the  dead  man  was  found  a.  pocket  book  con- 
taining over  two  hundred  dollars  in  bills,  and  in  the 
straw  tick  upon  which  he  had  been  sleeping  were  a  num- 
ber of  valuable  papers. 

Mailand  was,  so  far  as  known,  last  seen  alive  by  his 
neighbors  on  the  Monday  previous,  when  he  finished 
threshing  his  wheat  and  paid  off  his  men.  This  was 
about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  several  of  his  neigh- 
bors testified  at  the  inquest  that  about  9  o'clock  on  the 
same  evening  they  heard  pistol  shots  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Mailand's  house.     One  neighbor  said  he  was  at 


552  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  creek  only  about  one  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  talk- 
ing with  some  emigrants  returning  from  Kansas,  when 
he  heard  the  shots.  Nothing  strange  seemed  to  have 
been  thought  of  the  shots  and  the  house  was  not  visited 
until  Wednesday  afternoon,  when  the  murder  was  first 
discovered.  It  was  also  found  that  a  valuable  horse  be- 
longing to  Mailand  had  been  stolen,  and  probably  was 
ridden  off  by  the  murderer.  This  murder  haAdng  proba- 
bly occuri'ed  about  the  time  that  of  Ella  Barrett  in  Des 
Moines  it  was  at  first  supposed  the  same  persons  had 
committed  both.  But  this  theory  was  soon  abandoned. 
Maliand's  missing  horse  was  soon  found  not  far  from  its 
home. 

The  coroner's  inquest  was  held  and  the  body  of  the 
murdered  man  duly  buried.  The  people  were  much 
aroused,  and  talked  of  swift  punishment  of  the  mur- 
derer when  found,  but  he  never  was  found.  Who  killed 
Mailand  was  a  mystery  then,  and  a  mystery  it  has  re- 
mained even  unto  this  day. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

CRIMES-JACK  JONES  SHOT   DOWN. 

ONE  evening  in  1873  the  citizens  of  Des  Moines 
were  surprised  by  the  report  that  N.  L.  Yard, 
a  carpenter,  had  shot  and  killed  Jack  Jones,  a 
pioneer  citizen.  This  report  was  soon  verilied.  Jones 
and  Yard  were  neighbors,  living  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  city,  and  had  been  well  ac- 
quainted with  each  other.  Both  were  married  men 
with  families.  But  for  some  time  previous  the  two 
families  had  not  been  friendly,  and  it  was  charged  that 
Jones  had  also  abused  or  insulted  Mrs.  Yard.  Jones  had 
been  told  by  Yard  not  to  again  come  to  his  house.  On 
the  evening  of  the  fatal  affray  Jones  had  been  to  a  well 
near  by  and  passed  through  the  lot  belonging  to  Yard. 
The  latter  was  in  the  door  of  his  house,  and  as  Jones 
came  up  some  words  passed  between  them,  and  Jones 
advanced  towards  the  house  as  if  to  reach  Yard.  The 
latter's  wife  stepped  in  front  of  her  husband  and  be- 
tween the  two  men,  when  Yard  raised  a  shotgun,  which 
was  heavilj^  charged  with  ball,  and  fired  directly  at 
Jones,  who  fell  and  died  in  a  short  time.  There  was 
more  than  the  usual  excitement  over  the  tragedy,  but 
Yard  gave  himself  up  to  the  officers  and  was  subse- 
quently released  on  bail.  The  family  and  friends  of 
Jones  claimed  that  it  was  a  deliberate  murder,  and  some 
severe  threats  were  made,  but  fortunately  no  further 
encounters  occurred. 

At  the  next  term  of  the  District  Court,  Yard  was  in- 
dicted for  the  killing  of  Jones,  and  indictments  were  also 


554  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

found  against  his  wife,  Mrs.  Rachel  E.  Yard,  and  E.  W. 
Smith  as  accessories.  The  latter  was  a  gunsmith  of  the 
citj',  reputed  a  man  of  considerable  wealth,  and  it  was 
charged  he  loaded  the  gain,  gave  it  to  Yard,  and  told 
him  to  use  it  upon  Jones  on  the  first  provocation.  It 
was  also  charged  that  he  was  in  the  house  at  the  time 
of  the  shooting,  and  some  alleged  that  he,  and  not  Yard,, 
fired  the  fatal  shot. 

When  the  trial  came  off  in  the  District  Court,  the  room 
was  crowded  with  curious  and  interested  spectators. 
Judge  Josiah  (Jiven,  now  on  the  Supreme  bench,  led  in 
the  prosecutitm,  while  Judge  C.  0.  Nourse  was  the  lead- 
ing attorney  for  tlie  defence.  Judge  Nourse,  to  the  sur- 
prise of  the  bar,  elected  to  have  all  the  defendants  tried 
togetlier.  And  after  the  evidence  was  in  he  caused  an- 
otlier  surxjrise  by,  after  the  opening  of  the  prosecuting 
attorney,  submitting  the  case  to  the  jury  without  fur- 
ther argument.  By  this  move  he  shut  out  Judge  Given, 
who  was  prepared  with  a  speech  which  certainly  would 
not  have  been  pleasing  to  the  defendants.  The  result 
showed  Judge  Nourse's  judgment  was  good.  After 
being  instructed  by  the  court,  the  jury  retired  and  in 
due  time  returned  a  verdict  of  not  guilty  as  to  all  the 
defendants.  Of  these  Smith  died  some  years  ago,  and 
Yard  and  his  wife  subsequently  removed  from  the  State. 

JOHN    LITTLE. 

From  an  early  day  there  resided  in  Des  Moines  a  man 
named  John  Little.  He  made  his  home  generally  on  the 
East  Side.  He  also  served  as  a  soldier  in  an  Iowa  regi- 
ment during  the  war.  In  1874  he  was  living  here,  and 
was  not  regarded  as  a  ver^^  bad  man.  He  had  a  wife  and 
family,  and  the  wife  was  reported  as  not  sustaining  a 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  3I0INES.  555 

character  beyond  reproach.  lu  the  fall  of  that  year  Mrs. 
Little  left  town  and  went  to  Newton,  Jasper  Connty, 
and  it  was  reported  she  had  become  intimate  with  a 
negro  man  named  Tait.  Little  was  known  as  a  resolnte, 
if  not  desperate  man,  and  he  swore  rengeance.  Going 
to  Newton  in  the  latter  part  of  September,  1874,  he 
hnnted  for  Tait  and  his  recreant  wife,  and  finding  them 
one  evening  together  at  a  dance  in  that  town.  Little  then 
and  there  shot  and  killed  Tait.  Little  then  disappeared 
and  the  police  officers  always  believe  that  towards  morn- 
ing of  that  same  night  Little,  with  perhaps  one  or  two 
others,  murdered  and  robbed  Mailand  at  the  latter's 
home  on  Mnd  Creek,  Camp  Township,  in  this  county. 

Little  made  good  his  escape,  and  as  was  afterwards 
learned,  went  to  Texas  and  Mexico.  Adam  Hafner,  now 
a  member  of  the  City  Council,  but  then  at  the  head  of 
the  police  force  of  the  citj',  kept  a  close  watch  for  the 
return  of  Little,  who  had  in  the  meantime  been  indicted 
for  the  murder  of  the  said  Tait  in  Jasper  County,  and 
for  the  murder  of  Mailand  in  Polk  County.  After  the 
exoiration  of  some  six  months  Officer  Hafner  learned 
that  Little  had  returned,  and  was  located  on  a  small 
patch  of  ground  in  the  timber  in  Warren  County.  Haf- 
ner knew  Little  to  be  a  desperate  man,  but  he  determined 
to  capture  him.  One  evening  he,  in  companj^  with  Hugli 
Brennan,  now  a  well  known  attorney,  but  then  on  the 
police  force,  left  the  city  on  this  dangerous  expedition. 
They  went  in  a  carriage  and  were  well  armed.  During 
the  night  they  lost  their  way,  but  finally  managed  about 
daylight  to  reach  the  cabin  where  it  was  supposed  Little 
was  to  be  found.  Brennan,  with  his  shotgun,  took  up  a 
position  in  the  rear  of  the  house,  wliile  Hafner  boldly 
knocked  at  the  front  door  and  then  quickly  stepped  in. 


U6  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Peering  around  in  the  dim  light  he  found  the  man  he 
Avanted  lying  on  the  floor.  Before  Little  was  fully  awake 
and  could  grab  his  gun,  which  was  hanging  on  the  wall, 
Hafner  had  him  covered  with  his  pistol.  Being  told  he 
must  surrender  peaceably  Little  reluctantly  admitted 
he,  for  once,  had  been  caught  napping.  He  gave  up  and 
was  quickly  secured. 

The  officers  brought  Little  to  Des  Moines  and  after- 
wards finding  that,  though  they  had  little  if  any  doubt 
of  his  guilt,  they  had  doubt  as  to  their  having  sufficient 
proof  to  convict  him  of  the  murder  of  Mailand,  it  was 
determined  to  hand  him  over  to  the  Jasj)er  County  au- 
thorities, who  were  anxious  to  place  him  on  trial  for  the 
murder  of  Tait.  Accordingly  Little  was  taken  to  Jas- 
per County,  and  in  due  course  was  tried,  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  the  penitentiary^  for  life.  After  sei'ving 
seventeen  j^^ears  at  Fort  Madison  Little  was  given  a  par- 
don and  returned  to  Des  Moines.  In  a  short  time  after- 
Avards  it  is  understood  he  made  a  homestead  claim  in 
Dakota,  behaved  himself  and  was  doing  well  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  not  long  ago.  • 

WIFE    MURDER. 

One  of  the  most  brutal  murders  ever  known  in  Des 
Moines  was  the  murder  of  his  wife  by  Henry  O.  Osboru, 
near  the  corner  of  Second  and  Elm  streets  in  1880.  Mrs. 
Osborn  was  a  A^ery  handsome  woman  of  less  than  twen- 
ty-five years  of  age,  and  her  husband  Henry  Avas  but 
little  older.  They  lived  south  of  the  Coon  and  he  was 
by  occupation  a  coal  miner.  Late  in  the  afternoon  of 
tlie  murder  Mrs.  Osborn  had  come  into  tOAvn  for  the  pur- 
pose of  taking  home  some  Avashing  she  had  done  that 
■day,  and  Avas  on  her  AA^ay  home  Avlien  at  the  place  des- 


AiYD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  iMOINES.  557 

ignated  she  met  her  husband.  After  some  couversatioii 
between  the  two  the  husband  knocked  the  wife  down 
with  his  fist,  and  then,  apparently  frantic  with  rage, 
picked  up  a  stone  weighing  several  pounds,  now  in  tlie 
curiosity  cabinet  at  police  headquarters,  and  struck  her 
one  or  more  violent  blows  upon  the  left  side  of  the  face. 
These  blows  crushed  her  head  and  face  in  a  horrible 
manner,  and  death  followed  almost  instantly. 

The  alarm  was  given  at  once.  The  body  was  taken 
into  Dr.  Campbell's  office  near  by,  but  nothing  could  be 
done  to  save  her;  life  was  gone.  The  police  immediately 
instituted  a  search  for  the  murderer,  but  being  misled 
by  reports  they  failed  to  find  him.  He  had  run  up  the 
railroad  track  and  hid  in  a  box  car,  where  he  remained 
several  hours,  but  getting  thoroughly  chilled  with  the 
cold  was  finally  forced  to  come  out  and  seek  for  a  warmer 
place.  He  then  went  up  the  railroad  track  to  the  water 
works  and  took  refuge  from  the  cold  in  the  boiler  room. 
There  he  finally  told  something  of  what  he  had  done, 
and  was  advised  to  surrender  himself  to  the  officers.  Early 
the  following  morning  he  surrendered  himself  to  the  po- 
lice and  was  placed  in  jail.  In  time  he  was  indicted  for 
murder,  had  a  trial,  was  convicted  and  sentenced  to  be 
hanged  by  the  neck  until  dead.  His  attorney  took  a  num- 
ber of  exceptions  and  appealed  to  the  Supreme  Court. 
After  some  time  had  passed  the  higher  court  made  an 
order  for  a  new  trial.  A  second  time  Osborn  faced  a  jury 
in  the  District  Court,  was  again  convicted  and  sentenced 
to  the  penitentiary  for  life.  Osborn  was  a  quiet  though 
somewhat  sulky  man,  and  had  maintained  a  fair  reputa- 
tion prior  to  the  murder.  He  was,  however,  of  a  jealous 
disposition,  and  to  jealousy  of  his  wife  was  attributed 
his  murderous  assault.     It  is  understood  he  yet  remains 


558  A^TNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

a  prisoner  at  Fort    Madisou,    sennng  the  sentence  im- 
posed upon  liim  by  the  jury  and  coiirt. 

HENRY  SCRIBNER. 

One  evening  about  9  o'clock  in  September,  1881,  Henry 
Scribner,  a  prominent  citizen  and  business  man  of  Des 
Moines,  who  had  then  lived  here  some  twenty-five  years, 
was  found  lying  senseless  on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of 
a  coal  office  on  Sixth  street,  between  Locust  and  Wal- 
n\it.  He  had  evidently  been  knocked  down  and  terri- 
bly injured.  He  was  taken  to  his  home  on  Sycamore, 
now  Grand  avenue,  and  Fifth  street.  Physicians  were 
called  and  everj'thing  possible  done  to  save  his  life.  He, 
however,  never  recovered  full  consciousness,  and  died 
some  twenty-four  hours  after  the  blows  had  been  struck, 
without  being  able  to  give  any  information  as  to  who 
his  murderer  or  murderers  were.  The  excitement  over 
this  murder  of  a  prominent  citizen  on  a  public  street  at 
this  early  hour  of  the  evening  was  A^ery  great,  and  evei'y 
effort  was  made  to  discover  the  guilty  man,  but  without 
any  certain  result.  One  theory  was  that  he  had  been 
beaten  by  a  man  named  James  Harris,  whose  wild  and 
brutal,  if  not  crazj'  actions  immediately  prior  to  and 
following-  the  murder  of  Henry  Scribner  gave  much  color 
to  the  theory.  Then  Scribner,  who  after  the  blows  had 
been  received,  had  laid  senseless  and  hopeless,  and  yet 
was  not  robbed.  His  Avatch,  money,  and  other  personal 
effects  had  not  been  touched.  These  and  other  facts 
added  to  the  mystery. 

MUNDA   MURDERED. 

There  was  a  murder  committed  in  1876  in  Dallas  County, 
near  the  Polk  County  line.  Jasper  Mason,  of  Jasper 
Count}',  was  traveling  with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Martin 


AA^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  559 

Munda.  One  morning  the  dead  body  of  Munda  was  found 
a  short  distance  from  the  town  of  De  Soto.  He  had  evi- 
dently been  shot  and  killed.  An  inquest  was  held,  and 
as  it  was  known  that  Mason  had  been  with  the  dead 
man  in  De  Soto  and  elsewhere,  a  search  was  made  for 
Mason,  who  had  suddenly  disappeared.  In  a  short  time 
he  was  found  at  his  old  home  in  or  near  Prairie  City, 
and  was  arrested.  He  was  taken  back  to  Dallas  County, 
where  he  was  almost  immediately  indicted  for  the  mur- 
der of  Munda.  He  was  soon  placed  on  trial  and  pleaded 
that  he  had  killed  Munda  in  self-defence,  after  the  latter 
had  attacked  him  in  a  quarrel  between  the  two.  This 
defence  was  regarded  as  insufficient.  Mason  was  found 
guilty  and  sentenced  to  imprisonment  in  the  peniten- 
tiarj  at  Fort  Madison  during  life.  There  he  was  taken 
and  has  remained  in  confinement  for  nearly  twenty 
3'ears.  At  this  writing  he  and  his  friends  are  making 
an  effort  to  secure  his  pardon  and  a  discharge  from  the 
penitentiary,  where  he  has  been  serving  so  long  a  time. 

GEORGE— EPPS. 

In  1883  there  lived  in  Des  Moines  a  man  with  some 
negro  blood  in  him  who  went  by  the  name  of  Doctor 
Epps.  He  claimed  to  be  an  "Indian  doctor,"  and  was 
also  a  barber,  having  his  shop  in  the  basement  under  the 
Iowa  National  Bank,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Walnut  streets. 
He  made  his  home  on  the  East  Side,  on  Fourth  street, 
below  Court  avenue.  At  the  same  time  there  was  in  the 
city  a  man  named  Fountain  George,  in  the  employ  of 
Mills  &  Co.,  in  their  large  printing  house.  He  was  gen- 
erally regarded  as  a  quiet,  inoffensive  man,  and  Avas  at 
times  subject  to  epileptic  fits.  Fountain  George  had 
gone  over  on  the  East  Side,  called  for  Dr.  Epps,  and 
after  having  some  conversation,  Epps  started  to  run  up 


560  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  sidewalk  when  George  fired  at  him  with  a  pistol,  and 
then  following-  his  victim  up  again  fired.  His  aim  was 
good,  and  Dr.  Epps  fell  mortally  wounded  to  the  side- 
walk, and  in  a  short  time  was  a  dead  man.  George  was 
promptlj'  arrested,  without  any  trouble,  and  claimed  the 
shooting  had  been  done  because  of  the  wrongful  action 
of  the  deceased  towards  a  young  female  relative  of 
George's,  and  upon  the  trial,  which  in  due  course  fol- 
lowed in  the  District  Court,  this  provocation  was  set  up 
as  a  partial  defense  and  also  the  fact  that  George  was 
subject  to  cer-tain  mental  and  physical  ailments.  But 
they  were  all  withoiit  avail.  George  was  found  guilty 
of  murder  in  the  first  degree  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged. 
An  appeal  was  taken  to  the  Supi'eme  Court,  and  there 
the  judgment  Avas  aiflrmed.  It  then  devolved  upon  the 
Governor  to  fix  the  day  for  his  execution.  But  repre- 
sentations were  made  of  the  facts  as  to  the  condition, 
mentally  and  physicallj^,  of  George,  then  in  the  peniten- 
tiary, and  the  Governor  postponed  from  time  to  time  ap- 
pointing a  day.  The  case  was  handed  from  one  Governor 
to  his  successor,  and  finally  this  tragedy  was  ended  by 
the  death  of  George  in  the  penitentiary,  where  he  had 
been  confined  from  the  time  of  his  conviction. 

HORSE   STEALING. 

From  the  earliest  days  of  the  white  settlement  of  the 
country,  the  stealing  of  horses  was  more  or  less  a  prev- 
alent, though  dangerous,  pursuit  in  Polk  County.  No 
doubt  prior  to  the  appearance  of  the  whites,  the  Indians 
were  engaged  in  stealing  horses  or  "ponies"  from  those 
of  other  tinbes  and  became  experts  in  this  work.  But  it 
remained  for  City  Marshal  Hafner,  in  August,  1885,  to 
make  the  largest  haul  of  stolen  horses  at  one  draw  of 
the  legal  net  ever  known  in  Iowa.     At  the  Rock  Island 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  561 

Railroad  stock  yards  in  that  month  he  captnred  seven- 
teen stolen  horses.  Tliej'  were  brought  there  and  own- 
ership claimed  by  one  Thomas  Shields,  a  Canadian,  who 
had  gathered  them  up  over  a  large  scope  of  country 
without  the  consent  of  their  real  owners.  Fifteen  of 
these  captured  horses  were  returned  to  their  owners, 
and  Shields,  who  was  wanted  in  four  States  for  his  in- 
fractions of  the  law,  was  tried  and  convicted  in  an  Iowa 
court  and  sentenced  to  five  years  in  the  penitentiary. 
This  was  very  good  work  on  the  part  of  Officer  Hafner, 
but  what  was  his  reward?  He  kept  two  of  the  horses, 
and  some  |1,000  in  cash  captured  with  them  from  Shields, 
and  after  paying  out  all  the  money  to  claimants  and  re- 
covering fifteen  horses  for  them,  he  had  to  be  defendant 
in  several  suits,  and  had  to  finally  pay  out  |235  of  his 
own  money,  and  also  bear  the  expense  of  kee])ing  two 
of  the  horses  for  one  entire  year.  This  certainly  was 
not  encouraging  to  an  honest,  faithful  officer. 

CRANE   KILLS   BLEECKMAN. 

In  1882  George  Crane,  a  young  man  who  was  born  and 
reared  in  Des  Moines  and  Bloomfield  Township,  his 
father  being  James  C>rane,  a  well  known  pioneer  mer- 
chant and  farmer,  came  to  town  with  Emil  Bleeckman, 
a  son  of  a  neighbor.  After  spending  some  time  in  the 
city,  during  which  time  it  is  said  Crane  drank  more  or 
less  liquor,  while  Bleeckman  remained  sober,  the  two 
young  men  started  on  their  way  home.  In  some  man- 
ner a  quarrel  arose  between  them,  and  culminated  at 
the  gate  near  the  home  of  Bleeckman.  After  a  short 
altercation  there  Crane  drew  a  pistol,  which  he  carried, 
and  fired  at  Bleeckman.  The  wound  was  of  such  a  na- 
ture that  after  lingering  a  day  or  two  the  wounded  man 
died.    There  was  much  excitement  over  the  tragedv,  but 


562  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  law  was  allowed  to  take  its  course.  Crane  was  ar- 
rested, indicted  by  the  grand  jury  and  tried  in  the  Dis- 
trict Court,  Judge  W.  H.  McHenry  presiding.  After  au 
exciting  legal  contest  Crane  was  acquitted  and  set  free. 

DEAD  BODY  FOUND. 

In  February,  1884,  the  dead  body  of  an  unknown  man 
was  found  one  morning  lying  in  an  alley  south  of  Court 
avenue,  between  First  and  Second  streets.  Subsequent 
information  gave  the  name  of  the  man  as  Williams,  a 
traveler  from  an  Eastern  State.  The  body  was  buried 
in  Woodland  Cemetery,  and  although  the  police  had 
suspicions  of  some  of  the  inmates  of  disorderlji'  houses 
then  existing  in  the  neighborhood  no  proof  could  be 
found,  and  the  murder  was  being  forgotten.  In  March, 
1885,  a  sensation  was  caused  by  one  Harry  Wolfe  having 
his  wife,  Carrie,  arrested  for  adultery.  They  were  both 
hard  characters,  and  on  trial  before  the  justice,  Carrie 
was  discharged.  This  excited  the  wrath  of  Harry,  and 
then  he  charged  that  at  the  time  of  the  murder  of  Will- 
iams, more  than  a  year  previous,  he  and  his  wife  were 
keeping  a  house  of  ill-fame  on  Court  avenue;  that  the 
night  of  his  death  Williams  came  to  their  house,  and 
went  into  a  room  with  his,  Wolfe's  wife.  Later  he  heard 
a,  shot,  rushed  in  and  found  his  wife,  with  a  pistol  in  her 
hand,  standing  over  the  dead  body  of  Williams;  that  he 
and  his  wife  took  some  eight  dollars  in  money  from  the 
body,  and  then  carried  it  out  and  placed  it  where  it  was 
found  the  next  morning.  He  also  stated  Williams  had 
some  three  thousand  dollars  in  money,  which  his  wife 
got  hold  of  before  the  shooting,  and  which  she  had  se- 
creted. This  was  the  substance  of  the  story  told  by 
Harry  W^olfe.  They  were  both  arrested.  Carrie  Wolfe 
vehfementJy  denied  the  story,    and    alleged  that  Harry 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  563 

liad  been  drinking  excessively  for  so  long  a  time  that  lie 
had  become  crazy,  and  did  not  know  what  he  was  talking 
about;  that  he  had  imagined  the  whole  story  in  regard 
to  her  committing  the  murder;  that  she  knew  nothing 
about  it.  Wolfe  and  his  wife  were  placed  in  jail  for  a 
time,  and  the  officers  made  further  investigation.  But 
they  were  without  avail,  so  far  as  obtaining  legal  proof, 
and  finally  Wolfe  and  his  wife  were  let  go  free.  The 
murder  of  Williams  was  then  allowed  to  take  its  place 
in  the  too  large  list  of  undiscovered  and  unexplained 
crimes  of  the  countj^ 

SMITH   SHOOTS   REYNOLDS. 

In  1883  Scott  Smith  shot  James  Reynolds,  and  in  about 
one  week  thereafter  Rejmolds  died  from  the  effects  of  the 
wounds.  Smith  Avas  a  j^oung  man,  Avho  had  been  mostly 
reared  in  this  city,  and  was  an  expert  gunsmith.  He  had 
a  fair  rei^utation,  though  he  would  occasionally  drink 
more  than  a  temperate  man  should.  Reynolds  was  also 
a  young  man,  who  had  lived  for  years  in  Des  Moines, 
but  was  regarded  as  being  inclined  to  go  with  a  crowd 
of  not  very  reputable  citizens.  On  the  night  of  the  shoot- 
ing Smith  was  in  an  alley  south  of  Walnut  street,  be- 
tween Sixth  and  Seventh,  when  he  was  approached  by 
Reynolds,  who  demanded  from  him  money  with  which 
to  purchase  whiskj^  or  for  some  other  purpose.  Smith 
refused  to  be  thus  "held  up"  for  this  or  anj^  other  pur- 
pose, and  upon  being  approached  by  Reynolds  in  a  threat- 
ening manner,  drew  a  pistol  and  fired.  As  before  stated 
Reynolds  was  mortally  wounded  and  some  days  after 
died.  Smith  was  promptlj^  arrested,  and  after  the  death 
of  Reynolds  was  indicted  for  murder  and  subsequently 
stood  his  trial  in  the  District  Court.  There  he  was  con- 
victed of  manslaughter.     He  appealed  and  gave  bonds, 


564  AiViVAL.S'  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

yet  he  continually  brooded  over  this  and  perhaps  other 
matters,  and  finally  some  time  thereafter  ended  all  his 
earthly  troubles  by  puttinji'  an  end  to  his  own  life. 

KILLING   OF    YOUNG    KEMP. 

June  17,  1891,  a  difficulty  occurred  among  some  young 
men  and  boys  at  the  Holiness  Camp  meeting  held  in  the 
northern  portion  of  Des  Moines.  John  A.  Jones,  a  son 
of  an  early  settler  of  the  same  name,  made  an  attack 
upon  James  F.  Kemj),  son  of  T.  G.  J.  Kemp,  and  in- 
flicted mortal  wounds  upon  him  with  a  razor.  It  was 
charged  he  caught  Kemp  by  the  head  and  with  the  razor 
made  a  fearful  wound,  cutting  the  Jugular  vein  and  into 
the  spinal  column.  Young  Kemp  was  immediately  cared 
for,  but  despite  the  skill  of  the  surgeons  he  died  some 
fifteen  hours  after  the  wounds  had  been  inflicted.  He 
was  only  seventeen  years  of  age,  while  Jones  was  in  his 
twenty-first  year.  Jones  was  arrested,  and  after  a  trial 
in  the  District  Court  tbe  following  year  the  jury  failed 
to  agree.  Some  time  after  this  another  trial  was  had, 
and  after  a  proti'acted  legal  fight  the  jury  returned  a  ver- 
dict finding  young  Jones  guilty  of  murder  in  the  second 
degree.  Judge  Holmes  then  sentenced  him  to  confine- 
ment in  the  penitentiaiw  for  the  term  of  fifteen  years. 
The  Supreme  Court  affirmed  this  sentence  and  Jones  is 
now  serving  his  allotted  term  in  the  State  penitentiary. 

SMITH    POISONED. 

In  April,  1894,  Michael  Smitli,  a  well  known  railroad 
engineer,  died  in  Des  Moines  very  suddenly,  although  he 
had  been  more  or  less  unwell  for  some  time.  Smith  was 
a  married  man,  having  a  wife,  Betsey  Smith,  who  had 
children  by  a  former  husband.  Some  months  before  his 
death.  Smith  had  been  shot  at  night  while  in  bed  with 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOIXES.  565 

his  wife.  This  shot  had  made  him  blind.  At  the  time 
of  the  shootiug  it  was  suspected,  if  not  directly  charged, 
that  Mrs.  Smith,  his  wife,  had  fired  the  shot,  though  she 
claimed  it  had  been  fired  by  some  strange  man  who  had 
entered  their  room  at  night,  and  whom  she  did  not  know. 
And  again  it  was  claimed  that  Smith  had  been  shot  be- 
cause he  had  been  too  intimate  with  another  man's  wife. 
After  Smith's  death  the  suspicions  of  foul  play  were 
fully  aroused,  and  taking  the  circumstances  surrounding 
the  case  it  was  more  than  suspected  death  had  been 
caused  by  the  administration  of  poison;  that  Mrs.  Smith 
was  anxious  to  become  free  from  a  now  blind  and  almost 
helpless  husband,  and  at  the  same  time  secure  what  little 
might  be  left  of  his  savings  and  also  a  few  thousand  dol- 
lars of  insurance  then  upon  his  life.  A  post  mort-em  ex- 
amination was  had  and  an  analysis  showed  the  presence 
of  enough  of  the  poison,  "Rough  on  Rats,"  to  have  killed 
more  than  one  healthj^  man. 

Mrs.  Smith  was  arrested,  and  after  some  delay  indicted, 
and  was  put  on  ti-ial  in  the  District  Court  in  June,  1894. 
There  were  in  the  Smith  family  at  the  time  of  his  death 
Mrs.  Betsy  Smith,  her  daughter  Cora  and  her  sister,  Mrs. 
Scoville  or  Lederer.  The  latter  was  nominally  the  keeper 
of  the  boarding  house,  and  among  the  other  boarders 
was  George  Belaire,  an  intimate  associate  of  Mrs.  Smith 
and  to  whom  she  had  given  considerable  amounts  of 
her  husband's  money  with  which  to  carry  on  a  saloon. 
On  the  trial  Mrs.  Scoville,  her  sister,  was  the  only  one 
who  testified  to  the  giving  of  the  poison  to  Smith  by  his 
wife.  This  witness  testified  she  had  seen  her  sister  ad- 
minister the  poison  to  her  husband  several  times,  but  was 
forced  to  admit  she  had  sworn  falsely  on  a  previous  oc- 
casion.    A   number  of  other  witnesses  testified  to   the 


566  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

shameless  neglect  of  her  blind  and  sick  husband,  and 
that  on  the  night  of  his  death  she  prevented  the  calling 
of  a  physician  until  it  was  too  late  to  save  his  life. 

County  Attorney  Davis  prosecuted  the  case  with  zeal 
and  ability,  while  the  defense  was  mainly  in  the  hands 
of  F.  B.  lluckstep,  an  able  attorney  of  this  city,  assisted 
by  U.  F.  Dale.  The  former's  address  to  the  jury  is  spoken 
of  as  one  of  the  most  able  legal  efforts  in  the  history  of 
the  couri.  He  unmercifully  flayed  some  of  the  witnesses 
for  the  ])ro>jecution,  and  was  especially  severe  upon  the 
man  ])eJaire,  who  after  wronging  the  dead  man  had  ac- 
cepted money  and  other  favors  from  Betsy  Smith,  pre- 
tended to  be  her  best  friend,  and  then  sought  to  convict 
her  of  a  heinous  crime  with  j)erjured  testimony.  But  the 
eloquence,  ability  and  zeal  of  Attorney  Huckstep  could 
not  save  Betsy  Smith.  The  jury  found  her  guilty  of  mur- 
der, and  she  was  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  life  in 
the  Anauiosa  i^enitentiary,  where  she  now  is.  Attorneys 
lluckstep  and  Dale,  however,  perfected  an  appeal  to  the 
Supreme  ("nurt,  and  are  confident  that  the  higher  court 
will  reverse  and  set  aside  the  verdict  against  Betsy 
Smith. 

Then  in  a  few  months  followed  the  strangest  part  of 
this  tragedy.  Cora,  tlie  daughter  of  Betsy  Smith,  and 
stepdaughter  of  Michael  Smith,  vohmtarily  comes  for- 
ward and  confesses  that  she  herself  did  adminster  poison 
to  her  stepfather,  and  that  her  aunt,  Mrs.  Lederer  or  Sco- 
ville,  did  also  administer  to  him  poison,  and  from  the 
effects  of  the  same  he  died.  But  she  solemnly  swears 
that  her  mother  never  did  administer  poison  to  him  or 
have  anything  to  do  with  its  administration.  Cora,  a 
young  Avoman,  about  twenty  years  of  age,  upon  her  own 
voluntary  confession,  was  found  guilty  of  murder,  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  567 

sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  life.  She  is  now  with 
her  mother  at  Anamosa  penitentiary.  The  sister  of  Betsy 
Smitli  is  reported  as  again  married  and  removed  from  the 
State. 

KILLED   ON   PUBLIC   STREET. 

A  mnrder  of  recent  date  is  jet  fresh  in  the  minds  of 
most  of  the  citizens  of  the  county.  On  the  night  of  the 
19th  of  May,  1894=,  Lucius  Blake  Eidpath,  a  conductor  on 
the  Great  Western  Railroad,  who  was  then  residing  with 
his  familj'  on  Third  street,  Des  Moines,  while  on  his  way 
fi'oni  his  home  to  the  railroad  station  to  take  charge  of 
his  train,  was  assaulted,  shot  and  killed  by  two,  then  un- 
known, highwaymen.  This  murder,  so  sudden  and  un- 
provoked, caused  much  excitement  among  the  citizens 
generallj^,  and  especialh^  among  the  hundreds  of  railroad 
men  in  the  city. 

Fortunately  the  police  officers  were  enabled  to  soon  lay 
their  hands  upon  the  perpetrators  of  the  crime.  On  the 
following  day  John  Hamil  and  John  Kroiit  were  arrested 
charged  with  the  crime,  and  upon  the  following  day 
George  Weems  was  also  arrested  as  one  of  the  guilty 
parties.  It  was  soon  learned  beyond  a  doubt  that  the 
proper  persons  had  been  secured,  and  John  Krout  was 
anxious  to  tell  all  he  knew  about  the  tragedy.  After  the 
arrest  of  these  men,  they  being  young  fellows  of  about 
the  age  of  twenty  years,  the  excitement  became  more  in- 
tense, and  threats  of  lynch  law  were  freely  made.  A 
large  crowd  gathered  at  or  near  the  police  station,  many 
of  whom  were  wild  with  excitement,  and  for  a  time  it 
looked  as  if  swift  punishment  would  follow  the  crime 
at  the  hands  of  exasperated  railroad  men  and  other  cit- 
izens. Fortunately,  through  persuasion  and  the  prompt 
action  of  the  police  and  sheriff's  officers,  and  the  lack  of 


568  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

oroanization  among-  the  people  present,  the  prisoners 
were  protected  from  violence.  They  were  committed 
withont  hail,  hut  when  the  officers  Avith  their  prisoners 
reached  the  vicinity  of  the  county  jail  the,y  found  another 
large  throng-  of  maddened  citizens  there  gathered.  With 
some  trouble  and  a  determined  show  of  force  the  pris- 
oners were  finall.y  lodged  in  jail.  But  as  the  crowd  lin- 
gered around  the  jail  for  hours,  and  appearances  indicated 
a  probable  more  determined  attempt  to  reach  and  injure 
the  prisoners,  the  sheriff  wisely  determined  to  place  them 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  mob.  Accordingly  the  deputies 
disguised  the  prisoners  and  themselves  and  quietly  slipped 
out  of  the  jail  and  hurried  them  to  a  safe  place  outside 
of  the  city.  There  they  were  kept  until  the  excitement 
had  somewhat  abated,  when  they  were  returned  to  tlie 
county  jail. 

Hamil  and  Weems  were  promptlj'  indicted,  and  Krout, 
who  was  regarded  as  the  least  guilty  of  tlie  three,  was 
used  as  a  witness  for  the  Btate,  and  Anally  let  go  free. 
A  strong  effort  was  made  by  the  defence  to  obtain  a  change 
of  venue  to  another  county,  on  accoimt  of  the  excitement 
and  alleged  prejudice  against  the  defendants  in  city  and 
county,  but  these  motions  were  promptly  over-ruled  by 
Judge  Balliet,  who  presided  in  the  District  Court,  and 
at  the  folloAving  July  term  they  were  each  tried  separ- 
ately upon  the  charge  of  murder  in  tlie  first  degree. 
Weems  was  first  placed  on  trial,  and  the  jury  prcnnptly 
returned  a  verdict  of  guilty,  fixing  death  as  the  punish- 
ment. Hamil's  trial  followed,  and  he,  too,  was  convicted 
and  the  death  penalty  fixed.  During  the  tri,al  John  Krout, 
one  of  the  defendants,  testified  that  he,  Krout,  Weems 
and  Hamil  were  together  for  several  hours  immediately 
prior  to  the  murder  of  Ridpath;  that  they  visited  several 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE>i  M01NE>S.  569 

saloons  and  houses  of  ill  repute;  that  they  then  started 
out  for  the  purpose  of  holding  some  one  up;  that  the,y 
met  Ridpath  on  Third  street,  and  Weems  and  Hamil- 
crossed  the  street;  that  he  heard  a  shot  tired  and  saw  the 
men  run  away;  that  he  then  crossed  the  street  to  where 
the  murdered  man  lay.  Also,  that  he  afterwards  met 
Weems  and  llamil  and  asked  the  latter  Avhat  he  had 
done  with  his  revolver,  and  Hamil  said  he  had  "planted 
it;"  that  this  night  was  the  first  time  he  had  ever  met 
Weems  or  Hamil.  Other  witnesses  testified  that  Hamil, 
Weems  and  Krout  were  together  on  the  night  of  the 
inurder  of   Kidpath. 

The  convicted  murderers,  Weems  and  Hamil,  were  sen- 
tenced to  be  hanged  by  the  neck  imtil  dead,  and  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  laws  of  the  State  they  were  sent  to 
the  penitentiary  at  Fort  Madison  to  await  the  cariyiug 
out  of  the  sentence,  and  the  results  of  the  appeals  taken 
to  the  Supreme  Court  in  both  cases.  The  Supreme  Court 
some  months  ago  affirmed  the  judgment  of  the  lower 
court.  A  motion,  however,  for  a  rehearing  has  been  filed, 
and  this  motion  remains  undisposed  of  at  this  A\T:'iting. 
Should  the  Supreme  Court  reaffirm  its  former  decision 
it  will  devolve  upon  the  Governor  to  fix  the  time  when 
these  two  young  convicted  murderers  shall  be  hanged 
in  accordance  with  the  original  sentence  in  the  District 
Court.  The  Governor  or  the  General  Assembly  may  par- 
don or  commute  the  sentence,  although,  as  far  as  known, 
no  steps  in  the  latter  direction  have  been  taken  by  the 
friends  of  the  murderers. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  CAPITOL-OLD  AND  NEW. 

FEOM  the  first  Des  Moines  was  by  not  a  few  Iowa 
men  looked  npon  as  the  future  capital  of  the  State. 
The  first  Territorial  capital  had  been  located  at 
Burlington,  but  this  then  town  being  located  near  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  Territory  it  was  not  expected 
it  would  continue  as  the  capital  many  years.  This  ex- 
pectation was  realized.  In  a  few  years,  sanctioned  by 
Congress,  the  ca])ital  was  estabMshed  at  Iowa  City  and 
a  fine  stone  building,  for  that  day,  was  there  erected  at 
the  expense  of  the  general  government.  At  that  time 
nearly  all  tlie  organized  counties,  towns  and  settlements 
were  along  the  Mississippi  River,  or  within  one  hundred 
miles  of  tlie  same.  Iowa  City  was  well  located,  so  far 
as  the  north  and  south  lines  of  the  new  State  were  con- 
cerned, and  also  as  to  the  then  population,  but  by  the 
acute  minds  of  the  pioneers  it  was  seen  that  its  location 
was  too  far  east  to  make  it  the  permanent  capital  of  the 
State,  especially  when  the  boundaries  of  the  latter  had 
been  exended  to  the  Missouri  River.  As  the  central  and 
western  portions  of  the  State  became  more  populous  and 
more  thickly  settled,  it  was  evident  the  State  capital 
must,  Avitli  the  emigration,  move  further  west.  This  was 
conceded  at  an  early  day.  In  fact  only  a  year  or  two  after 
the  territory  became  a  State  the  General  Assembly  ap- 
pointed commissioners  to  locate  a  site  for  a  new  capital 
more  to  the  west  and  more  near  the  geographical  center 
of  tlie  State.  This  commission  in  due  time  selected  a  sec- 
tion of  land  near  what  was  then  called  Toole's  Point,  on 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEi<  MOINEH.  571 

the  divide  between  the  Des  Moines  and  Slinnlv  Rivers, 
near  the  present  town  of  Monroe,  Jasper  County.  That 
was  then  a  wild  open  prairie,  with  but  few  settlers  within 
many  nailes.  But  the  commissioners  proceeded  to  la^^  off 
lots  by  the  hundreds  for  the  accommodation  of  the  com- 
ing inhabitants  of  a  future  capital  city,  and  for  a  time 
many  of  these  lots  were  sold  and  some  speculation  had 
in  them.  But  the  next  General  Assembly  refused  to  en- 
dorse this  action  of  the  commissioners  and  that  capital 
city  "died  abornin." 

As  before  stated,  however,  the  citizens  of  the  then  Fort 
Des  Moines  had  their  eyes  directed  towards  the  coveted 
capital,  and  thejr  never  relaxed  their  efforts  in  this  di- 
rection until  success  crowned  these  efforts.  At  every 
session  of  the  General  Assembly  held  at  loAva  City  the 
question  of  the  removal  of  the  capital  to  Des  Moines  was 
talked  over,  men  from  the  latter  were  there  ready  to  set 
forth  in  glowing  terms  the  advantages  of  their  future 
city,  and  they  were  materially  aided  especially  by  influ- 
ential men  whose  homes  were  in  the  lower  portion  of  the 
Des  Moines  Valley.  Hon.  P.  M.  Casadj^,  when  a  State 
Senator,  did  much  toward  creating  a  favorable  sentiment 
in  this  direction,  and  he  was  heartil,y  backed  by  the  in- 
fluential citizens  of  that  that  day.  Dr.  A.  Y.  Hull,  Hon. 
James  C.  Jordan,  Dr.  W.  P.  Davis,  Hon.  Alfred  M.  Lyon, 
as  members  of  the  General  Assembly,  also  worked  zeal- 
ously and  shrewdly  to  bring  about  this  removal,  while 
Col.  Barlow  Granger,  Major  Hoyt  Sherman,  Col.  JoseiiJi 
M.  Griffiths,  Thomas  Mitchell,  and  a  number  of  other 
Polk  County  men,  gave  freely  of  their  time,  money  and 
personal  influence  to  bring  about  this  much  desired  change 
of  the  capital  location.  In  fact  all  the  citizens  of  the  town 
and  county  unitedl.y  pulled  altogether  at  this  time,  and 


572  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

they  finally  succeeded.  At  the  session  of  the  General  As- 
sembly held  in  the  winter  of  1854-55  the  following  act 
was  passed: 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  vState  of  Iowa,  That  five  commissioners,  a  majority  of 
Avhom  are  hereby  empowered  to  act,  sliall  be  appointed 
by  the  Governor  to  relocate  the  seat  of  government  of 
tliis  State.  Provided,  Tliat  the  site  selected  by  them  be 
within  two  (2)  miles  of  the  junction  of  the  Des  Moines 
and  Raccoon  Rivers,  Polk  County,  and  Provided  further, 
That  the  Governor,  before  issuing  his  proclamation  herein 
provided  for,  shall  approve  of  the  site  selected  and  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  commissioners,  or  a  majoritj'  of 
them. 

It  was  a  short  law,  of  not  many  words,  but  it  meaut 
much  to  the  City  of  Des  Moines  and  to  Polk  County. 
Governor  Grimes  was  friendly  to  the  passage  of  this  act, 
and  promptly  approved  it.  As  commissioners,  provided 
for  by  the  law,  he  appointed  Htewart  Goodrell,  of  Wash- 
ington County;  J.  II.  I).  Street,  of  Wapello;  Benjamin  R. 
Pegram,  of  Pottawattamie;  Guy  Wells,  of  Lee;  and  John 
A.  L.  Crookham,  of  Mahaska,  who  all  promptly  ac- 
cepted. 

Originally  the  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines  was  all  located 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  and  for  several  years  after 
the  failure  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn  no  attempt  was  made 
to  build  up  a  town  on  the  East  Side.  But  in  1853-54  an- 
other effort  was  made  in  this  direction.  W.  A.  Scott,  John 
S.  Dean,  Dr.  T.  K.  Brooks,  Harrison  Lyon,  and  a  few 
others  were  the  original  proprietors,  and  along  in  1854 
Joseph  M.  and  Harry  H.  Griffiths  purchased  a  tract  of 
sixty  or  more  acres  now  in  the  heart  of  the  business  por- 
tion of  the  East  Side.    Scott  and  Dean  laid  off  lots  along 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  573 

the  river,  and  the  Griffiths  made  their  addition  on  the 
higlier  ground,  wliile  Lyon  and  BrooliS  also  followed  with 
their  additions.  Gen.  James  A.  Williamson,  Dr.  Alex- 
ander Shaw,  Ed  Hall,  M.  D.  McHenrv,  Alfred  M.  Lyon, 
the  Bai'lows,  E.  W.  Clark,  Dr.  Henry  Courtney,  Isaac 
Brandt,  G.  W.  Connor,  Samuel  Gray,  Will  Tomlinson,  Col. 
Thomas  A.  Walker,  and  a  number  of  others,  man}'  of  them 
influential  men,  became  interested  in  the  building  up  of 
a  town  on  the  East  Side,  and  in  1854-55-5(3  they  caused 
that  side  to  haye  Ayhat  might  in  these  later  days  be 
called  a  "boom." 

They  were  alsf)  shrewd  managers  and  they  managed 
to  get  some  of  the  most  influential  political  and  financial 
managers  of  the  State  interested  in  East  Side  real  estate. 
And  then  the  East  Side  set  up  as  a  rival  of  the  West 
Side,  and  much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  latter  made  a  bold 
strike  for  the  location  of  the  capitol.  The  West  Side  had 
for  a  time  looked  on  the  new  East  Side  movement  with 
indifference,  but  soon  to  its  surprise  found  itself  face  t<^ 
face  with  a  young  but  vigorous  and  ambitious  rival,  seek- 
ing to  capture  a  prize  for  which  the  original  town  had 
fought  so  long  and  now  supposed  to  be  safely  in  its  pos- 
session. 

It  will  be  seen  by  reading  the  act  the  only  limit  placed 
upon  the  action  of  the  commissioners  was:  "That  the 
site  selected  by  them  shall  be  within  Uvo  miles  of  the 
junction  of  the  Des  Moines  and  Raccoon  Rivers."  This 
had  been  inserted  in  the  law  by  the  shrewd  managers  of 
the  East  Side  interests,  and  left  the  commission  free  to 
select  a  sight  on  either  side  of  the  river.  All  the  citizens 
had  been  together  in  getting  the  removal  bill  passed,  but 
when  it  came  to  the  question  of  actual  location  there  was 
diversity  of  personal,  pecuniary  and  local  interests.    Wlien 


574  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  commissioners  first  came  to  the  tOAvn  in  1855  the  ex- 
citement became  intense  and  at  times  very  bitter.  They 
examined  a  number  of  proposed  sites  on  botli  the  East 
and  West  Sides,  and  man}''  public,  and  not  a  few  private, 
interviews  were  held  hy  and  with  them.  Talk  of  bribery 
and  corruption  was  of  course  current,  and  the  friends  of 
proposed  sites  held  meetings,  discussed  matters,  and  per- 
haps provided  ways  and  means  which  they  hoped  might 
lead  to  success.  It  was  a  time  of  great  excitement  in 
the  community.  But  owing  to  the  legal  hindrances  and 
other  causes,  the  commission  finally  decided  to  postpone 
final  action  until  the  following  year,  though  somehow  the 
impression  got  abroad  that  in  the  end  the  East  Side  would 
be  the  winner. 

The  commission  met  again  in  Des  Moines  in  April, 
1S5G,  and  on  the  evening  of  April  21  it  was  decided  to 
locate  the  capitol  on  the  East  Side,  on  the  ground  where 
the  magnificent  building  now  stands.  This  final  decision 
was  publicly  announced  on  the  next  day.  This  was  a 
great  disappointment  to  the  West  Side,  though  not  un- 
expected, and  of  corresponding  elation  on  the  part  of 
those  interested  on  the  East  Side.  All  sorts  of  charges 
were  made  of  corrupt  influences  having  been  brought  to 
bear  upon  the  commissioners — that  they  had  been  bought 
with  a  price,  etc.  And  at  a  subsequent  session  of  the 
General  Assembly  an  investigation  was  had,  but  like 
many  other  legislative  investigations  the  result  was 
hardly  worth  the  time  and  money  invested  in  it.  The 
truth  of  history,  however,  compels  the  statement  that 
it  was  generally  understood  and  believed  at  the  time  that 
at  least  some  of  the  commissioners  made  a  very  good 
thing,  financially  considered,  by  their  votes  and  actions 
in  locating  the  new  capitol.     And  it  must  also  be  said 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  575 

that  this  was  not  regarded  at  that  time  as  a  very  venial 
offense,  except  by  those  who  did  not  get  what  they  wanted. 
In  those  days  many  county  seats  were  to  be  located,  and 
in  these  cases  it  was  generally  considered  right  and  proper 
for  the  locating  commissioners  to  "make  something"  for 
their  own  private  pockets.  If  this  rnle  was  good  when 
applied  to  the  location  of  county  seats,  why  should  it  not 
be  also  good  when  applied  to  the  location  of  a  State  cap- 
itol?  In  the  course  of  time  this  local  feeling  subsided  and 
iu  a  few  years  nearly  all  united  in  the  conclusion  that 
the  commisson  had  made  a  wise  choice  in  location.  The 
capitol  grounds  are  naturally  sightly  and  beautiful,  and 
in  addition  to  these  grounds  the  owners  of  land  on  the 
East  Side  also  donated  a  fine  square  to  the  State  upon 
which  to,  at  some  future  day,  erect  a  Governor's  man- 
sion. This  has  not  yet  been  built,  though  talked  of  for 
many  years. 

To  secure  the  location  the  property  owners  interested 
had  agreed  to  erect  a  temporary  capitol  for  the  use  of 
the  General  Assembly  and  the  State  officers,  without  ex- 
pense to)  the  St-ate.  Immediately  after  the  final  location 
was  made  a  company  was  organized,  money  raised  and 
work  commenced  upon  the  new  building.  Among  the 
stockholders  in  this  capitol  company  were  W.  A.  Scott, 
James  A.  Williamson,  A.  M.  Lyon,  T.  K.  Brooks,  Alex- 
ander Shaw,  Joseph  M.  and  Henry  H.  Grifiiths,  and  a 
number  of  other  prominent  men  of  the  East  Side.  Capt. 
John  C.  Booth  was  superintendent,  and  John  Bryan  was 
the  master  carpenter.  William  Lowry,  John  Hj'de,  H. 
H.  Rich,  and  others  took  an  active  part  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  building.  It  was  built  of  brick,  three  stories 
in  height,  Avithout  much  ornamentation,  and  considering 
the  early  times  and  the  difficulty  in  procuring  proper  ma- 


576  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

terial,  was  au  excellent  and  substantial  building.  The 
two  lower  floors  were  arranged  for  the  Supreme  Court, 
vState  library,  and  State  officers,  while  on  the  upper  floor 
were  the  Senate  chamber,  hall  of  the  House,  with  lobby, 
postoffice,  etc.  Subsequently  under  contract  with  the 
State,  S.  A.  Kobertson  placed  a  uoav  foundation  and  base- 
ment under  the  entire  building — a  delicate  and  danger- 
ous work,  skillfully  and  successfully  executed. 

For  twenty  years  or  more,  during  the  most  exciting 
and  critical  times  in  the  history  of  the  State,  this  build- 
ing was  occupied  by  the  State  officers,  the  Supreme  Court, 
and  by  the  General  Assembly,  in  regular  or  special  ses- 
sions. Many  old  memories  cling  around  that  building, 
which  was  the  scene  of  so  many  exciting  and  noteworthy 
events.  When  abandoned  for  the  new  capitol,  it  was 
allowed  to  go  to  wreck  and  ruin,  and  finally  it  was  left 
an  unsightly  wreck  by  fire.  Then  this  debris  was  removed 
and  the  grounds  cleared  for  the  erection  of  the  soldiers' 
monument,  which  now  stands  upon  the  site  of  the  build- 
ing which  was  for  many  years  the  capitol  of  the  State 
of  loAva. 

One  happening  about  the  location  of  the  capitol  grounds 
might  here  be  mentioned.  As  before  stated  most  of  the 
citizens  on  the  West  Side  were  maddened  and  disgusted 
with  the  location  as  made,  and  a  short  time  afterwards 
a  meeting  was  held  at  the  banking  house  of  B.  F.  Allen 
to  take  some  action  in  regard  to  it.  P.  M.  Casady,  fearful 
of  rash  and  injudicious  action  on  the  part  of  these  offended 
citizens,  attended  the  meeting  in  company  with  Dan  O. 
Finch.  The  latter  made  a  speech,  urging  patience  and 
moderation,  but  his  remarks  were  coldly  received.  On 
the  other  hand,  wlien  Dr.  W.  P.  Davis  spoke  bitterly  of 
the  commissioners  and  their  action,  and  introduced  reso- 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  577 

lutions  deuounciiif;'  them  in  rather  violent  terms,  the  men 
present  manifested  their  hearty  apj)roYal.  P.  M.  Casady 
then  diplomatically  sviggested  that  as  only  a  portion  of  the 
property  owners  interested  were  present,  it  might  be 
better  to  adjonrn  this  meeting  to  another  time  and  place 
Avhen  a  full  rei)resentation  conld  be  had  from  all  inter- 
ested. This  suggestion  was  finally  approved  hj  a  major- 
ity of  those  present,  and  that  meeting  adjourned  with- 
out action.  The  resolutions  of  censure  were  not  adopted 
and  the  proposed  next  meeting  was  never  held.  Mr.  Cas- 
ady carried  his  point,  and  afterwards  most  of  the  West 
Side  citizens,  having  cooled  off,  thought  it  more  wise  to 
let  the  matter  drop.  And  wlien,  two  years  after,  the  leg- 
islative investigating  committee  sought  to  obtain  these 
resolutions  tliey  could  not  be  found  and  they  were  in- 
formed they  had  never  been  adopted. 

The  friends  of  Des  Moines  had  secured  the  insertion 
of  a  provision  in  the  new  Constitution  of  the  State  of 
Iowa  permanently  locating  the  capitol  at  Des  Moines  and 
making  it  the  fixed  seat  of  government  of  the  State.  The 
convention  which  framed  this  Constitution  met  in  Iowa 
City  in  January,  1857,  and  a  number  of  Des  Moines  men 
were  there  for  some  time  looking  after  the  interests  of 
their  city.  The  writer  was  there  and  knew  how  zealously 
and  shrewdly  they  worked  to  place  the  capitol  location 
at  Des  Moines  upon  a  sure  and  permanent  basis.  They 
were  mucli  aided  by  friends  from  other  parts  of  the  Sfcite 
and  especially  by  those  from  Lee  and  Des  Moines  Coun- 
ties, and  from  other  counties  in  the  south  and  southeast- 
ern part  of  the  State.  Hon.  J.  C.  Hal-l,  of  Burlington,  a 
great  lawyer  and  great  man,  was  naturally  a  leader  in 
the  convention,  and  he  was  always  a  steady  and  influ- 
ential friend  of  Des  Moines.     There  were  others  also  de- 


578  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

serviug  of  special  notice.  To  placate  tlie  friends  of  Iowa 
City  there  was  coupled  witli  the  permanent  location  of 
the  capitol  at  Des  Moines  a  x)rovision  permanently  lo- 
cating the  State  University  at  Iowa  City  and  setting 
apart  for  its  use  the  State  grounds  and  buildings  in  that 
city.  This  was  a  very  substantial  gain  to  Iowa  City, 
as  she  had  lost  the  capitol  any  way,  and  now  gained 
in  many  respects  a  better  institution.  The  new  Consti- 
tution was  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people  in  August, 
1857.  The  Democrats  of  the  State  were  generally  op- 
posed to  it  on  account  of  its  banking  and  other  features, 
and  not  all  the  Republicans  favored  it.  The  capital  lo- 
cation clause,  however,  controlled  the  votes  in  many  of 
the  counties.  Marshall  and  Story  Counties  were  near  tlie 
geographical  center  of  the  State  and  had  hopes  of  some 
day  securing  the  capital.  Hence,  they  voted  heavily 
against  the  new  Constitution.  Mahaska  County  went  the 
same  way,  for  the  reason  that  Oskaloosa  had  not  yet 
abandoned  hope  of  successful  rivalry  with  Des  Moines. 
But  these  opposition  votes  were  fuUj^  offset  b}-  the  almost 
solid  vote  of  Polk  and  some  of  the  counties  adjacent  in 
favor  of  adoption,  while  many  hundreds  of  Democrats 
in  Lee,  Des  Moines  and  other  counties,  voted  for  the  new 
Constittition,  because  it  did  permanently  locate  the  cap- 
ital at  Des  Moines.  These  votes  saved  the  new  Constitu- 
tion, a  considerable  majority  of  the  voters  of  the  State 
voting  in  favor  of  its  adoption. 

The  temporary  capitol  building  being  about  completed 
late  in  the  fall  of  1857,  Governor  Grimes  issued  a  procla- 
mation declaring  Des  Moines  to  be  the  capital  of  Iowa, 
ordered  the  State  officers  to  remove  their  books,  papers, 
■etc.,  there,  and  notified  the  next  General  Assembly  to 
meet  at  Des  Moines.    As  all  the  State  archives,  etc.,  had 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINE,"^.  579 

to  be  hauled  by  teams  from  Iowa  Citj',  there  then  being- 
no  railroad  west  of  that  citj',  this  removal  was  a  tedious 
and  troublesome  work.  In  fact,  it  is  stated  the  safe  of 
the  state  treasurer  had  to  be  left  for  a  time  in  the  mud 
and  mire  of  Skunk  Elver,  from  which  after  a  long  rest 
it  was  finally  rescued.  Late  in  the  year  1857  the  State 
officers,  with  their  records,  books,  etc.,  were  domiciled 
in  their  new  quarters,  and  Des  Moines  became  de  jure 
and  </e  ftido  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Iowa.  It  is  need- 
less to  say  they  met  with  a  hearty  welcome  from  the  cit- 
izens who  had  for  years  labored  to  bring  about  this  re- 
moval. At  last  success  had  crowned  their  efforts.  They 
had  a  i^erfect  right  to  feel  happy. 

In  January,  1858,  the  first  General  Assembly  to  meet 
in  Des  Moines  convened.  In  another  chapter  we  write 
of  the  cordial  and  hospitable  manner  in  which  the  mem- 
bers were  received.  The  citizens  vied  with  each  other 
in  freely  giving  them  the  best  they  had,  and  nothing  was 
too  good  for  them. 

As  previously  stated  the  temporary  capitol  had  been 
built  by  a  few  citizens  interested  in  East  Side  property, 
and  freeh''  given  to  the  State.  Through  the  financial  panic 
which  soon  followed,  and  other  causes,  many  of  the  pro- 
moters and  backers  of  this  work  became  financially  em- 
barrassed. A  portion  of  th  mouej^  to  build  the  tempor- 
ary capitol  had  been  borrowed  from  the  State  permanent 
school  fund,  and  to  secure  this  these  enterprising  gentle- 
men had  executed  mortgages  upon  much  of  their  prop- 
erty. This  debt  could  not  be  met  as  expected,  and  this 
lien  upon  the  property  hindered  its  sale  and  management. 
This  placed  many  good  citizens  in  a  very  embarrassing- 
position.  The  General  Assembly  was  slow  in  coming  to 
their  relief,  and  many  members  seemed  to  desire  they 


580  AXNALS  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

should  be  held  to  the  strict  letter  of  their  too  generous 
aud  liberal  contract.  But  finally  a  better  feeling  pre- 
vailed, and  the  State  assumed  some  of  the  obligations  of 
the  Capitol  company  aud  gave  a  portion  of  the  deserred 
relief  to  its  members.  But  the  latter  were  reimbursed 
with  but  a  small  portion  of  the  money  expended  by  them. 
The  building  soon  became  filled  to  overflowing,  and  after 
a  time  the  State  erected  a  temporary  brick  building  on 
the  south  side  of  the  square,  for  the  use  of  the  State  land 
office  aud  for  other  j^urposes.  A  portion  of  this  building 
was  used  as  an  office  f(U'  the  commissioners  while  build- 
ing the  present  capitol,  and  when  the  latter  was  com- 
pleted this  building  was  torn  down.  Considerable  re- 
pairs and  improvements  were  made  ou  au<l  in  the  tem- 
porary capitol  during  the  twenty  or  more  years  it  was 
in  the  service  of  the  State. 

After  the  Civil  War  was  over  and  the  tlusli  times  Avhich 
followed  were  being  enjoyed  by  the  people,  talk  com- 
menced in  relation  to  the  building  of  a  new  aud  handsome 
capitol.  Tlu:'  old  building  was  not  adequate  to  the  de- 
mands made  upon  it.  It  was  small  and  inconvenient,  aud 
notwithstanding  the  efforts  made  in  that  direction  was 
illy  lighted,  warmed  and  ventilated.  jSTot  only  this,  but 
tlie  building  could  not  be  made  absolutely  safe — many 
men  ft-ared  it  might  tumble  down  some  day  and  play  sad 
haA'Oc  with  the  assembled  wisdom  and  learning  of  the 
State.  It  was  also  liable  to  destruction  b}''  tire,  aud  had 
already  esca])ed  some  close  calls  from  that  calamity. 
These  aiul  otlier  facts  made  aluiudant  reasons  why  the 
temporary  building  slioidd  l)e  abandoned  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. Bui  as  was  only  natural,  tlu're  were  many  objec- 
tions raised  to  this  new  ca]»itol.  The  erection  of  tlie 
same  iu\ol\-('(l  the  e\])enditure  by  the  Stat(^  of  one  mil- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  210IXE,S.  581 

liou  or  two  millious  of  dollars,  which  must  be  met  by  the 
taxation  of  the  i>eople  of  the  State.  Some  few  close  econ- 
omists suggested  the  erection  of  a  building  which  would 
cost  only  two  hundred  thousand  or  three  hundred  thou- 
sa  nd  dollars,  but  to  the  credit  of  the  Btate  be  it  said  these 
nwm  were  in  a  minority.  The  majority  were  firmly  in 
the  belief  that  if  a  new  building  was  to  be  erected  it 
should  be  one  which  would  stand  as  an  honor  to  the 
State;  that  it  should  not  only  be  large  and  handsome, 
but  also  substantial,  fireproof  and  adapted  to  the  sup- 
ply of  the  needs  of  the  State  for  many  years  to  come. 

Then  there  were  other  cities  and  localities  that  had 
once  had  hopes  of  the  capitol  being  f)laced  in  or  near 
them,  and  they  were  not  ready  as  yet  to  abandon  all  hope 
in  this  direction.  They  knew  that  the  erection  of  a  new 
capitol  building  would  settle  for  all  time  the  question 
of  location,  and  they  were  uot  ready  for  this.  Again  the 
City  of  Des  Moines  was  gaining  rapidly  in  wealth  and 
population,  was  forging  ahead  of  other  cities  aud  bid- 
ding fair  to,  in  a  fcAV  years,  lead  them  all  in  size  and 
importance.  This  naturally  created  more  or  less  jeal- 
ousy on  the  part  of  other  cities.  All  these  causes  com- 
bined a  strojig  and  obstinate  opposition  in  the  General 
Assembly  to  the  passage  of  a  law  which  would  commit 
the  State  to  the  erection  of  the  desired  large  and  costly 
building.  And  this  opposition  had  in  its  ranks  some  able 
leaders — men  of  ability,  good  speakers  and  workers — 
Avlio  going  into  the  fight  became  deeply  interested  in  it, 
ajid  fought  to  the  end  with  energy,  strength  and  too  often 
with  bitterness.  They  fought  it  with  desperation,  and  left 
no  means  untried  to  defeat  the  measure,  and  they  came 
very  near  accomplishing  their  jjurpose. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

NEW   CAPITOL   BATTLE   FOUGHT  AND  WON. 
BY   HON.  JOHN   A.   KASSON. 

THE  famous  contest  for  the  erection  of  our  present 
State  capitol  began  in  1868,  in  tlie  Twelftli  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  and  continued  through  the  Thir- 
teenth and  Fourteenth  assemblies,  covering  a  period  of 
five  years. 

The  Fifth  General  Assembly  had  authorized  a  com- 
mission to  select  a  site  for  the  permanent  capitol  within 
a  radius  of  twO'  miles  from  the  junction  of  the  Des  Moines 
and  Raccoon  Rivers;  and,  according  to  the  unjust  prac- 
tice of  the  time,  thej"^  were  to  receive  from  private  per- 
sons gifts  and  grants  to  the  State  in  consideration  of 
such  location.  A  few  of  the  land  owners  of  Des  Moines 
granted  something  over  twenty  acres  of  valuable  land 
and  lots,  most  of  it  on  an  elevated  site  overlooking  tlie 
two  beautiful  rivers,  which  here  unite  their  waters.  They 
were  further  required  by  the  act  to  erect  at  their  own 
cost,  for  the  legislature,  a  temporary  State  house,  and 
until  this  should  be  done  without  charge  to  the  State 
the  capitol  was  to  remain  at  Iowa  City.  This  house  was 
built  as  cheaply  as  possible  and  in  haste,  and  the  Twelftli 
Assembly  was  the  first  to  occupy  it,  in  1858.  The  usual 
disappointment  to  local  investors  followed.  They  had 
expected  to  recoup  themselves  by  a  rapid  advance  in 
prices  of  land  and  lots  around  the  new  capitol.  But  these 
prices  did  not  advance  as  expected.  The  financial  crisis 
of  18.57  also  intervened.  The  town  was  still  distant  from 
railroads,  whose  progress  had  been   suspended  hj  em- 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXE.S.  583 

barrassments  in  the  finanaces  of  tlie  couutry.  Town  lots, 
which  had  been  almost  as  good  as  legal  tender,  were 
abundant  and  unsaleable.  Money  was  scarce,  and  the 
times  depressing.  Nearly  all  the  donators  to  the  State 
were  mined  in  purse  and  credit.  The  Legislature,  ses- 
sion after  session,  assembled  in  the  hastily  erected  build- 
ing which  they  had  received  from  a  few  citizens  as  a  sort 
of  forced  loan,  and  took  no  steps  toward  a  new  building. 
As  years  went  by  and  the  Civil  War  was  ended  and 
money  became  plenty,  and  yet  no  appropriations  were 
expended  by  the  State  to  utilize  or  improve  the  donated 
property,  while  the  city  and  county  were  perpetually 
deprived  of  even  the  right  to  subject  it  to  taxes,  the  x)eo- 
ple  grew  impatient  and  resolved  to  call  on  the  State  gov- 
ernment to  execute  their  part  of  the  obligation,  which 
was  to  improve  the  property  which  had  been  ceded  to  it 
on  that  implied  condition.  There  was  also  among^our 
people  some  apprehension  that  if  the  Legislature  should 
continue  too  long  in  the  small,  inconvenient  and  decay- 
ing building  put  up  by  the  efforts  of  men  now  bankrupt 
dissatisfaction  would  open  the  way  for  reviewing  the 
whole  question  of  the  permanent  location  of  the  capitol. 
There  was  an  interest  along  the  line  of  the  Northwestern 
Railroad  quite  ready  for  a  campaign  having  that  object. 
Such  was  the  condition  when  the  Twelfth  General  As- 
sembly met  at  Des  Moines.  Jonathan  Cattell  was  then 
Polk  County's  Senator,  in  the  second  half  of  his  term. 
At  the  time  of  the  fall  election  in  1867  I  was  far  away, 
seeking  rest  and  recreation  after  several  years  of  hard, 
public  labors,  when  notice  came  to  me  that  I  had  been 
elected  to  the  House  of  the  Twelfth  General  Assembly, 
with  J.  H.  Hatch  for  my  colleague.  On  my  return  they 
told  me  of  the  special  object  of  Polk  County  sending  me 
to  the  Legislature. 


584  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

John  Eiissell,  of  Jones  County,  was  elected  speaker. 
The  hastily  erected  structure  in  which  the  Assembly  was 
convened  had  already  suffered  from  the  ravages  of  time 
and  weather,  and  had  become  really  insecure  as  well  as 
inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  State.  The  Senate 
promptljr  passed  a  concurrent  resolution  and  sent  it  to 
the  House  proposing  a  joint  committee  to  examine  the 
building  and  report  on  its  sufficienc,y  for  the  ceremonies 
of  the  inauguration,  which  usually  attracted  to  it  a  large 
crowd  of  people.  But  this  committee  reported  it  safe  for 
all  who  could  be  accommodated  within  its  limited  area. 
We  had  the  good  fortune  to  secure  a  friendly  committee 
on  public  buildings,  of  which  my  colleague,  Mr.  Hatch, 
was  chairman,  with  that  most  excellent  and  intelligent 
member,  Burnett,  of  Muscatine,  for  his  second. 

On  the  first  of  February  that  committee  reported  "an 
act  to  provide  for  the  erection  of  a  State  house,"  limiting 
tlie  cost  to  one  million  and  a  half  dollars.  When  the  bill 
was  taken  \\i>  on  March  .3rd,  Dudley,  of  Wapello,  offered 
a  dilatory  substitute  which  was  antagonized  by  all  the 
friends  of  the  bill.  An  amendment  was  offered  by  Ord- 
way  limiting  the  cost  to  one  million  dollars,  and  author- 
izing tlie  census  board  to  obtain  plans  and  specifications 
to  be  reported  to  the  Thirteenth  General  Assembly.  Ord- 
way's  amendment  was  defeated  by  a  vote  of  05  to  20,  and 
Dudley's  substitute  was  rejected  by  q,  vote  of  GO  to  33. 
This  vote  was  very  encouraging  to  the  friends  of  the 
measure.  But  the  next  day  the  fight  was  renewed  by 
another  effort  to  limit  the  cost  to  a  million,  and  again 
to  six  hundred  thousand  dollars.  On  the  smaller  amount 
the  yeas  were  only  17,  and  the  nays  73.  But  on  the  cpies- 
tion  of  a  one  million  limit  our  canvass  indicated  to  us  the 
expediency  of  compromising  on  that  sum  for  the  present, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOIXES.  5S5 

and  it  was  carried  by  a  vote  of  (32  yeas  to  20  nays.  On 
Mareli  otli  the  tire  of  amendments  continued  all  along 
the  line,  and  some  which  were  embarrassing  were  adopted; 
but  none  which  defeated  the  main  object  of  the  bill,  which 
was  to  actiially  begin  the  Avork  and  engage  the  State 
for  its  prosecution. 

After  many  amendments  of  detail,  including  a  remark- 
able and  purely  selfish  one  from  Clinton  County,  that  no 
contract  for  stone  or  lime  should  be  made  until  a  reason- 
ably direct  railroad  transportation  could  be  had  between 
the  NorthAvestern  Eailroad  and  Des  Moines,  the  bill  was 
(u-dered  to  be  engrossed  and  read  a  third  time  the  next 
day.  On  March  7,  after  the  bill  had  been  engrossed,  an 
effort  was  made  by  Stuart,  of  Jackson,  to  kill  the  bill  by 
its  indefinite  postponement,  which  was  defeated.  It  was 
read  a  third  time  aiid  passed  the  House  on  that  day  by  a 
vote  of  55  to  36. 

In  the  Senate  tlie  auspices  changed.  A  feAv  memorials 
had  been  presented  there  against  the  commencement  of 
the  Avork,  notably  from  Buchanan  and  Webster  Counties. 
The  House  bill  reached  the  Senate  on  the  day  of  its  pass- 
age by  the  House,  and  AA'ent  to  the  proper  Senate  com- 
mittee, of  AA'hich  Griffith,  of  Warren,  AA^as  chairman.  It 
was  favorabl.y  reported  back  on  March  14  and  made  a 
special  order  for  March  19.  A  substitute  for  the  bill  was 
offered  by  Mej^er,  of  Jasper,  but  defeated.  Walden  moA'ed 
to  table  it,  and  failed  by  a  A'ote  of  25  to  20.  The  Senator 
from  Buchanan  tried  to  liaA^e  it  indefinitely  postponed, 
and  lacked  only  two  votes  (22  to  23)  of  success.  Then 
began  a  running  fire  of  amendments,  one  of  Avhich  pre- 
vailed, striking  out  tlie  building  committees  of  the  two 
liouses  from  the  board  of  commissioners  on  plans.  With 
tliis  encouragement  its  enemies  rushed  other  amendments 


586  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

forT\'ard,  and  some  of  them  endangering  the  fate  of  the 
bill  were  adopted.  The  opponents  of  the  bill  soon  found 
themselves  on  top  in  the  fight.  They  pressed  their  ad- 
vantage like  good  soldiers  until  Cattell  could  only  rally 
votes  enough  to  postpone  its  further  consideration  to 
March  25,  and  print  the  bill  which  had  been  much  cut 
up  by  the  various  changes  introduced.  The  bill  and  its 
friends  in  the  Senate  were  alike  demoralized.  It  -was 
almost  a  rout.  On  March  26th  an  amendment  in  the  na- 
ture of  a  substitute,  to  merely  authorize  an  advertise- 
ment for  plans  fur  a  new  capitol  and  providing  for  the 
repair  of  the  (dd  State  house  was  offered  by  Senator  Ben- 
nett, and  ado])ted  by  a  vote  of  27  to  20.  Then  under  the 
leadership  of  Seiuitor  Tuttle  this  amendment  was  recon- 
sidered by  a  vote  of  26  to  22,  and  the  bill  and  amendments 
were  referred  back  to  the  committee  on  public  buildings. 
All  tills  indicated  a  lack  of  organization  on  either  side. 
The  committee  reported  on  March  30th  a  substitute  on 
the  lines  of  Bennett's  amendment  calling  for  plans  in- 
stead of  authorizing  the  work,  and  appropriating  for  re- 
pairs of  the  old  State  house.  This  was  so  amended  as  to 
call  also  for  a  plan  of  a  building  to  cost  $2,000,000.  The 
substitute  as  then  amended  was  adopted  on  April  3rd 
by  a  vote  of  39  to  7.  It  seemed  the  only  thing  then  to  be 
accomplished  in  the  Senate.  The  bill  came  back  to  the 
House  in  its  new  form  at  so  late  a  day  that  the  only 
course  open  to  the  friends  of  the  capitol  was  to  accept  it. 
It  Avas  passed  there  on  the  same  daj^  by  a  A^ote  of  59  to  6. 

At  the  end  of  the  Twelfth  General  Assembly  the  ncAV 
capitol,  instead  of  being  really  born,  was  only  author- 
ized to  be  born  in  case  the  next  General  Assembly  should 
permit  it.  We  had  lost  our  first  positiou,  had  fallen  back 
on  our  second  line,  and  waited  and  hoped  for  a  reinforce- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIXES.  587 

ment  in  the  future  report  of  the  commissioners  on  build- 
ing plans  to  be  adopted.  We  foresaw  a  greater  fight  to 
come.  We  had  perhaps  gained  some  advantage  in  lia^'- 
ing  aroused  the  attention  of  the  State  to  the  question. 

To  the  next  General  Assembly  Polk  County  sent  B.  F. 
Allen  in  the  Senate.  He  was  then  a  prosperous  and  in- 
fluential banker,  widely  knoAvn  in  the  State,  and  an  old 
settler.  He  was  no  speaker,  but  perhaps  on  that  account 
better  adapted  to  conciliate  the  Senate  by  his  pleasant 
manners  and  practical  good  sense.  His  effective  work 
there  fully  justified  our  confidence  in  him.  To  the  House 
the  county  sent  George  W.  Jones,  who  like  Senator  Allen, 
was  not  a  speaker,  but  Avas  known  to  be  a  good  worker 
among  his  associates  on  the  floor.  They  also  returned  me 
for  the  second  time  to  the  House. 

Of  our  old  and  irreconcilable  enemies,  Traer,  of  Ben- 
ton; Dudlej',  of  Wapello;  Brown,  of  Van  Buren;  were 
all  back  again,  and  were  now  strongly  reinforced  hj  a 
new  and  able  leader,  Cutts,  of  Mahaska,  who  loved  op- 
position and  a  fight  for  its  own  sake  and  for  the  fun  of 
it.  He  was  argumentative,  sarcastic,  bold  in  statement 
and  persistent,  refusing  all  concessions,  and  proof  against 
conviction.  He  far  more  loved  to  attack  than  defend  any 
cause.  On  our  side  many  old  friends  of  the  measure  were 
returned,  and  notably  among  them  John  P.  Irish,  of 
Johnson,  who  was  ready,  eloquent  and  strong  in  debate. 
My  good  friend  Pat  Gibbons,  of  Keokuk,  was  also  there 
to  aid  us  with  his  lips  sparkling  with  Irish  humor.  Many 
other  strong  friends  of  ours  were  content  to  be  silent 
voters. 

But  in  the  consideration  of  the  capitol  bill  i)rinciples 
were  abandoned  bj'  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  members  of 


588  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

tlie  House,  whose  votes  were  yuided  by  their  fears  aud 
not  by  their  deliberate  judgment,  as  the  result  will  show. 
We  kneAv  by  personal  conversation  that  the  honest  con- 
victions of  a  large  majority  of  the  members  were  favor- 
able to  beginning  then  this  important  public  work. 

There  was  also  another  interest  adverse  to  us.  Our 
State  institutions  were  widely  scattered  over  the  State. 
Every  representative  of  a  county  where  one  of  these  was 
situated  was  eager  for  a  large  appropriation  for  his  par- 
ticular institution  and  feared  that  an  annual  appropria- 
tion for  a  new  capitol  would  reduce  the  amount  of  State 
funds  on  which  he  could  draw.  The  combination  of  these 
local  interests  was  a  powerful  one,  and  very  threatening, 
and  it  was  employed  for  its  full  effect.  This  element  of 
opposition  was  also  reinforced  by  the  customary  appeals 
to  outside  jealousy  of  the  capitol. 

Such  was  the  condition  in  the  Ilousi'  when  the  new  bill 
was  taken  up  for  discussion.  A.  R.  t'otton,  of  Clinton, 
was  speaker,  and  Murdock,  of  (,'layton,  was  chairman  of 
the  building  committee. 

In  the  Twelfth  Assembly  we  had  introduced  the  cap- 
itol bill  first  in  the  House,  ])ass(^d  it  by  a  good  majority, 
and  sent  it  to  the  Senate,  where  it  Avas  sadly  mutilated, 
aud  then  slaughtered.  In  tlie  Thirt(n^nth,  Ave  reversed 
this  process  and  had  the  bill  first  acted  on  in  tlie  Senate, 
where  Grifiith,  of  Warren,  was  again  chairman  of  the 
building  committee.  This  committee,  having  mnv  before 
them  the  ])lans  and  s]»ecifications  authorized  by  the  pre- 
vious Assembly,  re])orte<l  tlie  new  bill  on  January  28, 
and  the  Senate  made  it  a  special  order  for  FebruarA"  4. 
It  AA'as  then  taken  up,  slightly  amended,  and  on  the  same 
day  engrossed  by  a  vote  of  25  to  21.  On  the  next  day  it 
was  read  the  third  time  and  passed  by  a  vote  of  27  to  18, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  2I0n'El^.  589 

liaving  a  majorit}'  of  two-thirds  in  tlie  Senate.  Donnan, 
its  opponent  at  the  previous  session,  now  supported  it,  and 
Fairall,  of  Johnson,  admirably  controlled  its  pai-lianien- 
tarv  management. 

Thus  strongly  approved  by  the  Senate  it  came  over  to 
the  House,  but  the  House  seemed  to  have  changed  after 
two  years  as  well  as  the  Senate,  only  in  the  reverse  way. 
Not  changed,  I  think,  in  its  real  opinion,  but  in  the  courage 
of  its  convictions.  The  op])osition  was  much  more  ef- 
fectively organized  und(n-  the  aggressive  and  much  mort^ 
effective  leadership  of  Ciitts,  whose  special  province  it  was 
to  terrorize  the  re])resentatives  from  the  rural  counties 
by  predictions  of  excessive  taxation  and  jioverty  as  a 
consequence  of  the  building  of  the  new  capitol.  Traer, 
of  Benton,  and  Ball,  of  Jefferson,  pushed  the  equally  in- 
defensible argument  that  it  was  a  mere  local  enter])rise 
for  the  benefit  of  Des  Moines.  The  final  result  was  in 
doubt  from  the  beginning  of  the  session  to  the  end  of 
the  cf>ntest.  Every  day  was  a  day  of  anxiety  to  its 
friends.  It  was  destined  to  be  the  longest  continued  and 
the  toughest  parliamentary  battle  I  ever  fought  in  either 
capitol,  at  Des  Moines  or  at  Washington. 

The  bill  was  received  from  the  Senate  on  Februaiw  7, 
and  upon  the  customary  motion  to  refer  it  to  the  regular 
House  committee  tlie  fight  began.  Traer,  who  was  our 
op])onent  from  the  beginning,  jumped  to  his  feet  to  op- 
])ose  even  the  usual  reference  to  a  committee.  Cutts 
wanted  at  once  to  indefinitely  post]»one  it,  while  Dudley 
AvantcHl  it  to  come  up  s]ieedily  to  be  killed.  Mills  of  Du- 
bnqu(%  and  others  besides  myself  demanded  the  usual 
fair  treatment  for  the  bill.  On  my  motion  to  refer,  its 
enemies  further  resisted  by  the  demand,  unusual  on  such 
occasions,  for  the  yeas  and  nays,  but  the  reference  ^A'as 


590  ANNALf<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

carried  by  a  vote  of  53  to  39.  Several  of  these  votes  were 
of  the  timid  class,  and  could  not  be  counted  ou  for  its 
final  passage.  As  a  preliminary  skirmish  the  showing 
of  votes  was  a  discouragement  to  us.  But  I  seized  upon 
the  expressed  desire  of  its  enemies  for  early  action  to  se- 
cure tlie  adoption  of  a  motion  maldug  it  a  special  order 
for  an  early  day  after  the  impending  recess.  When  the 
day  arrived  the  committee  had  not  reported.  Its  chair- 
man was  absent,  and  we  were  compelled  to  ask  a  post- 
ponement of  the  special  order  to  March.  Again  Dudley 
and  Gutts  fought  the  proposition,  even  as  a  courtesy,  aud 
demanded  yeas  and  nays  on  the  motion.  This  time  they 
were  badlj^  beaten  by  a  vote  of  62  to  IS.  But  this  inci- 
dent proved  to  us  that  the  tight  was  to  be  a  desperate 
one  to  the  end,  and  all  along  the  line  without  quarter. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  after  a  preliminarj'-  skirmish  over 
an  amendment,  the  most  exciting  debate  of  all  the  ses- 
sions came  on,  and  still  it  remained  for  me  to  take  ui:»  the 
debate  in  support  of  the  bill. 

«  *  «  *  *  *  . 

After  the  second  speech  of  Cutts  and  Irish  I  took  the 
floor  for  a  fiual  and  measured  reply  to  all  its  opponents, 
and  an  appeal  to  members  to  vote  according  to  their  hon- 
est convictions;  and  then  demanded  the  previous  question 
in  order  to  get  a  vote  before  the  adjournment  on  tliat 
dav.  Cutts  and  all  the  enemies  of  the  bill  voted  acainst 
the  previous  question,  but  it  was  carried  by  the  small 
majority  of  47  to  45,  and  on  the  main  question  of  en- 
grossment, it  carried  by  only  49  votes  to  48.  It  was  un- 
comfortably close,  and  indicated  the  necessity  of  more 
time  to  canvass  the  members  for  the  two  additional  votes 
necessary  to  its  adoption.  We  did  not  dare  at  that  time 
to  take  the  final  vote  on  its  passage.    I  promptly  made 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  591 

the  motion  for  the  acljourument  of  the  House,  and  felt 
greatly  relieved  when  it  was  adopted.  The  next  day  tlie 
committee  reported  it  duly  engrossed;  but  for  weeks  we 
(lid  not  dare  to  call  it  up  for  a  third  reading,  for  we  could 
not  assure  to  our  side  the  51  votes  necessary  to  pass  it. 
The  intimidating  tactics  of  our  leading  enemies  had  been 
too  effective.  We  knew  by  our  canvass  that  the  honest 
judgment  of  a  decided  majority  was  with  us.  Yet  they 
were  afraid  to  vote  their  conviction.  It  was  an  anxious 
month  of  waiting  for  the  friends  of  the  new  capitol. 

In  the  meantime  both  sides  were  vigilant  and  active. 
The  enemies  of  the  measure  created  some  further  intimi- 
dation by  throwing  out  intimations  of  attempted  bribery. 
Its  friends  denounced  and  ridiculed  them,  and  challenged 
the  proof.  There  were  also  some  hostile  remonsti'ances 
and  some  favorable  petitions;  and  other  home  influences 
over  members  were  specially  provided  in  the  meantime, 
and  forwarded  to  the  cajjitol.  At  last  it  was  certified 
to  us  that  if  we  would  admit  a  couple  of  riders  on  the 
third  reading  we  could  secure  the  additional  votes  re- 
quired. The  situation  was  so  very  critical  that  we  ac- 
cepted, though  with  great  reluctance,  on  laj  part,  the 
loroposed  amendments.  Both  sides  rallied  all  their  forces 
for  the  final  trial,  and  we  on  our  side  resolved  to  call  up 
the  bill  for  its  third  reading  on  the  morning  of  April  8, 
which  was  four  weeks  after  its  engrossment.  As  I  left 
my  house  on  the  morning  of  that  day  I  stopped  at 
the  hotel  to  see  that  no  dilatory  friend  of  the  bill 
should  be  lingering  there.  At  that  moment  a  citizen 
hastened  to  tell   me  that   ,   of  


County,  whose  vote  we  counted  on,  had  just  been 
seen  going  into  a  drinking  saloon  near  by.  I  sent  him 
to  look  for  this  member,  and  received  the  report  that  he 


592  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

had  slipped  out  the  back  door.  I  kue'n'  he  loved  the  bot- 
tle and  I  suspected  mischief.  I  learned  that  he  had  been 
beset  by  some  anti-capitol  members  the  night  before  who 
had  drugged  him  with  whisky,  piit  him  iu  his  room  and 
locked  his  door,  thinking  he  would  not  awake  in  time 
for  the  Tote.  I  despatched  a  Avagon  instantly  for  my  good 
friend,  Father  Brazill,  whose  influence  oyer  this  member 
I  knew,  with  an  urgent  request  that  he  follow  him  and 
bring  him  to  tlie  State  house  as  soon  as  i>osible.  I  then 
ju'oceeded  to  tlie  Htate  house  witli  increased  anxiety,  not 
knowing  whether  that  one  absent  yote  might  not  defeat 
our  bill  at  the  yery  crisis  of  its  fate.  A  short  time  before 
the  voting  began,  lioAvever,  I  discovered  the  absentee  en- 
tering the  House,  f(dl(nved  closely  to  his  seat  by  tlui  good 
]>riest,  who  took  his  post  behind  his  chair,  and  did  not 
let  him  out  of  his  sight  until  the  voting  was  over.  He 
found  tlie  absent  member  on  the  lonely  bank  of  the  Coon 
river,  sitting  solitary  on  a  log,  like  a.  man  either  in  manly 
shame  of  himself,  f)r  having  a  racking  over-night  head- 
ache. But  when  Father  Brazill  said,  "come  with  me,"  he 
wcjit.  The  two  rider  amendments  were  adopted  without 
a.  division,  and  tlie  roll  call  began.  Every  member  was 
])resent  except  three.  Hall  and  galleries  were  crowded 
to  overflowing,  as  they  had  been  throughout  the  debate. 
Many  members  had  roll  calls  in  their  hands  keeping 
count  as  the  call  proceeded,  myself  among  them.  Tlie 
silence  was  intense — not  a  sound  was  heard,  save  tlie 
clerk's  monotonous  call  of  names  and  the  answer  aye  or 
no.  The  phonographic  report  of  that  session  prints  the 
figure  "20"  after  my  name  on  the  roll  call.  This  will 
i-emind  some  of  you  of  a  laughable  incident  that  occurred 
at  tlie  time.  If  we  had  fifty-one  ayes  (no  matter  about  the 
nays)  the  bill  became  a  laAV,  and  I  was  therefore  oidy 
counting  tlie  ayes.     At  the  moment  the  clerk  called  my 


'  AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  593 

name,  I  was  writing  the  nnmber  of  ayes  and  iuadyer- 
tently  answered  the  call  bv  shouting  "twenty"  at  the  top 
of  my  voice.  It  brolce  the  silent  tension  of  feeling,  and 
for  nearl.y  two  minutes  the  roll  call  ceased,  while  the  whole 
House  and  audience  were  convulsed  with  laughter.  I  do 
not  know  that  the  mistake  made  any  votes  for  us,  but  it 
certainly  put  our  ox)poneuts  into  a  more  amiable  humor. 
The  official  count  gave  us  one  solitary  vote  to  spare,  52 
t(i  4G,  with  only  two  absentees.  The  immense  audience 
shook  the  frail  walls  of  the  old  building  with  their  ap- 
plause. There  was  the  usual  motion  to  reconsider  and 
to  lay  on  the  table,  u]K)n  Avhich  GO  members  voted  with 
our  friends,  and  only  31  voted  against  them.  Two-thirds 
of  the  House  indirectly  befriended  the  measure.  This 
vote  probably  represented  the  real  judgment  of  the  House, 
certainly  much  more  than  the  vote  on  its  passage. 

The  Senate  promptly  concurred  in  the  amendments, 
and  the  new  capitol  was  finally  authorized  by  law.  Of 
course  there  was  joy  in  the  capital  city  of  Des  Moines. 
The  peo^de  of  Polk  County  expressed  their  satisfaction 
by  a  procession  headed  by  music  and  bearing  to  my  door 
a  gold-headed  cane,  which  I  have  handed  over  to  Mr.  Al- 
drich  as  a  souvenir  of  the  event,  to  be  deposited  in  that 
capitol  museum  which  does  so  much  honor  to  its  founder 
and  to  the  State. 

The  selection  of  the  commissioners  of  the  building  was 
not  left,  as  it  should  have  been,  to  the  responsibility  id 
the  Governor,  nor  even  to  the  earnest  friends  of  the  new 
capitol.  Two  of  them  selected  at  large,  were  forced  into 
the  bill  by  the  rider  on  its  third  reading,  as  an  alleged 
condition  for  votes.  Six  others  were  nominated  by  Con- 
gressional districts,  and  elected  in  joint  legislative  con- 
vention.   My  earnest  request  for  a  n(in-])artisan  board  was 


oOi  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

not  granted.  The  commission  was  too  large,  and  the 
choice  in  most  instances  were  dictated  by  par-tisan  and 
personal  considerations.  We  feared  the  result;  and  the 
result  was  bad.  Under  their  direction  the  foundation 
was  laid,  but  the  work  and  materials  were  so  defective 
that  public  rumor  indicated  the  probability  of  another 
legislative  fight  in  tlie  next  Assembly  over  the  whole 
question  of  the  capitol.  It  might  even  endanger  the  en- 
tire project.  The  appropriation  had  been  granted  for  only 
one  term.  It  was  required  for  the  successful  progress  of 
the  work  that  there  sliould  be  a.  continuous  annual  ap- 
propriation. It  was  determined  to  make  a  fight  for  this 
in  connection  with  the  new  bill,  which  seemed  to  have 
become  necessary.  In  aid  of  this  purpose,  Polk  County 
sent  me  back  for  the  third  time — to  the  Fourteenth  Gen- 
eral Assembly — with  Gen.  Tuttle  for  my  colleague,  Mr. 
Allen  being  happily  still  in  the  Senate. 

The  Senate  was  unusally  strong  in  its  membersliip.  It 
embraced  Larrabee,  Beardsley,  Fairall,  Lowery,  Dysart, 
McNutt,  Bemis,  J.  H.  Merrill,  Richards,  Vail,  Willett  and 
other  good  and  able  men.  The  House  also  included  many 
strong  men  and  good  debaters.  Among  tliem  may  be 
mentioned  Ainsworth,  Buncombe,  Hall,  Gear,  Rohlfs, 
Irish,  Mills,  of  Dubuque;  Newbold,  O'Donnell,  Pratt  and 
AMlliams. 

A  political  assembly  likes  notliing  better  than  an  in- 
vestigation for  fraud  or  other  misconduct.  The  Senate 
had  now  some  reason  for  its  fears,  and  started  early  on 
tills  lineto  discover  whatever  was  wrong  in  the  suspected 
fdundation  and  supicious  contracts  for  materials.  They 
passed  a  concurrent  resolution  for  the  appointment  of  a 
joint  committee  of  investigation,  and  also  appointed  a 
special  committee  of  their  own  body  on  the  new  capitol, 


AlfD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  595 

in  addition  to  their  o^Yn  standing  committee  on  public 
buildings.  The  house  agreed  to  the  joint  investigating 
committee.  Their  report  condemned  the  foundation  and 
the  quality  of  the  stone.  In  the  meantime  a  new  bill  was 
reported  in  both  House  and  Senate.  That  of  the  Senate 
was  not  acted  upon  and  was  indefinitely  postponed  after 
the  House  bill  reached  the  Senate. 

The  third  and  last  important  contest  over  the  erection 
of  the  new  capitol  was  now  inaugiirated  upon  the  report 
of  the  Hoxise  committee  on  public  buildings.  The  amen- 
datory act  was  reported  on  February  27,  1872,  and  its 
consideration  was  postponed  from  time  to  time  until  April 
2,  because  of  delay  in  the  report  of  the  investigating  com- 
mittee. On  that  date  it  was  taken  up  and  I  moved  that 
the  names  of  John  G.  Foote,  of  Burlington;  Maturin  L. 
Fisher,  of  Clayton  County;  Robert  S.  Finkbine  and  Peter 
A.  Dey,  of  Johnson  Coimty;  two  Eepublicans  and  two 
Democrats,  all  of  whom  bore  the  highest  character,  should 
be  inserted  in  the  bill  as  commissioners  in  charge  of  the 
building.  The  Governor  was  ex-officio  chairman  of  the 
board.  The  old  board  was  summarily  abolished.  After 
a  hard  struggle  with  the  representatives  of  the  institu- 
tional counties,  a  permanent  annual  appropriation  of 
$125,000  was  secured,  thus  enabling  the  commission  to 
proceed  with  necessary  contracts  for  future  delivery,  and 
leaving  to  futiire  Legislatures  only  the  question  of  ad- 
ditional grants  of  money  to  hasten  the  work  of  construc- 
tion, as  the  condition  of  the  treasury  might  allow.  Many 
amendments  were  offered  to  limit  the  total  cost  of  the 
eapitol.  Ainsworth,  a  formidable  antagonist,  who  par- 
tially undertook  the  former  role  of  Cutis,  moved  a  limit 
of  cost  to  .|750,000.  This  was  defeated  by  09  votes  to  11. 
A  proposition  for  a  limit  of  $1,000,000  was  also  defeated. 


596  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Duncombe  moved  a  limit  of  |1,000,000,  which  was  lost 
by  a  vote  of  55  to  31.  Another  member  proposed  au  ab- 
solute limit  of  .f  1,500,000,  which  was  also  lost  by  50  votes 
to  27.  NeA'ertlieless  the  judgment  of  the  House,  seemed 
to  concentrate,  rather  indefinitely,  upou  a  cost  of  about 
one  and  one-half  millions,  for  when  an  amendment  was 
offered  that  the  commission  should  change  the  plan  .if 
they  found  the  cost  would  exceed  that  sum,  it  was  barely 
defeated  by  a  vote  of  42  to  11.  Another  similar  amend- 
ment was  lost  by  11  to  10.  Finally,  an  amendment,  in 
effect  instructing  the  comniission  to  keep  in  view  a  cost 
of  11,500,000,  which  was  offered  by  Hall,  of  Burlington, 
was  carried  by  a  vote  of  53  to  31,  our  friends  accepting 
it.  A  provision  offered  by  Ainsworth  like  that  of  1870, 
giving  preference  to  all  other  appropriations  over  this 
for  the  capitol,  which  cunningly  appealed  to  the  self-in- 
terest of  the  instituticmal  counties,  were  adopted,  our 
friends  believing  that  it  would  be  eliminated  in  the  Sen- 
ate. It  was  a  provision  wholly  impracticable  in  admin- 
istration. The  bill  was  then  engrossed  and  iiassed  by  the 
large  vote  of  03  to  21. 

The  bill  reached  the  Senate  the  next  day  and  was 
promptly  taken  up  on  motion  of  Senator  Fairall  on  April 
5.  The  second  section  was  amended  as  we  hoped,  by 
striking  out  the  obnoxious  provision  which  postponed  this 
ap]iropriation  till  all  others  were  satisfied.  The  bill  was 
then  engrossed  and  passed  immediately  by  31  votes  to 
9   in   tlie   Senate. 

On  tlie  following  day  tlie  Scuiate  amendment,  whicli 
was  now  the  only  point  (tf  difference  between  the  two 
houses,  was  called  u]),  and  on  my  motion  to  concur  there 
Avere  1!)  votes  in  its  fn\'or  to  10  against  it.  Again,  avc 
lacked  two  vofes  to  nuH4  tlie  constitutional  re(|uirement. 


A^D  THE  CITY  OF  iJEfi  MOINES.  597 

We  were  very  near  the  end  for  which  we  had  so  long- 
toiled  and  fonght,  and  yet  the  constitntional  clause  re- 
cjuiring  51  affirmative  votes  to  every  law  stood  between 
ns  and  victory.  We  actively  busied  ourselves  among  the 
members  and  obtained  a  reconsideration  of  the  vote.  The 
same  afternoon  the  repeated  vote  upon  the  question  of 
concurrence  with  the  Senate  was  raised  to  53  to  38;  and 
so,  at  last,  the  act  became  the  law  of  the  State.  Under 
this  act  the  work  went  on  smoothlj^  to  completion. 

The  long  iight  for  a  capitol  worthy  of  the  State,  pro- 
tracted through  three  General  Assemblies,  and  covering 
a  period  of  five  years,  Avas  now  finished.  The  question 
whether  we  should  have  a  fitting  and  dignified  home  for 
our  State  sovereignty,  legislative,  executive  and  judicial, 
and  a  safe  depository  for  our  State  archives,  was  at  last 
settled  in  the  afflrmative.  The  new  commissioners  be- 
gan with  the  foundation,  replacing  the  bad  material  with 
gond.  The  names  of  the  eight  commissioners  on  the  cor- 
ner stone,  Avhich  would  have  perpetuated  their  failure 
with  their  names,  disappeared  from  view.  From  this  time 
onward  the  three  active  commissioners  manifested  the 
greatest  care,  and  a  most  wise  discretion  in  every  detail 
of  the  work.  Never  was  a  corrupt  or  misspent  dollar 
charged  to  their  account.  That  prime  principle  of  hon- 
esty in  the  expenditure  of  public  money  which  requires 
a  dollar's  worth  for  every  dollar  spent  was  their  constant 
guide.  Thanks  to  their  unusual  fidelity  to  this  obliga- 
tion, and  to  their  wise  tact  in  procedure,  the  Senators  and 
Representatives  trusted  them  session  after  session  with 
amounts  largely  in  excess  of  the  original  estimates  until 
the  cost  of  the  finished  structure  has  amounted  to 
f2,871, 682.05.  Instead  of  grumbling  and  dissatisfaction 
on  the  part  of  the  people  over  the  cost,  there  was  universal 


598       ANNAL^S  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

pride  in  the  noble  building.  When  I  had  the  honor  to 
deliver  the  inaugural  addi'ess  by  invitation  of  the  Twen- 
tieth General  Assembly  in  1884,  there  was  both  legislative 
and  popular  satisfaction  with  the  great  enterprise.  Every 
farmer  and  mechanic,  every  merchant  and  patriotic  citi- 
zen of  Iowa,  as  he  views  the  grandeur  of  its  i^roportious, 
the  massive,  time-defying  walls,  the  splendid  legislative 
chambers,  the  beautiful  library,  the  fireproof  vaults,  the 
large  and  convenient  executive  offices,  the  ample  com- 
mittee rooms,  and  its  general  adaptation  to  the  wants 
of  an  intelligent  and  advancing  state,  feels  and  expresses 
satisfaction  over  this  home  of  his  State  government.  It 
is  his  constant  boast  that  there  is  not  a  dishonest  dollar 
from  the  base  course  to  the  crown  of  the  dome.  Even  now, 
twelve  yeajs  from  its  inauguration,  the  wants  of  the  State 
have  so  grown  as  to  occupy  all  its  vast  accommodations. 
The  names  of  John  G.  Foote,  Peter  A.  Dey,  Robert  S. 
Finkbine  and  Maturin  L.  Fisher  should  be  remembered  as 
names  of  men  who  executed  their  duties  faithfully  and 
well,  and  who  were  above  the  sordid  temptation  to  make 
private  profit  out  of  a  public  trust,  under  which  so  many 
men  elsewhere  have  fallen. 

This,  gentlemen,  is  the  story  of  the  building  of  Iowa's 
capitol  which  your  committee  iu-s'ited  me  to  relate.  Some 
of  its  opponents  at  the  first  session,  like  Senators  Donuan 
and  Bennett,  changed  at  the  second  to  its  support.  None 
of  its  friends  suffered  because  of  their  advocacj"^  of  it. 
None  of  its  enemies  seemed  to  have  gained  popularity 
by  their  hostility  to  it.  Indeed,  I  was  appealed  to  soon 
after  the  act  was  passed  to  go  into  the  district  of  its  lead- 
ing opponent  in  the  Thirteenth  Assembly  to  help  him 
in  his  struggle  as  a  candidate  for  Congress.  None  of  its 
supporters,  so  far  as  I  heard,  suffered  reproach  for  their 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  599 

honest  votes.  I  mar  safely  affirm  that  there  is  not  today 
a  patriotic  lowan  between  the  two  great  rivers — not  on(^ 
in  all  this  beaiitifnl  Mesapotamia  of  ours — who  either 
condemns  or  regrets  the  execution  of  this  grand  under- 
taking. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

TEIE  first  uewspaper  published  in  Des  Moines  was 
the  Iowa  Star.  The  first  number  was  issued  in 
July,  1849.  In  1848,  A.  W.  Blair  issued  a  circular 
announcing  to  the  people  of  Polk  County  and  Central 
Iowa  that  he  would  soon  engage  in  the  publication  of 
a  weekly  newspaper  at  Fort  Des  M(jiues.  Mr.  Blair  came 
from  Indiana  to  Iowa  in  1845,  and  had  located  at  Sigour- 
ney,  Keokuk  County.  He  there  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  law,  but  upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mexican  war, 
enlisted  as  a  soldier.  At  the  close  of  the  war  lie  returned 
to  Iowa,  and  at  the  suggestion  of  Curtis  Bates  he  deter- 
mined to  establish  a  newspaper  in  Des  Moines,  and  is- 
sued the  prospectus  mentioned.  He  had  some  difficulty 
in  procuring  the  necessary  material,  and  before  his  ar- 
rangements were  fully  completed  he  was  seized  with  the 
then  prevalent  California  gold  fever,  and  abandoning  his 
newspaper  project  emigrated  to  California  and  became 
a  successful  citizen  of  that  State. 

Some  time  afterwards  Barlow  Granger  visited  Iowa 
City  and  meeting  Judge  Bates  the  latter,  who  knew 
Granger  to  be  a  jiractical  printer,  proposed  to  him  to  take 
up  and  caiT-y  out  this  newspaper  enterprise.  The  latter 
becoming  impressed  with  the  proposal  found  the  mate- 
rial and  fixtures  for  a  complete  printing  oiflce  for  sale  in 
that  city  and  purchased  the  same  on  time,  Judge  Bates 
being  surety  fV>r  j^ayment.  Granger  then  returned  to 
Des  Moines  and  sent  Charley  Winkley,  a  printer,  and 
Jonathan  Rathbun,  teamster,  to  bring  the  material  from 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^i  MOINEH.  601 

Iowa  City  to  Des  Moines.  These  two,  after  getting  tlie 
press  and  otlier  printing  material  on  tlieir  wagons,  with 
mucli  difiiculty,  especially  at  Sknnk  River,  managed  at 
last  to  get  safely  through  with  their  freight.  The  press, 
type  and  fixtures  were  placed  in  a  double  log  cabin  on 
what  was  known  then  as  "Coon  Row,"  one  of  the  old  fort 
buildings,  and  there  the  office  remained  for  some  time. 
This  building  w^is  where  the  old  Aulman  brewery  build- 
ing now  stands.  Subsequently  the  office  was  removed 
and  remained  for  several  years  in  a  frame  two-story  build- 
ing, fronting  south  on  the  public  grounds  at  "the  point" 
where  the  Raccoon  River  empties  into  the  Des  Moines. 
Here  it  was  wdien  the  writer  arrived  in  the  city  in  1855. 

The  Star  was  a  seven-column  folio  sheet,  published 
weekly  at  -12,  theoretically  in  advance,  but  practically  at 
the  pleasure  of  the  subscriber,  and  when  jiaid  it  was  not 
always  in  coin  or  current  funds,  but  in  countiy  produce, 
etc.  The  first  name  on  Col.  Granger's  subscription  list 
was  that  of  Lewis  Jones,  and  the  first  money  on  subscrip- 
tion was  paid  by  Thomas  Mitchell.  Col.  Granger  con- 
ducted the  Star  with  marked  success  from  that  day  for  a 
year  or  two,  running  its  circulation  up  to  eight  hundred, 
and  then  disjjosed  of  his  interest  in  the  concern.  He  did 
this  for  the  purpose  of  devoting  his  time  to  his  large  and 
increasing  legal  and  land  business,  Avhich  demanded  all 
of  liis  time  and  attention. 

Judge  Curtis  Bates  then  became  the  proprietor  of  the 
Star,  and  had  a  young  man  named  Johnson  take  charge 
generally  of  the  office  and  paper.  This  arrangement  was 
broken  by  the  death  of  Johnson,  who  fearing  smallpox 
at  the  for-t,  Avhere  there  were  a  few  cases,  went  to  his  old 
home  at  Iowa  City  to  be  vaccinated,  took  a  severe  cold 
and  died.    Then  for  a  time  Dr.  A.  Y.  Hull  was  in  editorial 


602  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

charge,  to  be  followed  by  Daniel  O.  Finch  and  others, 
Judge  Bates  all  the  time,  as  the  old  phrase  is,  being  left 
to  hold  the  bag.  Finally,  in  the  winter  of  1854-55  the 
oftice  was  purcliased  for  Will  Tomliuson,  a  then  noted 
and  erratic  newspaper  man.  Tomlinson  took  charge  of 
the  Star  office  early  in  1855,  and  at  once  changed  its  name 
to  the  Iowa  Statesman.  For  a  time  Dr.  W.  H.  Farner  was 
associated  witli  him  in  editing  and  managing  the  paper. 
B.  D.  Thomas  and  the  writer  were  emjiloyed  in  the  office 
in  1855.  Tond'iison  and  Farner  were  both  men  of  much 
more  than  ordinary  ability  and  both  peculiar  men.  Tom- 
linson had  tlie  faculty  of  getting  into  more  difficulties 
than  almost  any  other  man,  was  impulsive  and  hot- 
headed, and  prone  to  be  very  abusive  of  his  opponents, 
both  inside  and  (.)utside  of  his  newspaper.  He  was  gen- 
erally in  a  row  with  somebody;  that  apparentlj'  being 
his  normal  condition.  Dr.  Farner  was  of  a  different  tem- 
perament; took  things  easily,  and  in  fact  never  troubled 
himself  mucli  about  the  care  of  himself  and  his  family, 
or  anything  else.  It  was  all  riglit  as  long  as  he  had  plenty 
Lo  eat  and  drink — especially  the  latter.  Under  this  man- 
agement the  Statesman  occasionally  made  things  rather 
lively  iu  town  and  county.  Before  long  Farner  retired 
and  with  ease  and  facility  transferred  his  pen  and  brains 
to  the  service  of  the  Republican  party,  being  for  a  time 
the  editor  of  the  local  organ  of  that  party,  the  then  Cit- 
izen. A  year  or  two  later  the  doctor  managed  to  reacli 
Colorado,  and  flourished  in  and  about  DeuA^er  for  some 
time.  When  the  war  broke  out  he  was  for  a  time  strongly 
Union,  but  not  getting  what  he 'thought  he  ought  to  have 
from  that  side,  with  the  easy  facility  of  his  character 
joined  the  rebel  forces,  became,  it  is  said,  a  surgeon 
of  one  of  tlieir  regiments,  and  when  they  were  driven 
out  of  Colorado  and  New  Mexico,  the  doctor  followed  them 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  J/O/XL^s'.  603 

to  Texas,  where  he  settled  down  aud  lived  quietly  until 
his  death  a  few  rears  ago. 

Tomlinson,  who  had  from  the  first  been  what  was  then 
termed  "an  East  Bide  man,''  in  the  fall  of  1S5G  removed 
the  Statesman  office  to  the  east  side  of  the  river,  where 
it  remained  until  it  was  purchased  from  Tomlinson  l)y 
Will.  Porter  in  January,  1S57,  Avhen  it  was  removed  back 
to  the  West  Side  aud  the  name  changed  to  State  Jourual. 
Subsequentlj'  Tomlinson  attempted  to  revive  the  States- 
man on  the  East  Side,  and  published  a  paper  under  this 
name  irregularly  for  a  few  months  and  then  it  died.  Tom- 
linson remained  in  Des  Moines  a  year  or  two,  was  justic-e 
of  the  peace,  alderman,  street  commissioner,  etc.,  but  in 
1859  returned  to  his  former  home  in  Ohio.  He  was  there 
when  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  and  subsequently  became 
a  strong  Union  man,  publishing  at  Riplej',  Ohio,  a  news- 
paper called  the  "Loyal  Scout,"  supporting  Brough  fnr 
Governor  and  the  Republican  ticket.  There  he  had  his 
last  row  on  earth.  lie  came  in  contact  with  a  young 
Kentuckian  named  Mitchell,  who  was  visiting  the  town, 
and  denounced  him  wrongfully  as  a  "rebel,"  traitor,''  etc. 
Mitchell  endeavored  to  avoid  a  difficulty,  but  Tomlinson 
followed  him  up,  and  finally  kicked  or  struck  him.  Then 
Mitchell  shot  his  assailant.  Tomlinson  lingered  a  day  or 
two  and  died.  After  the  excitement  abated  Mitchell 
offered  to  surrender  himself  to  the  Ohio  authorities,  but 
as  the  grand  jury  declined  to  indict  Mitchell  the  prose- 
cution was  dropped. 

As  before  stated,  Will.  Porter  assumed  control  of  the 
Statesman  in  January,  1857,  and  in  the  February  fol- 
lowing issued  the  first  number  of  the  Iowa  State  Journal. 
He  continued  in  control  of  the  Journal  for  nearly  three 
years,  making  a  successful  newspaper  from  the  begin- 


H04  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

iiiug  and  in  JaniiarT,  1S60,  sold  the  paper  aud  material 
to  Stilson  Ilutcliins. 

The  second  newspaper  in  Fort  Des  Moines,  was  the 
(xazette.  Lampson  P.  Sherman,  a  brother  of  James  and 
Iloyt  Sherman,  then  residents  of  Des  Moines,  had  learned 
the  printer's  art,  and  as  boy  and  man  had  been  for  many 
years  in  the  Gazette  othce,  in  Cincinnati.  He  was  a  thor- 
ongh  master  of  the  bnsiness  in  a  large  city  printing  oftice, 
bnt  had  no  experience  of  the  workings  of  a  small  coun- 
.try  newspaper  oftice.  Yet  he  thought  it  time  for  him 
to  leave  the  city  and  strike  out  on  his  own  account — 
"to  go  West  and  grow  up  with  the  country."  The  Whigs 
of  Polk  County  were  anxious  to  haA'e  a  newspaper  of  their 
own  to  compete  with  the  Democratic  Star,  and  were,  as 
is  usual  in  such  cases,  liberal  in  their  promises  of  future 
support.  The  two  Sherman  brothers  then  here  would, 
of  course,  be  glad  to  have  their  brother  with  them.  The 
result  was  that  Lfimpsou  P.  Sherinan  purchased  a  neAVS- 
] taper  outfit  in  Cincinnati  and  shipped  this  with  himself 
and  other  goods  by  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers  to 
Keokulc.  This  was  in  December,  1849,  aud  on  January 
11,  1850,  the  first  number  of  the  Fort  Des  Moines  Gazette 
was  issued  by  L.  P.  Sherman.  It  was  Whig  in  politics, 
but  devoted  mostly  to  State  and  local  affairs.  It  is 
stated  tlie  building  first  occupied  was  a  small  frame  one, 
situated  not  far  from  the  present  w^elhknowu  Sherman 
building,  one  of  the  first  large  brick  edifices  in  the  then 
young  city. 

Mr.  vSherman  did  his  part  as  printer  and  editor,  but  the 
-^'enture  did  not  prove  a  successful  one.  The  State  aud 
county  patronage  was  then  small  and  the  Whigs  being 
generally  in  the  miuorit}^  but  little  of  this  found  its  way 
to  the  Gazette.     At  that  time  the  California  gold  craze 


Al^B  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  605 

was  at  its  height,  aud  many  of  the  ^A'liig  patrons  of  tlie 
ottiee  followed  the  flowin<i-  tide  to  the  I'aritic.  For  a  year 
or  two  the  toAvu  and  connty  did  little  more  than  held 
their  own  in  population  and  growth.  The  first  "boom" 
period  did  not  come  until  three  or  four  years  later.  But 
Sherman  worked  steadily  and  faithfully  for  a  year  or  two 
publishing  an  excellent  newspa]>er  for  that  day.  Finally, 
however,  he  was  compelled  to  sus})end  publication  of  the 
Gazette,  and  he  himself  embarked  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness, in  connection  with  his  brother  I-loyt.  He  was  after- 
■wards  connected  with  the  old  State  Bank,  was  for  years 
United  States  collectnr  (if  internal  revenue,  held  offices 
of  city  treasurer,  alderman,  etc.,  proving  himself  an  able 
and  efficient  officer  in  every  position  held  by  him,  and 
ahvays  mucli  liked  and  liopular  among  his  fellow  citi- 
zens. He  now  lives  quietly  in  retirement  in  the  city  in 
which  he  always  took  so  mucli  pride  and  in  Avhich  lu'  has 
spent  so  manj-  years  of  his  useful  life. 

Some  time  after  the  death  of  the  Gazette  the  material 
was  again  used  for  the  publication  of  another  Whig  news- 
paper, called  tlie  Journal.  This  was  ])ublished  by  Peter 
Myers  &  Co.,  and  for  a.  time  was  edited  by  C.  Ben  Dar- 
win, afterwards  a  prominent  attornej'  of  Burlington  and 
one  of  the  code  commissioners  of  1860.  W.  W.  William- 
son was  also  editor  of  the  Journal  for  some  time.  Ik- 
was  an  early  settler  of  Des  Moines,  an  attorney,  and  in 
1S55  the  Whig  candidate  for  District  Judge.  He  was 
declared  elected  by  the  canvassing  board,  but  this  being 
contested  b,y  his  opponent,  the  noted  C.  J.  McFarland,  the 
latter  finall.y  secured  the  idace.  Judge  Williamson  for 
a  time  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  but  subsequently 
returned  to  the  practice  of  law,  was  city  attorney,  and 
held  other  positions.     He  was  an  excellent  man  and  cit- 


606  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

izen,  deservedly  popular.  He  went  to  the  Territory  of 
Oklahoma,  soon  after  its  opening,  and  securing  a  valu- 
able tract  of  land  near  its  capital,  resided  there  until  his 
death  some  two  years  ago. 

The  life  of  the  Journal  was  uot  long  extended,  and  its 
material  was  afterwards  merged  with  that  of  the  Demo- 
cratic newspaper.  The  Journal  was  the  last  distinctly 
Whig  newspaper  published  in  Des  Moines.  Until  the 
winter  of  1855-56  the  Star,  or  Statesman,  had  this 
held  entirely  to  itself.  Then  came  Thomas  H.  Sypherd, 
who,  aided  by  Andrew  J.  Stevens  and  others,  com- 
menced the  publication  of  the  Citizen,  a  Free  Soil  or  Ee- 
publicau  paper,  iu  February,  1856.  Mr.  Sj'pherd  re- 
juained  in  control  of  the  Citizen  until  the  following  year, 
when  becoming  financially  embarrassed,  he  removed  to 
the  Territory  of  Kansas.  He  afterwards  secured  a  posi- 
tion in  one  of  the  departments  of  Washington  and  was 
there  a  number  of  years.  The  Citizeu  then  fell  into  the 
hands  of  Andrew  J.  Stevens,  James  C.  Savery  and  others, 
and  for  a  time  was  under  the  editorial  control  of  Dr.  W. 
H.  Farner,  who  had  previously  been  one  of  the  editors  of 
the  Democratic  Statesman.  The  lamented  J.  M.  Dixon, 
afterwards  so  well  known  as  the  blind  editor,  was  also 
for  some  time  connected  with  the  Citizen.  Tac  Hussey, 
a  well  known  early  settler,  for  years  a  member  of  the  old 
established  firm  of  printers  and  binders.  Carter  &  Hus- 
sey, also  worked  for  a  j^ear  or  two  in  this  office. 

In  December,  1857,  John  Teesdale,  who  had  been  a 
prominent  Ohio  editor  and  had  been  at  Iowa  City  for  a 
short  time,  purchased  the  Citizen  and  took  charge  of  the 
same,  retaining  J.  M.  Dixon  as  assistant  editor.  Mr. 
Teesdale  at  one  time  had  been  the  editor  of  the  Ohio 
State  Journal,  and  would  have  been  pleased  to  adopt 


AKID  THE  CITY  OF  DEfi  MOIl^E^.  607 

that  name  for  his  paper  here,  but  as  Will.  Porter  had 
previously  preempted  the  uame  for  the  Democratic  paper, 
he  was  forced  to  adopt  that  of  the  State  Eegister.  Mr. 
Teesdale  was  also  State  printer,  aud  the  emoluments  of 
tliat  office  aided  him  materially  in  the  publication  of  his 
newspaper.  Being  defeated  for  a  re-election  as  State 
printer  in  18G0,  he  not  long  afterwards  sold  the  news- 
jiaper  to  the  new  State  printer,  Frank  W.  Palmer,  for- 
merly of  Xew  York  State,  but  then  of  Dubuque.  Palmer 
tdok  charge  of  the  office  in  1S60,  aud  in  18G1  Mr.  Tees- 
dale  was  appointed  ijostmaster  at  Des  Moines  by  Pres- 
ident Lincoln.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  Mr.  Tees- 
dale  became  more  or  less  connected  with  several  news- 
papers at  different  places,  and  was  mostly  absent  from 
Des  Moines  for  several  years.  lie  subsequently  returned 
here  with  his  family  and  died  here. 

On  Maj'  8,  1860,  Frank  W.  Palmer  assumed  control  of 
the  State  Register,  and  at  once  enlarged  and  improA^ed 
the  paper.  Up  to  January  12,  1862,  the  Eegister  was 
published  onlj'  weekly,  as  all  the  papers  jDreviously  pub 
lished  in  Des  Moines  had  been,  with  the  exception  of 
during  the  sessions  of  the  General  Assembly  in  1858 
and  1860,  daily  issues  had  been  printed,  which  were 
mostly  filled  Avith  legislative  reports  and  items.  The 
Eegister  was  the  first  regular  daily  issued  at  the  date 
above  given,  and  has  been  issued  as  a  dailj^  from  that 
date  to  the  present,  and  will  probablj'  be  issued  every 
morning  for  many  years  to  come.  Telegraph  lines  had 
been  extended  to  Des  Moines  a  year  or  two  previously, 
and  its  news  by  telegraph  had  been  a  great  feature  of 
the  Register  from  the  beginning.  During  the  stormy  and 
stirring  times  of  the  war  the  Register  under  the  control 
of  Mr.  Palmer  was  an  ardent  Republican  party  pa])er, 


608  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  Hliowed  little  mercy  to  those  of  opposite  political 
faitli.  Thomas  F.  Withrow,  then  an  attorney'  of  this 
city,  and  afterwards  i^eneral  solicitor  of  the  Chicago, 
Rock  Island  and  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  a  leading 
Repnblican  and  strong  partisan,  contributed  much  edit- 
orial matter.  SeAvard  lr^mith  and  other  pronunent  Re- 
publicans were  also  frequent  contributors.  During  the 
six  years  of  Mr.  Palmer's  managenu-nt  of  the  Register 
tliere  were  many  exciting  contests,  not  oidy  between 
members  of  the  opposing  pcditical  parties,  but  also  of 
bitter  (piarrels  and  tierce  and  protracted  fights  in  th<' 
Repnldican   party. 

One  of  these  may  as  well  be  mentioned  here.  lion. 
John.  A.  Kasson,  admitted  by  all  to  be  one  of  the  most 
able  men  and  politicians  of  Iowa,  came  to  Des  Moines 
in  1858  and  commenced  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  an 
educated  and  accomplished  gentleman  and  good  lawyer. 
He  soon  took  an  active  part  in  politics  as  a  Republican, 
and  Avas  a  delegate  to  the  Chicago  National  CouA-ention 
Avhicli  nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President.  He 
AA'as  made  a  member  of  the  committee  on  res(dutions,  and 
was  credited  AA'ith  liaA'ing  himself  AA'ritten  much  of  that 
noAA'  historical  platform.  After  the  inauguration  of 
President  Lincoln,  Mr.  Kasson  Avas  appointed  first  as- 
sistant postmaster  general,  and  achieA'ed  much  reputa- 
tion in  this  i)osition.  Under  the  census  of  18(iO,  and  the 
apportionment  thereunder,  instead  of  Iavo,  as  preA^ously, 
loAA'a  AA'as  giA'en  six  members  of  the  National  House. 
Des  Moines  AA'as  thrown  into  the  Fifth  Congressional  Dis- 
trict, which  embraced  tAA'enty-three  counties,  AA'est  and 
south  of  Polk  County.  Tlunnas  IT.  Benton,  Jr.,  then  Ha'- 
ing  in  Council  Pduff's,  AA'as  a  camlidate  for  the  Rei)ub- 
lican  nomination,  and  it  was  generally  thought  AA'ould 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  60'J 

be  the  nominee.  But  Mr.  Kasson  also  appeared  as  a 
candidate,  and  at  a  convention  held  at  Wiuterset,  after 
a  warm  struggle,  was  nominated  and  elected  in  October, 
1SG2.  He  was  re-elected  in  1864  without  much  opx)Osi- 
tion.  In  18G8,  however,  Messrs.  Palmer,  Withrow  and 
other  leaders  of  the  party  were  against  him,  and  one  of 
the  fiercest  fights  ever  known  in  the  partj'  was  the  re- 
sult. This  fight  aroused  the  enmities  which  survived  for 
years,  and  even  to  this  day  are  not  entirely  extinct.  The 
final  result  was  that  Mr.  Kasson  was  defeated  for  renom- 
iuation,  and  Gen.  G.  M.  Dodge,  of  Council  Bluffs,  was 
made  the  nominee  and  elected.  Mr.  Kasson  retired  from 
Congress,  but  was  the  same  year,  1867,  made  a  member 
of  the  General  Assembly  and  re-elected  in  1869  and  1871. 
He  was  then  re-elected  to  Congress  and  afterwards  was 
minister  to  Spain  and  also  Austria,  besides  represent- 
ing the  government  abroad  in  several  other  important 
capacities.  He  now  resides  most  of  the  time  in  Wash- 
ington, where,  it  is  said,  he  is  engaged  in  the  preparation 
of  an  important  historical  work. 

In  1866,  Mr.  Palmer  sold  the  Register  to  Mills  &  Co.— 
Frank  M.  and  Jacob  W.  Mills,  with  the  agreement  that 
he  was  to  remain  as  editor  for  a  year  or  two.  He  was 
nominally  the  editor  until  his  election  to  Congress  in 
1868.  His  election  was  brought  about  by  a  previous  un- 
derstanding, and  by  the  fact  that  Gen.  Dodge  had  no 
fancy  for  congressional  life,  and  one  term  was  sufficient 
for  him.  Mr.  Palmer  was  re-elected  in  1870,  and  not  long 
after  the  close  of  his  congressional  term  he  removed  to 
Chicago  and  again  became  connected  with  newspaper 
work.  For  a  time  he  was  with  the  Inter  Ocean  and  then 
with  a  leading  trade  paper.  He  was  also  postmaster  al 
Chicago  for  a  number  of  years.     Soon  after  the  inaugur 

38     " 


GIO  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

ation  of  President  Harrison  lie  was  appointed  public 
printer  at  Wasliinglon,  and  served  as  snoli  some  four  or 
five  years.  He  tlien  became  connected  with  a  daily  news- 
paper at  Syracuse,  New  York,  but  it  is  understood  has 
returned  to  Chicago. 

The  Mills  Brothers  before  purchasing  the  Register  were 
owners  and  managers  of  the  largest  book  and  job  print- 
ing establishment  in  the  State,  and  they  immediately  en- 
larged and  improved  the  Register  in  many  respects.  They 
Avere  enterprising  and  liberal  and  spared  no  expense  or 
labor  in  their  determination  to  make  the  Register  the 
leading  newspaper  of  the  State.  While  conducting  the 
ohice  in  this  liberal  manner  they  found  a  young  printer 
in  their  employ,  "working  at  the  case,"  who  in  an  emer- 
gency could  write  a  local  item  with  point  and  skill,  and 
soon  appreciating  his  ability,  they  transferred  him  to  the 
editorial  rooms.  This  j'oung  man  was  James  S.  Clarkson, 
or  "Ret,"  as  he  was  more  familiarly  termed.  After  doing- 
local  news  and  general  Avork,  he  became  the  chief  editorial 
writer.  Tlie  business  of  the  Mills  Brothers  became  so 
extensive  that  in  the  fourth  year  of  their  control,  they 
offered  to  sell  the  Register  to  good  parties.  Making  this 
known  to  young  Clarkson  he  at  once  went  to  Grundy 
County  to  consult  his  father,  Hon.  Coker  F.  Clarkson, 
and  his  brother,  Richard  P.  Clarkson.  The  father  had 
for  3'ears  been  the  editor  and  publisher  of  a  leading  coun- 
try newspaper  in  Indiana,  and  both  the  younger  men  were 
practical  printers.  Arrangements  were  finally  made,  the 
deal  arranged  and  on  December  6,  1870,  the  Clarksons 
assumed  the  ownership  and  control  of  the  Register.  In 
a  few  months  thereafter  the  father  sold  or  relinquished 
all  his  financial  interest  in  the  office,  and  Richard  P.  and 
James  S.  Clarkson  became  the  sole  owners  and  managers, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  611 

the  first  taking  the  financial  and  the  latter  the  editorial 
management. 

The  history  of  the  Register  dnring  the  twenty-five 
years  of  its  control  by  the  Clarksons  is  a  part  of  the  liis- 
tory  of  the  city,  county  and  State.  They  worked  liard, 
were  never  discouraged  or  disheartened,  had  their  full 
share  of  good  and  ill  luck,  but  fortunately,  most  of  the 
former,  had  pluck  and  perseverance,  and  the  result  is 
they  built  up  one  of  the  most  influential  and  best  paying- 
newspapers  in  Iowa  or  in  the  entire  coimtry.  In  1889 
James  S.  Clarkson  accepted  under  President  Harrison  the 
appointment  of  first  assistant  postmaster  general,  and  sub- 
sequently sold  his  one-half  interest  in  the  Register  to  his 
brother,  Richard  P.,  for  a  large  sum  of  money.  Resign- 
ing his  place  as  assistant  postmaster  general,  James  S. 
Clarkson  was  for  a  time  chairman  of  the  Republican  Na- 
tional Committee,  of  which  he  has  been  a  member 
from  Iowa  for  manj'  years.  lie  continues  to  take  an 
active  and  influential  part  in  political  aft'airs,  and  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  national  leaders  of  the  Republican 
partj'.  While  having  his  famih'  in  the  East  during  the 
most  of  the  past  few  years  and  engaged  himself  there 
frequently  in  large  financial  operations,  Mr.  Clarkson 
always  regards  Des  Moines  and  Iowa,  for  both  of  which 
he  has  done  much,  as  his  permanent  home. 

Nor  can  a  history  of  the  newspaper  press  of  Des  Moines 
be  truly  written  without  mention  of  J.  M.  Dixon,  in  his 
later  years  known  throughout  the  State  as  the  "blind 
editor."  Born  in  Ohio  he  had  managed  through  many 
difliculties  to  acquire  an  excellent  education.  Arriving 
at  manhood,  several  years  of  his  life  was  devoted  to  teach- 
ing, with,  for  a  time,  thoughts  of  the  ministry.  Along  in 
1850  he  came  to  Des  Moines  and  did  his  first  Iowa  news- 


612  AiAWAL»s'  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

paper  work  on  the  Citizen.  A  year  or  two  later  he  had 
charge  of  a  newspaper  at  Indianola.  Quitting  this  he 
returned  to  Des  Moines,  and  for  some  ten  j'ears  or  more 
he  was  local  and  editorial  writer  on  the  Eegister,  and 
there  won  much  reputation.  He  liad  trouble  with  his 
ej'^es,  whicli  finally  ended  in  blindness.  He  was  a  singu- 
lar man,  possessing  peculiar  gifts,  and  in  his  writings 
mixed  sarcasm,  pathos  and  hard  hits  all  together.  Aud 
yet  he  was  a  man  of  good  lieart  and  impulses.  While 
he  may  have  made  enemies  lie  also  made  many  friends, 
aud  even  his  enemies  could  not  long  retain  ill-will  agaiust 
him.  In  many  things  he  was  as  simple  as  a  child.  He 
had  no  gift  for  making  or  saying  money.  His  later  years 
were  burdened  with  afflictions  aud  sorrows.  While  blind 
he  often  dictated  articles  for  the  press,  and  in  1870  dic- 
tated and  published  the  Centennial  History  of  Polk 
County,  a  work  of  much  merit  and  to  which  this  history 
is  much  indebted.  A  few  years  after  this  he  died  in  Des 
Moines  after  a  long  and  painful  illness.  Many  Avarm 
friends  mourn  his  loss. 

Here  we  will  continue  the  interrupted  history  of  the 
Democratic  newspaper.  As  previously  stated.  Will. 
Porter,  early  in  1860,  sold  the  State  Journal  to  Stilsou 
Hutchins.  The  latter  was  editor  and  proprietor  for  some 
two  years,  part  of  the  time  in  connection  with  George 
M.  Todd.  He  then  sold  the  Journal  and  went  to  Du- 
buqiK^,  and  afterwards,  in  connectiou  with  others,  es- 
tablished the  Daily  Times  at  St.  Louis.  There  he  made 
a  great  success  in  the  newspaper  and  political  way,  and 
for  a  time  Avas  prominent  in  Missouri  affairs.  Some 
years  after  this  he  went  to  the  City  of  Washington  and 
there  became  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Post,  and  be- 
came again  a  wealthv  man.     He  also  became  interested 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  613 

in  a  leading  Democratic  newspaper  in  New  Hampshire, 
and  after  disposing  of  tlie  Post,  now  divides  liis  time 
between  Washington   and  New  Hampshire. 

George  M.  Todd  continued  the  Journal  for  a  time  and 
then  retired.  He  came  to  Des  Moines  from  New  York 
in  1856,  and  in  connection  with  his  brother  and  others 
erected  a  large  building  above  the  dam,  and  filled  it  with 
costly  machinery  for  iron  and  wood  work.  The  brothers 
came  of  a  wealthy  New  York  family,  but  their  large  in- 
vestment of  money  was  unfortunate  and  resulted  in  the 
loss  of  many  thousands  of  dollars.  George  M.  Todd,  an 
active  politician,  drifted  into  newspaper  work,  and  after 
leaving  the  Journal  here  removed  to  Burlington,  where 
lie  became  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Gazette.  There 
he  remained  for  a  number  of  years,  being  fairly  success- 
ful in  his  newspaper  work.  He  later  sold  his  interest  in 
the  Gazette  and  engaged  in  the  furniture  trade,  build- 
ing up  a  flourishing  business.  Subsequently  he  left  the 
State,  and  it  is  said  settled  in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 

In  1860,  Andrew  J.  Stevens,  whose  failure  as  a  banker 
a  few  years  previous,  had  caused  much  excitement  and 
considerable  loss  in  the  community,  in  connection  with 
his  brother-in-law,  William  H.  Hoxie,  established  the 
Commonwealth,  as  an  independent  Republican  news- 
paper. This  enterjirise  met  with  fair  success  for  a  year 
or  two.  A.  J.  Stevens  came  to  Des  Moines  early  in  the 
fifties  from  New  York,  where  for  a  time  he  had  read  law 
in  the  office  of  William  H.  Seward.  During  his  first  years 
here  he  taught  school  aud  worked  his  way  along  as  best 
he  could.  He  then  became  a  land  agent,  and  later  de- 
veloped into  a  private  banker  with  an  excellent  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  Andrew  J.  Stevens  &  Co.  He  was 
also  elected  State  auditor  in  1854,  and  resigned  the  office 


614  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

in  1855.  As  was  somewhat  the  custom  in  those  days 
when  no  banks  of  issue  were  permitted  to  exist  in  Iowa 
he  secured  control  of  a  bank  charter  in  Tennessee,  called 
the  Agricultural  Bank,  and  issued  many  thousands  of 
dollars  of  its  bills.  As  the  Des  Moines  bank  of  A.  J. 
Stevens  &  Co.  stood  ready  to  always  redeem  these  Ten- 
nessee bills  in  other  currency  they  passed  current  in  this 
city  and  county,  and  for  perhaps  fifty  or  one  hundred 
miles  around,  though  they  were  never  entirely  free  from 
suspicion  of  unsoundness.  Occasionally  reports  to  their 
discredit  would  be  in  circulation,  but  A.  J.  Stevens  &  Co. 
upheld  them  until  early  in  1857  the  crash  came.  The 
banks  here  threw  all  their  Agricultural  Bank  bills  out, 
and  the  banking  house  of  A.  J.  Stevens  &  Co.  could  not 
redeem  them,  and  was  itself  forced  to  suspend.  The  loss 
on  the  bills  was  comparatively  heavy  and  total.  The 
creditors  of  the  Stevens  Bank  itself,  however,  were  gen- 
erally protected,  as  James  Callanan  and  Schuj'ler  R.  Ing- 
ham, who  had  recently  purchased  an  interest  in  the  same, 
were  sound  financially.  Stevens  himself  was  bankrupt. 
He  had  saved  little  or  nothing.  By  the  advice  of  friends 
he  left  the  city  and  did  not  return  until  the  excitement 
abated.  When  he  returned  and  endeavored  to  again  re- 
cover his  fortune  he  was  for  a  time  editor  of  a  School 
Journal,  established  by  Mills  &  Co.,  and  he  and  Hoxie, 
as  stated,  established  the  Commonwealth.  After  the  in- 
auguration of  President  Lincoln,  Secretary  Seward  se- 
cured his  appointment  as  consul  to  a  port  in  Canada,  and 
there  Stevens  remained  for  several  years.  Returning  to 
Des  Moines  he  removed  to  Nebraska,  and  for  a  time  was 
again  successful  as  a  land  agent  and  banker  in  that  Stiite. 
But  he  afterwards  met  with  financial  and  family  troubles 
and  lastly  found  himself  in  California  broken  in  health 
and  fortune.     He  there  died  several  years  ago.     In  1857, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  BE^i  MOIXES.  615 

Mr.  Stevens  was  married  to  Miss  Rose  Hoxie,  a  dauglitei- 
of  oue  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Des  Moines. 

Tlie  Commonwealtli  passed  into  the  Iiands  of  J.  B. 
Bansman  and  S.  W.  Rnssell — the  former  an  early  sur- 
"veyor  and  the  latter  an  old-time  printer  of  Des  Moines. 
And' not  long  thereafter  this  paper  and  the  Journal  were 
consolidated  into  the  Times.  For  a  time  Dr.  D.  V.  Cole 
also  held  a  controlling  interest.  Dr.  Cole  came  to  Des 
Moines  at  an  early  day,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was 
engaged  successfully  in  the  practice  of  medicine.  In 
1855-56  he  was  the  countj^  agent  for  the  sale  of  intox- 
icating liquors;  or,  as  it  was  then  commonly  termed, 
"kept  the  County  Grocery."  Some  years  ago  he  removed 
to  Southern  Kansas,  where  he  has  been  verj'  successful 
in  his  profession  and  business.  S.  W.  Russell,  or  "Squire'' 
as  he  was  generally  termed,  worked  in  the  Register  office 
for  many  years  and  died  a  few  years  ago.  J.  B.  Bausman 
removed  to  Minneapolis  years  ago,  and  is  reported  to 
have  been  successful  there  as  a  surveyor  and  land  agent, 
but  is  now  dead. 

Late  in  1863,  Col.  William  H.  Merritt  purchased  the 
material  of  the  suspended  Commonwealth  and  Times,  and 
revived  the  Statesman,  and  soon  made  it  take  rank  among 
the  leading  newspapers  of  the  State.  He  continued  in 
charge  of  it  until  1867  when  he  sold  out.  Col.  Merritt 
was  born  in  the  City  of  New  York,  September  12,  1820, 
educated  at  the  Genessee  Wesleyan  University,  and  en- 
gaging as  a  youth  in  mercantile  pursuits  came  to  Rock 
Island,  Illinois,  and  was  sent  by  his  employer  in  1839 
to  take  charge  of  a  branch  store  in  Linn  County,  in  Iowa 
Territory.  His  principal  customers  were  the  Sac  and 
Fox  Indians.  He  managed  this  store  for  two  years,  and 
dviriug  the  winter  of  1840-41  received  the  appointment 


616  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

of  enrolling  clerk  of  the  Territorial  council,  then  in  ses- 
sion in  the  old  Methodist  Church  at  Burlington.  He  then 
returned  to  his  father  at  Buffalo,  New  York,  but  in  1847 
again  returned  to  Iowa,  locating  at  Dubuque,  where  he 
took  charge  of  the  Miners'  Express.  He  sold  out  this  after 
two  years'  work,  and  engaged  in  the  surv^ej''  of  govern- 
ment lands  in  Northern  Iowa.  He  went  to  California  in 
1849  hj  way  of  the  Isthmus  and  returned  in  March,  1851. 
The  same  year  he  again  became  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  Dubuque  Miners'  Express,  and  at  the  end  of  two 
years  united  with  the  Herald.  In  1852  he  was  appointed 
surveyor  of  the  port  of  Dubuque,  and  in  1855  register  of 
the  newly  created  United  States  land  office  at  Fort  Dodge. 
He  held  this  office  two  years,  selling  about  two  million 
acres  of  land  in  that  short  time,  and  then  resigned  to  go 
into  the  banking  business  with  George  and  William 
Greene  at  Cedar  Kapids.  When  the  Civil  War  broke  out 
he  was  commissioned  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  First 
Iowa  Infantry,  and  at  once  went  into  the  field.  He  was 
with  the  regiment  all  through  its  Missouri  campaign,  and 
owing  to  the  sickness  of  Col.  Bates,  was  in  command  of 
the  First  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek.  He  won  much 
credit  for  his  coolness,  skill  and  bravery,  and  was  only 
a  few  feet  from  Gen.  L.yon  when  that  gallant  officer  was 
mortally  wounded.  When  his  regiment  was  mustered 
out  Col.  Merritt  was  appointed  on  the  staff  of  Gen.  Mc- 
Clellan,  with  the  rank  of  colonel  of  cavalry,  and  for  a 
time  stationed  at  Fort  Leavenworth.  Late  in  1803  he 
resigned  and  left  the  service,  coming  home  to  loAva. 

Locating  at  Des  Moines,  as  previously  stated,  Col.  Mer- 
ritt purchased  the  material  and  re-established  the  States- 
man. He  conducted  it  until  18G7,  when  he  sold  out,  and 
for  several  years  thereafter  was  principally  engaged  in 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^S  MOINEi<.  017 

the  construction  of  railroads  in  other  States.  In  1880 
he  was  elected  ma^'or  of  Des  Moines  and  seryed 
two  years.  He  was  subsequently  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Cleveland  postmaster  at  Des  Moines  and  served  in 
this  office  a  term  of  four  years.  In  a  few  months  after 
his  retirement  from  the  postofQce  his  health  failed  and 
death  soon  closed  his  active  and  useful  life. 

From  Col.  Merritt  the  Statesman  passed  into  the  hands 
of  Staub  &  Jenkins,  who,  for  a  time,  made  a  number  of 
improvements.  But  it  failed  to  make  good  returns  on 
the  money  invested,  and  thej^  transferred  the  office  to  G. 
AV.  Snow,  a  young  Pennsylvanian  and  fine  writer.  He 
conducted  it  for  a  time,  but  his  health  failed  and  his 
death  soon  followed.  For  a  time  the  publication  of  the 
paper  was  suspended.  lu  1870,  W.  W.  Witmer  came  from 
Muscatine  and  for  himself  and  the  Barnhart  Brothers 
purchased  the  plant,  greatly  added  to  it,  and  at  once 
commenced  the  publication  of  a  Democratic  daily  evening 
newspaper,  under  the  name  of  the  Leader.  Mr.  Witmer 
was  earnest  and  untiring  in  his  labors  and  through  many 
difiiculties  in  the  course  of  time  he  placed  the  Leader  upon 
a  substantial  and  paying  basis.  Connected  with  him  at 
various  times  was  his  brother,  Joel  W.  Witmer,  W.  II. 
Andrews,  Jno.  C.  Kelly,  Phil  S.  Kell,  John  Olsen,  Charles 
Painter,  Henry  Philpot,  G.  W.  Parker,  George  McCracken 
and  others,  but  to  W.  W.  Witmer  can  be  ascribed  the 
main  credit  for  the  success  of  the  Leader.  After  ten  years 
of  unremitting  toil,  brightened  by  a  fair  measure  of  suc- 
cess, W.  W.  Witmer  sold  his  interest  in  the  Leader,  and 
since  has  been  one  of  the  most  successful  business  men 
of  the  city,  devoting  himself  mostly  to  real  estate  and 
loans. 

For  a  time  Lowrj^  W.  Goode  had  the  management  of 


618  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

the  Leader,  and  he  made  a  brilliant  newspaper  of  it,  en 
larging  and  improYing  it  in  everv  direction.  But  tlie 
receipts  would  hardly  meet  the  expenditures,  and  in  a 
year  or  two  Mr.  Goode  retired  from  newspaper  work  to 
make  one  or  two  fortunes  in  real  estate  and  other  finan- 
cial operations.  Then  Frank  Garrity  assumed  charge 
and  sunk,  it  is  said,  considerable  money  in  the  effort  to 
make  a  successful  morning  newspaper  of  it.  He  haA'ing 
failed  W.  H.  Welch,  W.  W.  Witmer,  John  Watts  and  a 
few  others  formed  a  company,  purchased  and  rehabili- 
tated the  Leader,  and  published  a  most  excellent  news- 
paper, being  the  first  in  Des  Moines  to  publish  a  paper 
every  da}'  in  the  week.  But  misfortune  seemed  to  come 
upon  them  through  no  fault  of  their  own.  They  had 
removed  the  office  into  a  large  brick  building  on  the 
north  side  of  Court  avenue,  between  Third  and  Fourth 
streets,  and  in  connection  with  the  newspaper  had  a  large 
book  and  job  plant.  One  night  fire  came  upon  them  and 
in  a  short  time  the  building  was  gutted  and  nearly  all 
the  material  was  ruined  or  totally  destroyed.  They  pluck 
ily  continued  the  publication  of  the  Leader  without  in- 
terruption, and  in  a  short  time  had  a  new  and  complete 
office  in  the  building  now  occupied  by  the  Leader.  In- 
side of  a  year  came  another  fire,  and  again  was  the  office 
wrecked.  William  Welch  and  his  partners  again  reso- 
lutely set  to  work,  and  the  loss  was  at  once  replaced  with 
new  material.  But  these  lieaAW  and  successive  losses 
crippled  the  newspaper,  they  being  far  more  heavy  than 
the  insurance  money  collected.  Not  long  after  this 
Watts  retired,  and  new  arrangements  being  made,  finally 
John  F.  Olsen  and  A.  F.  H.  Zeigler  took  control.  An 
effort  was  made  to  organize  a  strong  stock  company  and 
for  a  time  Judge  Kinne,  now  a  member  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State,  had  editorial  charge.    The  proposed 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXE.S.  6111 

stock  company  was  a  failure,  and  at  last  Zeigler  and 
Olsen  were  forced  to  make  an  assignment  for  the  benefit 
of  the  creditors  of  the  concern.  Phil  S.  Kell  was  the 
assignee,  and  for  some  months  the  Leader  was  published 
under  his  charge. 

At  the  assignee  sale  Henry  Stivers  became  the  pur- 
chaser of  the  entire  plant.  He  was  proprietor  and  editor 
of  the  Leader  five  years  with  varying  success,  tie  made 
from  time  to  time  various  improvements,  increasing  its 
telegraphic  and  other  news  facilities,  put  in  an  improved 
fast  press,  and  in  other  wajs  sought  to  keep  the  Leader 
fully  abreast  of  the  times.  He  had  many  difficulties  to 
face,  and  he  courageously  met  them.  He  labored  hard 
for  success  and  partially  won  it,  and  deserved  even  more 
success  than  he  achieved.  Tu  April,  1895,  having  an  offer 
made  him  which,  under  the  circumstances,  he  could  ac- 
cept, he  then  sold  the  Leader  and  all  its  belongings  and 
retired  to  a  splendid  farm  which  he  owned  in  Clarke 
County,  where  he  now  resides,  busily  engaged  with  his 
crops  and  stock. 

The  new  proprietors  of  the  Leader  are  Samuel  Strauss, 
a  young  man  of  literary  tastes  and  business  ability,  born 
and  reared  in  Des  Moines,  and  a  son  of  Moses  Strauss, 
of  the  well  known  wholesale  millinery  house  of  Lederer 
&  Strauss.  Allen  Dawson,  his  partner,  has  had  an  ex- 
tended newspaper  and  editorial  experience  upon  some  of 
the  leading  newspapers  of  the  State,  such  as  the  Sioux 
City  Journal  and  Tribune,  and  brought  to  his  new  posi- 
tion both  ability  and  experience.  The  new  firm  at  once 
began  making  many  improvements  in  the  material  and 
management  of  the  office.  They  increased  the  force  in 
the  editorial  rooms,  and  at  once  ordered  a  number  of  the 
latest  improved  Mergenthaler  typesetting  machines,  and 


620  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

now  have  them  iu  successful  operation.  They  made  other 
extensive  and  expensive  improvements  with  more  to  fol- 
low, and  have  been  encouraged  by  the  much  more  than 
expected  rapid  increase  in  the  business  of  the  Leader. 
Assured  of  the  success  now  certain  to  follow  they  will 
continue  contemplated  improvements  until  they  have 
made  the  Leader  a  real  leader  among  newspapers  of 
Iowa  and  the  West.  After  many  troubles  and  vicissi- 
tudes the  Leader  is  now  safely  on  a  firm  and  sure  foun- 
dation. 

The  Bulletin,  a  daily  evening  paper,  was  established 
by  E.  G.  Orwig,  the  first  number  being  issued  March  11, 
1869.  It  was  Independent  Republican,  and  a  very  bright 
and  lively  newspaper,  and  made  for  a  time  matters  lively 
for  its  friends  and  enemies.  It  managed  to  survive  a 
year  or  more  with  varying  fortunes,  and  finallj''  sus- 
pended, the  material  going  to  Mills  &  Co.  R.  G.  Orwig 
for  a  time  was  prominent  in  this  city  and  State.  He  came 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Des  Moines  during  the  war  days, 
and  though  a  newcomer  managed  to  receive  the  position 
of  private  secretary  to  Governor  Stone.  He  was  bright 
and  pushing,  and  made  many  friends.  While  in  that 
office  there  was  much  scandal  and  some  excitement  over 
the  handling  of  certain  swamp  land  indemnity  funds, 
])aid  by  the  general  government  to  the  State.  Many 
thousands  of  dollars  in  drafts  were  sent  to  the  Governor, 
though  the  indemnity  really  belonged  to  various  counties. 
A  number  of  these  drafts  were  endorsed  Avith  the  Gov- 
ernor's name  and  the  proceeds  used  for  supecTilative  and 
other  purposes.  An  exposure  came  and  with  it  much 
excitement.  A  legislative  investigation  virtually  cleared 
the  Governor  of  all  wrong  doing  except  gross  careless- 
ness, and  Orwig  was  pronounced  the  most  guilty  one, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES.  621 

though  certain  others  were  implicated  in  the  various 
deals.  Orwig  made  good  a  portion  of  the  loss,  and  the 
kState  reimbursed  the  counties  and  commenced  a  long 
term  of  litigation  with  Orwig  over  certain  valuable  prop 
erty.  This  suit  was  finally  compromised.  Orwig,  after 
the  suspension  of  the  Bulletin,  engaged  in  other  business, 
though  occasionally  having  a  connection  with  some  news- 
paper or  publishing  business,  with  his  usual  buoyant 
hopefulness  until  a  few  years  ago,  when  he  removed  to 
a  wider  field  in  Chicago.  There  he  is  said  to  have  had 
more  or  less  connection  with  newspapers,  and  is  also  dab- 
bling to  some  extent  in  real  estate. 

In  December,  1S70,  Messrs.  Stewart,  Waterman  & 
Speed  started  another  newspaper  under  the  name  of  the 
Review,  and  in  1872  a  company  organized  as  the  Kepub- 
licau  Printing  Company  and  having  taken  in  the  Review 
on  May  18th  of  that  year  the  first  number  of  the  Daily 
Republican  was  issued.  As  its  name  indicated  it  was 
Republican  in  politics  and  sought  to  be  a  rival  of  the 
Register  inside  that  party.  And  the  fight  between  the 
two  often  grew  warm  and  personal.  The  next  year  a  cor- 
poration was  formed  under  the  name  of  State  Printing 
Company,  mainly  for  the  i:>urpose  of  printing  and  furnish- 
ing "ready  printed"  paper  to  the  countrj^  newspapers. 
This  company  in  October,  1873,  took  control  of  the  Re- 
publican and  changed  the  name  to  the  State  Journal.  In 
April,  1874,  the  Journal  passed  into  the  hands  of  G.  W. 
Edwards,  and  on  the  following  October  was  sold  to  J. 
C.  Williams,  John  G.  Blair  and  R.  G.  Pierson,  who  con- 
tinued the  daily  until  October  22,  1875,  when  its  publi- 
cation was  finally  suspended.  The  material  passed  into 
the  possession  of  John  G.  Blair,  who  continued  the  pub 
lication  of  the  Weeklj'    Journal    for    several  years,  his 


622  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

iather-in-law,  Stephen  J.  Loughran,  being  editor.     This 
publication  was  stopped  several  years  ago. 

Of  those  connected  with  the  Keview,  Republican  and 
Journal,  at  least  a  brief  mention  should  be  made.  Geo. 
W.  Edwards  was  connected  with  several  Iowa  news- 
papers outside  of  Des  Moines,  and  was  State  printer  for 
one  or  two  temis.  After  leaving  Des  Moines  he  again 
formed  connections  with  newspapers,  and  died  a  year  or 
two  ago.  George  A.  Stewart  had  served  in  the  late  war 
with  credit,  reaching  the  rank  of  colonel,  was  a  lawyer 
and  fond  of  newspaper  work.  After  his  experience  here 
in  this  work  he  received  an  appointment  to  a  position  in 
one  of  the  departments  of  the  government  at  Washing- 
ton and  held  it  until  his  death  several  years  ago.  His  fam- 
ily yet  reside  in  Washington,  the  son  holding  a  responsi- 
ble position  in  the  United  States  Senate.  J.  E.  Williams 
was  for  years  in  the  United  States  railroad  mail  service, 
losing  a  hand  in  a  collision  or  accident,  and  is  now  en- 
gaged in  busniess  at  Muscatine.  John  G.  Blair  became 
the  owner  and  manager  of  a  large  book  and  job  printing 
office  in  Des  Moines  and  continued  it  up  to  a  few  years 
ago,  when  he  retired  in  broken  health.    He  died  in  1893. 

One  of  the  oldest  newspapers  in  Des  Moines  is  the 
Iowa  Homestead,  a  weekly  agricultural  newspaper. 
Away  back  in  the  fifties  Gen.  William  Duane  Wilson 
was  publishing  a  small  agricultural  newspaper  monthly 
at  Mt.  Pleasant.  In  the  winter  of  1858-59  he  removed  his 
I)aper  to  Des  Moines,  and  commenced  the  publication 
of  the  Weekly  Iowa  Farmer.  Not  long  afterwards  he 
sold  out  to  Hiram  Torrey,  who  changed  the  name  to  the 
Pioneer  Farmer.  He  did  not  succeed  as  well  as  he  ex- 
pected and  soon  turned  the  Farmer  over  to  W.  S.  Sim- 
mons.    The  latter  could  not  make  it  profitable  and  sold 


Alsm  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  623 

to  Mark  Miller,  then  of  Dubuque,  a  well  known  and  suc- 
cessful agricultural  writer  and  editor,  wlio  was  then  pub- 
lishing the  Northwestern  Farmer  at  that  place.  He 
brought  material  from  Dubuque,  his  son,  Geo.  A.,  now  the 
head  of  the  large  Geo.  A.  Miller  printing  house,  driving 
the  wagon  containing  the  same.  Mr.  Miller  adopted  the 
name  as  it  yet  remains,  Iowa  Homestead.  A  few  years 
after  he  sold  the  paper  to  H.  W.  Pettitt,  remaining  as 
agricultural  editor,  while  Pettitt,  a  peculiar  genius,  made 
the  Homestead  bright  and  interesting  in  other  directions. 
Early  in  18G6  Pettitt  died  after  a  brief  illness,  and  the 
paper  soon  after  became  the  property  of  Mills  &  Co.  They 
afterwards  resold  to  Wilson,  and  he  again  became  editor 
and  proprietor.  In  1873  it  was  purchased  by  Dr.  G.  W. 
vSprague,  and  it  remained  under  his  management  until 
ISSO,  when  it  came  under  the  control  of  Benjamin  F. 
Gue.  He  had  this  control  and  pushed  its  business  for 
several  years,  when  it,  through  several  changes,  passed 
into  the  possession  of  the  Homestead  Company  now  own- 
ing it.  The  principal  men  of  this  company  are  James 
M.  Pierce,  Henry  Wallace  and  S.  F.  Stewart.  During 
the  past  year  Mr.  Wallace  has  retired  from  the  editorial 
charge  of  the  paper.  Under  the  management  of  this 
company  in  the  past  ten  years  the  Homestead  has  been 
very  successful.  Its  circulation  has  reached  many  thou- 
sands, and  its  advertising  and  other  business  has  devel- 
oped wonderfully.  A  large  and  elegant  building  was 
erected  for  its  exclusive  use  on  the  corner  of  Locust  and 
Third  streets,  and  its  type,  presses  and  machinery  placed 
therein  are  of  the  latest  and  best.  The  Homestead  has 
become  one  of  the  leading  agricultural  newspapers  of  the 
country. 

Mark  Miller,  at  an  early  day  purchased  some  forty  acres 


624  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  land  tlieu  uear  to  and  now  iucorporated  in  the  city, 
and  there  made  a  home  for  himself  and  family.  Here 
he  devoted  his  spare  time  to  his  favorite  pursuits,  jjlowed 
and  planted,  and  cultivated  fruits,  etc.  Aud  here  he  re- 
mained until  his  death  in  1874. 

Gen.  W.  Duaue  Wilson,  years  before  coming  to  Des 
Moines,  owned  an  interest  in  the  Chicago  Tribune,  though 
it  was  not  then  the  great  neAVspaper  it  afterwards  be- 
came. He  came  to  Iowa  at  an  early  da.y  and  with  his  tall 
form,  flowing  beard  and  courtly  manners  soon  attracted 
much  notice  in  public  and  social  circles.  For  a  time 
Iowa  had  a.  bureau  of  agriculture  at  the  capital  and 
Gen.  Wilson  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  same.  He  was 
also  for  some  time  in  the  agTicultural  bureau  at  Wash- 
ington. Returning  to  Des  Moines  he  died  at  an  advanced 
age  several  j'ears  ago.  Dr.  Sprague,  who  was  long  a 
prominent  resident  of  Northern  Iowa  and  prominent  in 
agricultural  and  otlier  affairs,  after  his  few  j^ears'  resi- 
dence in  Des  Moines,  removed  to  Chicago. 

Benjamin  F.  Gue  was  an  early  settler  in  Iowa  and 
represented  Scott  County  in  the  General  Assemblj''.  He 
was  afterwards  elected  Lieutenant  Governor  and  pre- 
sided over  the  Senate  with  much  credit.  Subsequently 
he  removed  to  Fort  Dodge,  and  there  edited  and  pub- 
lished the  Messenger  for  several  years,  making  it  under 
his  management  a  leading  Republican  newspaper.  He 
then  was  appointed  United  States  pension  agent  at  Des 
Moines,  and  held  this  responsible  office  for  a  term  of  four 
years.  After  his  retirement  from  the  Homestead  he  de- 
voted his  time  to  farming  and  other  pursuits.  For  a  few 
years  past  he  has  been  connected  with  the  State  His- 
torical Department,  where  his  services  are  most  valu- 
able.   For  a  number  of  vears  Mr.  Gue  has  devoted  much 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  625 

of  his  time  to  the  collection  of  material  and  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  complete  standard  history  of  Iowa,  political 
and  otheiT^ase.  His  keenness  of  perception  and  unvary- 
ing honesty  of  pur-pose,  with  his  untiring  energy,  and 
especially  acquired  knowledge  upon  this  subject  and  his 
long  identification  and  familiarity  with  the  people  of  the 
State,  eminentlj'  fit  him  for  the  responsible  task  of  writ- 
ing an  honest  and  reliable  history  of  Iowa.  Such  a  work 
is  needed,  and  its  appearance  from  the  pen  of  Governor 
Gue  will  be  hailed  with  delighted  appreciation  by  all 
the  intelligent  citizens  of  the  State. 

W.  S.  Simmons,  who  for  a  time  controlled  the  Home- 
stead, was  for  several  years  a  working  printer  in  Des 
Moines,  coming  here  from  Columbus,  Ohio.  Early  in  1861 
he  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Fourth  Iowa  Infantry,  and 
was  made  a  lieutenant.  The  following  year  he  succeeded 
Captain  Griffiths,  who  was  transferred  to  the  artillery 
service.  Captain  Simmons  rendered  faithful  service  until 
the  regiment  was  mustered  out  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  subsequently  returned  to  and  remained  in  his  old 
home  in  Ohio. 

On  October  7,  1871,  Conrad  Beck  issued  the  first  Ger- 
man newspaper  ever  published  in  Des  Moines,  the  State 
Anzeiger.  Mr.  Beck,  in  connection  with  others,  published 
this  paper  for  some  three  j'ears,  when  he  retired  to  en- 
gage in  other  pursuits.  For  many  years  he  has  been  and 
is  now  engaged  in  the  United  States  railway  mail  sendee, 
where  he  sustains  an  excellent  reputation  for  honesty 
and  efficiency. 

On  February  14,  1874,  Col.  Joseph  Eiboeck,  who  had 
been  reared  in  Dubuque  and  published  newspapers  in 
Clayton  County,  became  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the 
State  Anzeiger,  and  for  some  twenty-two  years  has  con 

^9 


026  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

tinned  in  sole  charge  of  this  office.  Under  his  able  and 
energetic  management  the  Anzeiger  has  Avidely  extended 
and  increased  its  circnlatiou  and  business,  and  has  for 
years  been  one  of  the  most  influential  newspapers  in  Iowa. 
During  the  time  Col.  Eiboeck  has  been  in  charge  he  has 
also  at  different  times,  and  when  an  important  political 
crisis  was  at  hand,  published  newspapers  in  the  English 
language.  Among  these  the  Herald  of  Liberty  and  In- 
dependent reached  large  circulation,  and  while  published 
wielded  a  large  influence.  Col.  Eiboeck  is  a  clever,  cour- 
teous gentleman,  who  has  done  much  for  Des  Moines, 
and  who  has  a  veiy  large  number  of  friends  in  all  parts 
of  the  State.  The  Anzeiger  has  always  been  indepen- 
dent, though  generalljr  it  has  been  in  accord  with  the 
Democratic  party,  and  at  all  times  and  under  all  circum- 
stances has  been  a  strong  opponent  of  prohibition  and 
prohibitory  laws  in  relation  to  the  manufacture  and  sale 
of  intoxicating  liquors  and  in  favor  of  regulating  and 
licensing  the  same. 

In  1870,  H.  M.  Bishax'd  established  a  weekly  newspaper, 
the  Plain  Talk,  on  the  East  Side.  He  made  it  a  lively 
and  interesting  sheet.  He  died  several  years  ago,  and 
the  publication  of  the  Plain  Talk  has  been  continued  by 
his  sons,  in  connection  with  book  and  job  j)riuting. 

From  1872  for  a  number  of  years  Thomas  G.  Orwdg 
regularly  published  the  Industrial  Motor,  in  connection 
Avith  his  extensive  patent  right  business.  Mr.  Orwig  was 
the  first  patent  solicitor  in  Des  Moines,  and  has  contin- 
ued at  the  head  of  his  profession. 

A  number  of  temperance  or  i^rohibition  papers  have 
been  published  for  a  time  in  Des  Moines,  commencing  at 
as  earl^y  a  date  as  January,  1866,  when  W.  S.  Peterson 
removed  the  Temperance  Platform  from  Dubuque  to  this 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  027 

city.  In  18GS  it  was  sold  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Good 
Templars  of  Iowa,  and  remained  the  Temperance  Stand- 
ard, with  S.  M.  Holt  and  ^Y.  H.  Fleming  as  editors.  The 
next  year  it  was  sold  to  Mr.  Holt  and  by  him  removed  to 
Marshalltown.  W.  PI.  Fleming  was  for  years  connected 
with  yarioiis  State  offices  and  Governor's  private  secre- 
tary, and  then  and  afterwards  with  a  number  of  Des 
Moines  newspapers.  He  is  an  extraordinarily  well  in- 
formed man  in  regard  to  the  history  of  Iowa  and  Des 
Moines,  and  of  the  men  and  occurrences  of  the  past  lifty 
years.  He  is  also  very  accurate  and  clear  in  his  state 
ments  concerning  events  and  men.  He  was  connected 
with  the  Dailj'  Capital  when  appointed  in  January,  1890, 
private  secretary  to  Governor  Drake. 

In  1875,  the  Iowa  State  Record  was  established  b}^ 
Fuller,  Hartwell  &  Orwig,  but  its  career  was  brief  and  it 
soon  was  in  the  graveyard,  wliere  so  many  Des  Moines 
newspaper  enteri:>rises  were  before  and  since  buried. 
Corydon  S.  Fuller  was  originally  an  Indiana  printer  and 
afterwards  was  one  of  the  main  originators  and  founders 
of  the  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Company,  one  of  the  strong- 
est and  most  noted  financial  institutions  of  Des  Moines. 
He  died  several  years  since. 

J.  P.  Bushnell  during  his  years  of  residence  here  pub- 
lished for  a  time  several  trade  papers,  principally  for  the 
purpose  of  showing  to  the  world  the  improvements,  etc., 
of  the  city  and  State.  After  an  absence  of  several  years, 
Mr.  Bushnell  returned  to  Des  Moines  and  was  recently 
engaged  in  the  "writing  up"  of  counties,  cities  and  towns 
of  Iowa. 

For  nearly  two  years,  from  November  25,  1862,  Tac. 
Ilussey,  of  the  book  and  job  establishment  of  Carter  & 
Hussej^,  published  a  spicy  and  lively  sheet  semi-occasion- 


628  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ally  under  the  title  of  the  New  Broom,  which  swept  Des 
Moines  with  much  success  during  its  brief  existence. 

In  September,  1870,  when  the  Greenback  party  was 
springing  into  a.  lusty,  though  short  life,  a  daily  paper 
was  started  in  Des  Moines  in  the  interest  of  the  party 
then  supporting  Peter  Cooper.  J.  F.  Thompson  was  the 
editor  and  manager,  backed  by  Gen.  J.  B.  Weaver,  E.  II. 
Gillette  and  other  well  known  men.  This  publication 
was  called  the  People,  and  for  a  time  was  successful.  But 
its  life  was  short.  Thompson  retired,  to  be  succeeded 
by  the  noted  Porte  C.  Welch,  but  not  long  afterwards 
the  People  was  dead.  A  weekly  newspaper  called  the 
State  Tribune  succeeded  it,  and  under  the  control  of  Rev. 
P.  P.  lugalls  was  for  a  time  very  successful.  He  in  turn 
retired  and  under  the  name  of  the  Farmers'  Tribune  the 
paper  has  been  continued  up  to  this  time,  it  now 
being  one  of  the  leading  organs  of  the  Populist  part}'  iji 
Iowa.  For  several  years  it  was  controlled  by  a  company 
of  gentlemen,  among  whom  were  Gen.  J.  B.  Weaver,  E. 
II.  Gillette,  Scott,  Gaston,  Rowe  and  others,  and  finally 
the  paper  and  material  became  the  property  of  Thomas 
Meredith,  a  wealthy  gentleman,  formerly  of  Cass  County, 
who  removed  to  Des  Moines  and  continued  the  iJublica- 
tion  of  the  Tribune  with  fair  success.  For  a  few  mouths 
in  1804  the  Tribune  was  issued  as  a  daily,  but  this  was 
at  a  loss  and  this  issue  was  soon  abandoned.  A  few  mouths 
ago  a  one-half  interest  in  this  offlce  was  purchased  by 
S.   D.  Crane. 

J.  F.  Thompson,  who  first  established  the  People,  went 
to  California  years  ago,  and  is  said  to  have  been  success- 
ful there. 

Rev.  P.  P.  lugalls  was  for  many  years  a  minister  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  low^a  and  ranked  very 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOIXES.  029 

liigh  in  this  connection.  He  was  a  chaplain  in  tlie  army, 
and  towards  the  close  of  the  war  took  an  active  part  in 
procuring  funds  for  the  celebrated  Iowa  Orphans'  Home. 
After  his  connection  with  the  Tribune  he  lived  in  Kan- 
sas for  a  time  and  then  returned  to  Iowa,  dj'ing  at  Iowa 
City  several  years  ago. 

Gen.  J.  B.  Weaver  now  makes  his  home  in  Des  Moines 
and  is  one  of  the  most  widely  known  politicians  of  the 
country.  He  was  reared  in  Davis  County,  Iowa,  read  law 
and,  enlisting  as  a  soldier,  at  the  opening  of  the  war  was 
for  bravery  and  good  conduct  promoted  to  be  colonel  of 
the  noted  Second  Iowa  Infantry,  and  afterwards  briga- 
dier general.  After  the  war  he  held  one  or  two  govern- 
ment positions,  but  finally  became  a  leader  of  what  was 
then  known  as  the  Greenback  party.  By  union  with  the 
Democrats  he  was  three  times  elected  to  Congress  from 
tlie  Sixth  District.  He  was  also  the  candidate  of  the 
Greenback  partj'  or  People's  party  for  President.  In  1894 
lie  ran  for  Congress  in  the  Ninth  District,  but  was  de- 
feated. He  then  returned  to  Des  Moines,  where  lie  has 
since  resided,  though  his  services  as  a  speaker  are  con- 
tinuously in  demand  all  over  the  country,  and  he  travels 
extensively. 

E.  H.  Gillette  in  1878  was  elected  a  member  of  Congress 
from  this  district  by  a  union  of  the  Greenback  and  Demo- 
cratic parties.  He  served  one  term,  but  was  defeated  for 
re-election.  He  has  since  taken  a  prominent  j)art  in  polit- 
ical affairs.  Since  severing  his  connection  with  the  Trib- 
une he  has  generally  devoted  his  time  to  the  management 
of  his  large  farm,  and  is  connected  with  several  Des  Moines 
business  enterprises. 

Among  the  citizens  of  Des  Moines  in  the  early  fifties 
was  a  printer  by  the  name  of  Martin  L.  Morris.    He  worked 


630  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

for  some  time  in  the  Star  office,  and  toolv  an  active  part 
in  political  affairs.  By  the  efforts  of  his  friends  in  1854 
he  was  nominated  by  the  Democrats  as  their  candidate 
for  State  treasurer.  He  was  elected,  removed  with  his 
family  to  Iowa  City  and  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his 
official  duties.  In  1856,  when  the  Republican  party  was 
being  organized  Morris  cast  his  political  fortunes  with 
the  new  party,  and  being  nominated  by  the  Republicans 
for  a  re-election  to  the  office  he  then  held,  he  was  re- 
elected, thus  holding  the  office  for  some  four  or  five  years. 
He  continued  his  residence  at  Iowa  City,  and  at  one  time 
was  regarded  as  a  wealthy  man,  though  subsequently  he 
met  with  financial  losses.  During  the  war  he  was  con- 
nected with  the  armj^  as  a  quartermaster  and  in  other 
capacities.  After  this  he  operated  some  in  Kansas  and 
the  West,  but  made  his  home  at  Iowa  City  or  in  Johnson 
County,  where  at  one  time  he  had  a  large  and  valuable 
stock  farm.    He  died  several  years  ago. 

A  young  attorney  b.y  the  name  of  C.  Ben.  Darwin  made 
Des  Moines  the  home  of  himself  and  family  also  in  the 
early  fifties.  He  was  a  bright,  finely  educated  man,  and 
for  a  time  was  the  editor  of  the  Whig  newspaper.  After 
remaining  here  a  year  or  two  he  thought  to  better  his 
condition  by  removing  to  Burlington,  where  he  won  con- 
siderable reputation  as  a  lav^yer,  scholar  and  i^olitician. 
He  was  one  of  the  three  code  commissioners  appointed 
by  the  General  Assembly  to  prepare  what  was  known 
as  the  revision  of  1860,  and  performed  his  full  share  of 
that  labor.  Some  years  afterwards  he  removed  to  Cali- 
fornia. His  wife  remained  in  Iowa  and  became  promi- 
nent in  several  works  of  reform. 

Joshua  P.  Rodgers  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1856  and 
worked  as  a  printer  for  several  years  in  the  newspaper 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIXEH.  631 

offices,  the  greater  portion  of  the  time  "being  foreman  for 
Will.  Porter  in  the  Journal  office.  He  went  from  here  to 
Omaha,  and  while  there  married  a  daughter  of  the  then 
Governor  of  the  Territory,  and  subsequently  retiirned  to 
his  old  home  at  Peoria,  Illinois.  He  was  a  good  printer 
and  an  honest,  faithful  man. 

Austin  B.  Rush  was  a  son  of  John  A.  Rush,  who  came 
to  Des  Moines  about  1850  from  Indiana,  where  he  had 
been  somewhat  prominent  in  politics  and  other  matters. 
A  few  years  after  coming  here,  Mr.  Rush  died,  leaving 
a  widow  and  a  son  by  a  previous  marriage,  Austin  B. 
The  widow  was  a  kind  and  loving  mother  to  the  boj-  and 
spared  nothing  on  her  part  for  the  support  and  advance- 
ment of  her  stepson.  She  subsequently,  in  ISoG,  married 
Barlow  Granger,  prominent  among  the  early  and  later 
citizens.  Austin  at  an  early  age  became  a  "devil''  in  a 
printing  office  and  for  several  years  worked  in  the  office 
and  lived  with  the  family  of  Will.  Porter.  He  was  a 
bright,  cheerful  boy,  and  grew  into  a  hearty,  healthy  man- 
hood, popular  and  pleasant  with  young  and  old.  He  was 
among  the  first  of  the  young  men  to  enlist  in  Company 
D,  Second  Iowa  Infantry.  He  was  a  good  soldier  and  a 
cheerful,  happy  comrade.  He  was  transferred  to  the  reg- 
ular army  for  promotion  and  made  hospital  steward  at 
the  contraband  hospital,  then  located  in  the  Prentiss 
House  at  Vicksburg,  after  having  seiwed  some  time  on 
the  hospital  boat  Nashville.  At  Vicksburg  he  was  taken 
sick  and  died  in  September,  1863,  aged  twenty-two  years. 

Braxton  D.  Thomas  was  another  well  known  printer 
of  the  earl}'  daj's.  He  came  from  Maryland  to  Iowa  in 
1854,  and  early  in  the  following  year  to  Des  Moines  as 
foreman  in  the  Statesman  office  for  Tomlinson.  He 
worked  in  that  office  for  a  vear  or  two  and  then  became 


632       ANNAL^S  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

A  clerk  iu  the  office  of  the  county  treasurer.  He  was  also 
city  clerk  for  one  or  two  terms.  He  then  engaged  in  in- 
surance, etc.,  and  was  a  candidate  for  county  clerk.  He 
had  an  extended  acquaintance  in  town  and  countj^  and 
was  very  popular.  In  the  early  sixties  he  left  Des  Moines, 
going  first  to  Colorado  and  afterguards  to  Kentucky.  He 
was  afterwards  in  Southwestern  Missouri  and  Kansas, 
and  died  iu  Leavenworth  a  few  years  ago. 

Robert  Hedge  was  for  a  brief  period  connected  with 
the  Des  Moines  newspapers.  He  was  also  engaged  in 
several  lines  of  business  while  here,  and  was  for  a  time 
city  marshal.  He  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
before  coming  to  Des  Moines  had  lived  several  years  in 
California.  In  the  sixties  he  went  to  the  mines  of  Mon- 
tana and  there  remained.  He  held  there  several  local  and 
legislative  offices,  and  became  proprietor  of  a  toll  road, 
which  gave  him  a  considerable  income.  He  is  now  living 
in  Montana. 

The  first  issue  of  the  Daily  News  was  on  November 
9,  1881,  by  George  S.  McCracken,  Charles  S.  Painter  and 
Clarence  S.  Wilson.  It  was  started  by  three  young  men, 
who  had  previously  been  engaged  in  newspaper  work  in 
Des  Moines,  as  a  low-])riced  evening  newspaper,  three 
cents  a  copy  and  ten  cents  a  week.  The  price  was  sub- 
sequently lowered  to  two  cents,  aud  in  May,  1895,  was 
reduced  to  one  cent  per  copy,  making  the  News  the  first 
and  at  present  the  only  penny  newspaper  in  the  citj'. 
The  News  met  with  considerable  success  from  the  start. 
In  March,  1883,  John  J.  Hamilton  pui'chased  the  interest 
of  C.  S.  Wilson,  who  retired,  and  in  June,  1886,  Preston 
B.  Durley  purchased  the  stock  held  by  C.  S.  Painter.  From 
that  time  to  this  the  News  has  continued  under  the  same 
management,  Mr.  Hamilton  being  the  editor.    The  News 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE^S  MOIXEH.  033 

from  the  first  has  been  prominent  as  an  advocate  of  pro- 
hibition and  railroad  control.  It  has  a  three-a-week  edi- 
tion, which,  like  the  daily,  has  attained  a  large  au<l 
widely  distributed  circulation  by  reason  of  its  indepen- 
dence and  low  price.  The  News  has  now  become  a  firmly 
established  and  successful  newspaper,  amply  rex)aying 
the  proi^rietors  for  their  labor  and  enterjirise. 

Clarence  vS.  Wilson,  who  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  News,  is  one  of  the  oldest  newspaper  men  of  Des 
Moines.  He  was  publishing  a  newspaper  at  Winterset 
at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  and  promptly  enlisted 
in  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry.  He  served  his  term  witli 
credit,  and  not  long  thereafter  came  to  Des  Moines  and 
for  a  number  of  years  was  citj'  editor  of  the  Register.  He 
also  served  one  term  as  a  member  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly from  this  county.  He  has  been  connected  with  other 
newspapers  of  the  city  and  correspondent  for  many  oth- 
ers.    He  yet   continues  engaged  in   newspaper  work. 

Charles  S.  Painter  had  been  connected  with  the  Leader 
prior  to  the  establishment  of  the  News.  After  selling  his 
interest  there  he  became  interested  in  newspapers  in 
Kansas  City,  Minneapolis  and  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  but 
for  several  years  has  been  connected  in  a  business  capac- 
ity with  a  leading  Chicago  newspaper,  and  is  now  a 
resident  of  that  citv. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

COURT    HOUSES   AND   JAILS. 

WHEN  the  oi'igiual  town  was  survej^ed  the  Court 
House  square,  as  it  is  now,  was  set  aside  for 
county  buildings,  and  dedicated  for  this  purpose 
by  the  County  Commissioners,  as  follows:  "The  public 
square  as  represented  on  said  plat,  is  reserved  for  the 
pur|3ose  of  erecting  a  Court  House  thereon,  and  such  other 
public  buildings  as  the  County  Commissioners  may  deem 
proper  for  the  use  of  the  County  of  Polk." 

The  county  was  organized  in  1847,  and  in  October,  1848, 
the  commissioners  ordered  a  Court  House  to  be  erected 
south  of  the  county  square,  on  lot  7,  block  15.  It  was 
to  be  a  modest  building — a  frame,  two  stories,  24x30. 
The  upper  story  was  to  be  one  room,  24x36,  and  the  lower 
floor  was  to  be  divided  into  four  rooms.  This  plan,  how- 
ever, was  rejected,  and  John  C.  Jones  was  directed  tct 
draw  other  plans.  November  6,  1847,  another  and  en- 
larged plan  was  adopted.  This  provided  for  a  house,  20 
x52,  the  foundation  to  be  of  stone,  and  the  walls  to  be 
of  brick;  two  stories  high;  the  lower  wall  to  be  eighteen 
inches  and  the  upper  fifteen  inches.  It  was  expressly 
stated  that  this  was  intended  for  a  temporary  Court 
House  only,  and  hence  was  not  to  be  placed  on  the  Court 
House  square. 

In  January  bids  were  received  for  building  this  tem- 
porary Court  House.  The  bidders  were:  W.  A.  Scott, 
at  14,999.99;  W.  W.  Jones  and  W.  R.  Close,  at  |2,900; 
John  Saylor,  at  $1,950.  It  was  ordered  that  some  changes 
be  made  in  the  plans  and  the  contract  for  the  building 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  635 

be  let  to  John  Savior  for  the  8iim  of  $2,050.  In  Augnst 
a  further  agreement  -was  made  Avith  Saylor  by  which 
he  was  to  have  the  building  enclosed  during  the  year 
ISJzS,  and  have  the  inside  work  completed  in  1849.  The 
building  was  not  completed  in  -January,  1850,  and  at  his 
request  John  Saylor  was  paid  .f225  and  released  from 
further  obligations  under  his  contract.  He  had  at  that 
time  the  building  erected  and  enclosed.  Contracts  were 
then  made  with  Samuel  Gray  to  do  the  plastering  for  1145, 
the  work  to  be  completed  by  April  1,  and  with  J.  C.  Jones 
to  complete  the  carpenter  work  by  the  same  date  for  .f  145. 
The  total  cost  of  the  first  Court  House  is  placed  at  .f2,015. 
After  being  vacated  for  several  years  it  was  sold  in  1803  to 
the  Christian  Church  for  -fSOO.  In  turn  it  was  sold  by 
the  church,  and  of  late  years  has  been  the  Union  Depot 
of  the  Wabash  and  Des  Moines  Union  Railroad. 

SECOND  COURT   HOUSE. 

It  was  soon  seen  the  first  Court  House  was  not  large 
enough  to  accommodate  the  courts  and  officers  of  the 
countj',  and  after  much  agitation  of  the  question  County 
Judge  Napier  determined  that  a  new  Court  House  should 
be  erected.  At  that  time  local  feeling  and  jealousies  ran 
high.  The  East  Side  was  opposed  to  the  new  building, 
having  hopes  that  if  delayed  it  might  finally  be  located 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  At  one  time  a  large  and  ex- 
citing meeting  was  held  at  the  Court  House  square,  and  it 
was  sought  to  denounce  Judge  Na^^ier,  but  his  friends 
rallied  and  won  a  victoiy,  after  there  had  been  much 
violent  talk  and  a  few  fights.  Plans  and  specifications 
for  the  new  building  had  been  made  by  Dyer  H.  Young, 
and  on  August  20, 1858,  the  contract  for  building  the  same 
was  let  to  Isaac  Cooper  for  the  sum  of  .161,300.  The  build- 
ing was  to  be  erected  in  the  center  of  the  public  square, 


iVdO  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  east  side  fronting  the  head  of  Conrt  avenne.  There 
were  to  be  porticos  with  doric  colnmus,  and  tlie  main 
bnilding  was  to  be  66x102,  two  stories,  with  a  high  base- 
ment. From  snrface  of  gronnd  to  top  of  crown  molding 
of  tlie  cornice  to  be  fifty  feet;  heiglit  from  crown  mold- 
ing to  top  of  dome,  thirty-seven  feet;  total  height  from 
gronnd,  eighty-seven  feet. 

The  county  being  nnable  to  make  payments  to  the  con- 
tractor as  they  became  dne,  May  2.3,  1859,  a  proposition 
was  submitted  to  the  voters  of  the  county  to  issue  bonds 
to  the  amount  of  .f30,000  to  aid  the  building  of  the  new 
Court  House.  This  was  violently  opposed,  but  after  a 
sJiarp  contest  the  proposition  carried  by  this  vote: 

For  bonds   1,017 

Against  bonds 790 

In  July,  the  bonds  so  voted  were  issued  by  the  county 
judge.  They  were  ten  year  bonds,  drawing  ten  per  cent 
interest,  and  yet  some  of  them  had  to  be  sold  at  a  heavy 
discount. 

At  this  time  the  county  "was  renting  rooms  in  the 
Sherman  block  for  the  courts  and  for  other  purposes, 
the  old  Court  House  having  been  virtually  abandoned. 
The  third  floor  of  the  Sherman  block  was  used  for  a  court 
room  and  for  clerk  and  other  county  officers,  while  the 
judge  and  treasurer  had  rooms  on  the  second  floor. 

Mr.  Cooper  continued  work,  with  some  stoppages  and 
many  discouragements,  until  June,  1861,  when  after  con- 
siderable negotiation  the  county  agreed  to  release  him 
from  his  contract,  pay  him  .fl,000,  provided  he  would  re- 
linquish all  claims  to  all  property  belonging  to  the  Court 
House.  Contractor  Cooper  accepted  this  with  the  further 
agreement  that  the  county  was  to  take  the  stone  quarried 
by  Conrad  Youngerman  for  the  steps.    The  County  Board 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  63' 


of  Superyisors  then  took  charge  of  the  work,  and  in  April, 
1802,  let  contracts  for  carpenter  work  to  Patchin  &  Nel- 
son, and  the  plastering  to  D.  Harris  &  Co.,  "provided  they 
will  take  connty  warrants  in  i:)ay  and  allow  75  cents  on 
the  dollar  for  the  same." 

In  January,  1803,  the  City  Council  was  allowed  the  use 
of  a  room  in  the  new  Court  House  until  the  rent  would 
pay  for  the  furnishing  of  the  same,  and  the  county  ofirtcers 
were  installed  in  the  new  building. 

County  Auditor  Brandt,  in  his  last  report  for  the  year 
1894,  in  his  valuable  historical  memoranda  (to  which  we 
are  much  indebted  for  many  facts),  thus  sums  up  the 
cost  of  the  main  building  of  the  present  Court  House  and 
jail : 

Cost  of  Court  House,  original  contract .|(i4,300.0() 

January  1,  18G1,  cost  to  this  date  (per  capita).  .   39,970.84 

June  7,  1861,  settlement  with  Cooper 1,000.00 

June  6,  1861,  appropriation 4,000.00 

June  20, 1861,  appropriation 2,000.00 

September  3, 1861,  C.  Youngerman  (stone) 450.00 

April  9,  1862,  Patchin  &  Nelson  (caii^enter  con- 
tract)       2,750.00 

April  9, 1862,  D.  Harris,  plastering  (estimated) .  .     2,000.00 

152,150.80 
Add  to  this  the  annual  interest  of  ten  per  cent 
on  .f30,000  bonds,  which  were  part  paid  Julv 
1,  1869 \   27,000.00 

Total  cost  of  the  main  part  and  jail  of  the 

present  Court  House -179,150.84 

And  it  is  safe  to  say  that  to  our  account  for  said  Court 
House  the  farther  cost  in  payment  of  interest  on  Court 
House  bonds,  which  were  not  fully  paid  till  September, 
1872,  and  cost  of  dome,  A'aults  and  jail  -16,000  more  should 
be  added,  making  a  cost  of  f85,000  of  said  main  part. 


638  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Duriug  the  following  3'ears  many  changes  and  repairs 
were  made  in  the  Court  House,  and  among  these  were  a 
new  roof  and  cupola,  much  changing  the  appearance  of 
the  building.  And  in  lSSG-87  an  addition  was  made  to 
the  north  end  of  the  building  at  a  cost  of  about  |11,000, 
and  -13,500  was  expended  for  painting  ou^tside,  repairs 
in  jail,  etc.,  making  tlie  cost  of  the  Cour-t  House  as  it 
now  stands: 

Original  cost,  partially  estimated |  85,000.00 

Xorth  end  addition 15,268.00 

Total  .$100,268.00 

Take  alterations  and  changes,  no  less 3,000.00 

Estimated  cost  of  present  building .|103,268.00 

A  new  Court  House,  adapted  to  the  wants  of  this  rich 
and  populous  county,  is  now  much  needed,  and  no  doubt 
in  a  few  years  its  construction  will  be  commenced.  This 
work  cannot  be  commenced  too  soon,  if  based  upon  a 
]>roper  and  liberal  plan. 

JAILS. 

February  5,  1849,  a  contract  was  made  for  the  erection 
of  a  log  jail  on  the  same  lot  where  the  temporary  Court 
House  was  to  be.  It  was  to  be  24x16  feet,  wall  to  be 
double,  of  hewn  timbers  one  foot  square,  the  space  six 
inches  wide  between  the  walls  to  be  jlled  with  strong 
and  substantial  stone,  closely  fitted  or  thoroughly 
pounded  so  as  to  fill  the  space.  The  long  timbers  to  be 
Twenty-four  feet  long  and  hewn  one  foot  square,  and  to 
be  laid  first  with  two  inch  oaken  planks,  thoroughly 
sx)iked  down  as  a  floor.  The  spaces  or  cracks  between  the 
timbers  forming  tlie  walls  to  be  filled  with  lime  mortar. 
The  lower  story  to  be  nine  feet  between  lower  and  upper 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  639 

floor,  and  the  upper  story  seven  feet,  have  three  rooms, 
to  be  constructed  and  finished  suitable  as  a  family  resi- 
dence.   The  roof  to  be  of  walnut  shingles. 

The  contractors  were  James  Guerant  and  George  Snell, 
but  in  November,  1849,  Snell  having  died,  Guerant  was 
released  from  his  contract,  and  the  jail  was  then  com- 
pleted under  the  supervision  of  E.  W.  Sypher,  who 
turned  it  over  completed  to  the  county,  July  3,  1850. 
This  jail  was  torn  down  years  ago.    Its  cost  was  |1,17G.05. 

When  the  new  Court  House  was  built  the  original  plans 
were  changed  so  as  to  turn  the  basement  intO'  a  jail,  with 
family  rooms  also  for  the  jailer.  When  the  addition  was 
built  the  jail  room  was  much  enlarged  and  many  im- 
provements made.  Barred  cells  were  placed  in  it,  and 
manj'  other  needed  changes  made.  An  effort  was  made 
to  secure  better  light,  ventilation  and  drainage,  but 
at  the  best  it  is  injurious  to  the  health  and  comfort  of 
its  inmates  and  also  to  officers  and  others  who  are  com- 
pelled to  work  in  the  rooms  above.  Notwithstanding 
these  well  known  facts  a  proposition  to  issue  bonds  to 
the  amount  of  |40,000  to  biiild  a  new  jail  was  voted  down. 
The  last  vote  taken  was  in  1893  to  issue  bonds  for  the 
purpose  of  building  an  addition  to  the  south  end  of  the 
<Jourt  House.  This  was  lost,  and  properly  so.  The  needt 
is  an  entirely  new  Court  House.  And  all  concede  the 
necessity  of  a  new  and  separate  jail  building.  The  pres- 
ent jail  is,  as  before  stated,  a  disgrace  to  the  county,  and 
the  judges  of  the  District  Court  would  not  be  much 
blamed  if  they  were  to  refuse  to  order  prisoners  to  be 
confined  in  it. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

EARLY   POLITICS. 

AS  IS  uatural  iu  the  first  settlement  of  all  new  coun- 
tries and  States  partv  lines  were  not  at  first  closely 
drawn  in  this  city  and  county.  The  very  early  set- 
tlers did  not  trouble  themselves  greatly  over  political 
affairs,  and  while  Iowa  was  a  Territory  of  course  its  peo- 
ple had  no  vote  in  a  national  election.  Then  at  first  the 
offices  gave  but  little  remuneration  to  the  holders  of  the 
same,  and  it  was  often  difficult  to  get  good  men  to  serve 
in  a  public  capacity'.  Hence,  in  the  beginning  party  pol- 
itics cut  but  a  small  figure  iu  the  selection  of  local  offi- 
cers. But  in  a  very  few  years  this  was  changed  and  the 
party  lines  were  drawn,  perhaps  more  closely  than  they 
are  todaj^,  though  personal  merit  and  popularity  always 
had  more  or  less  weight  with  the  people.  We  find, 
however,  in  these  first  daj^s  of  the  settlement  of  the  county 
not  unfrequently  opposing  candidates  for  an  office  be- 
longing to  the  same  political  party,  and  in  several  in- 
stances the  chosen  officers  were  taken  from  both  parties. 
.Then  the  two  great  political  parties  were  the  Whigs  and 
Democrats,  while  in  1853-54-55  the  American  or  Know- 
Nothing  part,y,  wielded  considerable  influence  over  the 
local  elections.  The  organization  of  the  Republican  party 
was  not  commenced  until  1855,  and  was  not  completed 
until  1856,  when  it  had  Gen.  John  C.  Fremont  as  its 
candidate  for  President. 

Prior  to  1850  the  strife  was  generally  between  the  Dem- 
ocrats and  the  Whigs,  and  while  some  of  these  battles 
may  have  been  called  drawn,  or  evenly  divided,  the  Dem- 


AND  THE  riTY  OF  DE,S  MOfXES.  611 

ocrats  geiiei-ally  had  the  advantage.  Polk  eveu  at  this 
early  day  was  re!:;ar(le<l  as  the  leadiui;-  e(.)iiuty  of  (^'entral 
I<i\va  and  both  parties  were  aiixidus  to  (;(.iiitr(il  it.  The 
Presidt^iitial  election  of  184:8,  the  first  of  the  kind  held 
ill  the  State  of  Iowa,  caused  imicli  excitement  in  the  then 
small  towns  and  scatt<n'ed  settlements  of  the  new  State. 
lion.  r.  M.  Casady,  the  late  Judge  W.  11.  McIIenry,  Iloyt 
Shei-man,  Dr.  lirooks,  Peter  M.yers  and  other  of  the  early 
setth^rs  took  an  active  part  in  the  campaign  in  the  county. 
The  saim*  year  lion.  P.  M.  ("asad.v  was  the  Democratic 
candidate  for  State  Senator,  tln^  district  then  embracing 
the  counties  of  Polk,  Marion,  Dallas  and  Jasper,  and 
also  cov(n-ing  the  present  Counties  of  Warren,  Madison, 
Boone,  Story  ami  Marshall.  The  last  four  counties  were 
not  orgarnzed,  but  each  forim^d  a  single  v(.)ting  precinct, 
Warren  and  Madison  being  attached  to  Marion  and  the 
three  others  to  Polk  County,  for  A'oting  ami  judicial  pur- 
I>oses,  etc.  It  was  a  large  territory,  with  widely  scattered 
small  settlements  of  people,  but  Candidate  Casady  cov- 
ered nearly  all  id'  it  during  the  canvass,  es|)ecially  the 
northern  portion,  leaving  his  friend  L,ysauder  W.  Bab- 
bitt, of  Marion,  the  duty  of  making  a  close  canvass  of 
the  southern  half.  They  were  both  elected  at  the  election 
held  in  August  of  that  year,  Babbitt  having  as  his  col-  • 
league  in  the  House,  Manly  Gilford,  of  Jasper  County. 

The  Democrats  carried  the  county,  district  and  State, 
but  LeAvis  Cass,  their  Candidate  for  President,  was  de- 
feated by  Gen.  Zachary  Taylor,  the  candidate  of  the 
Whigs.  This  was  a  hard  blow  upon  the  Democrats  of 
Iowa,  for  the  reason  they  were  by  it  deprived  of  the  fed- 
eral offices,  such  as  postmaster,  land  officers,  marshal, 
etc.,  which  were  at  that  day  of  as  much  importance  if  not 
more  to  a  i)arty  than  they  are  today.     With  the  excep- 

40 


64y  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

tion  of  the  laud  office,  they  were  not  then  as  valuable  in 
a  money  way  as  they  are  today,  but  they  were  as  eagerly 
sought  for  and  as  much  enjoyed  then  as  now. 

This  year  also  occurred  the  celebrated  congressional 
election  in  which  the  Mormons  figiired  so  extensively. 
Polk  County  was  in  the  first  of  the  two  congressional 
districts  of  the  State,  and  the  candidates  were  William 
Thompson,  Democrat,  of  Heniy  County,  and  Daniel  F. 
Miller,  of  Lee  County.  The  Mormons,  after  being  driven 
out  of  Nauvoo,  in  Illinois,  had  temporarily  scattered 
along  the  southern  border  of  the  State  and  on  the  banks 
of  th(^  MisKduri  KiAor.  There  was  at  that  time  a  large  set- 
tlement of  these  Mormons  at  or  near  Kanesville,  now 
Council  Bluffs.  It  was  known  the  fight  between  the  two 
parties  might  be  a  very  close  one  in  this  district,  and  this 
large  Mormon  vote  might  decide  the  contest.  It  was  also 
known  they  would  vote  exactly  as  their  leaders  com- 
manded. Hence,  the  great  desire  of  both  parties  to  secure 
this  vote.  As  the  story  goes  the  Democrats  first  laid  their 
plans  and  thought  they  had  secured  the  Monnon  vote. 
But  near  the  close  of  the  campaign  the  Whigs  played  a 
better  game,  in  which  Thomas  Mitchell,  Peter  Myers  and 
other  Polk  County  Whigs  of  that  day  had  a  hand.  They 
had  either  more  skill  or  more  money.  They  secured  the 
Mormon  vote  at  Kanesville  for  Miller. 

But  all  was  not  lost  yet,  in  the  Democratic  view.  The 
vote  of  the  entire  district  was  to  be  canvassed  at  Albia, 
Monroe  County,  and  Judge  J.  C.  Hall,  of  Burlington,  a 
leading  Democrat,  and  one  of  the  greatest  of  Iowa  law- 
yers and  men,  was  there  to  protect  the  interests  of  Thomp- 
son. Pickett,  a  Monnon  elder,  brought  the  poll  books  from 
Kanesville  to  Des  Moines,  on  his  way  to  Albia.  Here 
the  leading  Whigs  concluded  that  to  make  the  returns 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  6i3 

valid  "Elder"'  Pickett  should  be  sworn  in  or  qualified  as 
organizing  sheriff  of  Pottawattamie  County.     To  do  this 
it  was  necessary  to  have  the  services  of  the  county  clerk. 
William  Wallace,  the  clerk,  a  good  Democrat,  did  not 
propose  being  used  for  this  purpose  and  he  "took  to  the 
woods."     Dr.  Brooks,  C.  0.  A"an,  Peter  Myers  and  other 
Whigs  were  angered  at  this  and  finally  induced  the  dep- 
uty clerk,  Lewis  Wliitten,  to  swear  in  Elder  Pickett  and 
sign  his  papers.     The  elder  then  proceeded  on  his  way 
to  Albia,  thinking  his  troubles  were  over.    But  they  were 
not.    The  elder  reaching  Albia  went  to  the  Court  House 
to  deliver  the  returns.    There  he  was  greeted  by  County 
Clerk  Barbour,  who  told  him  to  take  a  seat,  as  he  was 
not  quite  ready  to  receive  and  receipt  for  the  returns. 
The  elder  laid  them  upon  the  table.    A  crowd  of  men  had 
gathered  and  there  was  much  talk  and  perhaps   some 
drinking  when  Judge  Hall  inquired  of  the  elder  about 
the  returns  and  asked  the  privilege  of  looking  at  them. 
But  when  the  elder  went  to  the  table  to  get  them  the 
poll  books  were  gone !    The,y  had  mysteriously  disappeared. 
Clerk  Barbour  said  truthfully  they  had  not  been  returned 
to  him,  the  disconcerted  elder  could  not  find  them,  and 
all  present  disclaimed  any  knowledge  of  their  where- 
abouts.   The  offlcial  canvass  was  made  without  the  Mor- 
mon vote  being  counted  and  Thompson  was  declared  Con- 
gressman by  a  small  majority.     He  took  his  seat,  but 
Miller  contested,  and  these    identical    poll  books  after- 
wards turning  up  Thompson  was  ousted  and  Miller  given 
the  seat.     The  true  facts  about  these  poll  books  appear 
to  be  that  during  the  discussion  in  the  office  of  the  clerk 
they  were  quietly,  without  his  knowledge,  slipped  into 
Judge  Hull's  saddle  bags  and  then  put  out  of  the  way 
for  a  time.     This  incident  caused  much  excitement  and 
political  talk  for  some  years,  but  as  the  vote  was  generally 


044  Ax:v-iLN  OF  roLK  couyrv 

i'('i;arde<l  as  a  fraudulent  one,  the  cdudeuiuatiou  of  the 
pei-peti-ators  was  ueitlier  heavy  nor  lastiu<>'. 

Dauit'l  F.  Miller,  \y]\o  took  so  prominent  a  part  in  this 
canipaigii  nearly  fifty  years  aiio,  was  loni;'  an  honored 
citizen  of  Fort  Madison  and  Keokuk,  served  in  tlie  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  18!>4,  as  a  member  of  the  Mouse  from 
Lee  County,  and  died  late  in  18!t.").  AMlliam  Thompson,  his 
opponent,  ^\"as  for  years  editor  (d'  the  Burlini;ton  Gazette, 
served  with  distinction  durin.i;'  the  war  in  an  Iowa  Cav- 
alry I'e.iiinu'ut,  and  at  its  close  \\-as  i;iven  -,'  comnussion 
in  the  IJeiiular  .Vrmy.  After  loni;-  service  therein  he  was 
honorably  retired  and  became  a.  resident  id'  Califoiatia. 

I*.  M.  Casady,  so  loni;'  and  yet  an  honored  citizen  of 
Des  Moines,  served  in  the  Senate  for  four  years  and  de- 
clined a  re-electio7i.  He  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  this 
body  of  leiiislafiu-s,  who  by  their  pi'actical  \Adsdom  and 
sound  judjunient  laid  the  Viroad  and  solid  foundations 
u])on  whicli  the  .uTeat  State  of  loAva  has  been  built,  lie 
aided  in  startini;'  the  movement  whitdi  a  fcAV  years  later 
made  Des  Moines  the  ca])ital  of  the  Stat(\  lie  was  one 
of  the  comndttee  which  outliiu^d  and  nanuMl  all  the  coun- 
ties in  the  western  and  northern  ]iortion  of  the  State, 
and  fully  dischariied  his  (^'ery  duty  as  the  representa 
ti^'e  (d'  and  le.nislator  for  so  larye  a  portion  of  Central 
Iowa. 

Lysander  \\'.  liabbitt,  cdected  to  the  House  from  this 
district  in  1S48,  Ihoui^h  only  for  a  time  r-esideid  in  P(dk 
County,  is  worthy  of  at  least  brief  mention  here.  He 
served  for  several  years  in  the  Ignited  State  drayoons  and 
afterwards  becanu'one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Bocnu^  C<mnt\'. 
At  the  tinu'  of  his  election  to  the  tteneral  Assend^ly  he 
resided  in  Marion  County.  He  was  an  able  energetic 
man,  (bMuded  in  his  views  and  never  afraid  to  i>ive  utter 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOnEH.  Hio 

auce  to  his  opinions.  STibsequeiitlv  he  beeaiiie  a  prom- 
inent citizen  of  Couneil  Bluffs;  for  years  owned  and  edited 
the  "Bngle,"  a  leading'  newspaper  of  that  section,  was 
register  of  the  United  States  land  office  and  held  other 
otHces  of  honor  and  trnst.  Some  years  ago  he  removed 
to  the  State  of  Arkansas  and  there  died.  Among  the 
liioneers  of  Iowa  the  name  of  Lysander  W.  Babbitt  should 
be  given  a  high  place. 

The  first  State  Senator  from  the  district  of  which  Polk 
County  was  a  part,  was  Thomas  Baker.  He  Avas  one  of 
the  earliest  residents  of  Des  Mf)nies,  a  lawyer  and  a  bright 
and  popular  man,  and  a  prominent  figure  at  that  early 
day.  Being  elected  a  member  of  the  first  State  Senate, 
the  members  thereof  were  reipiired  to  draw  lots  for  the 
two  and  four  year  terms.  Senator  Baker  drew  a  short 
rerm,  and  hence  only  served  two  years.  But  tliere  being 
no  Lieutenant  Governor  undei-  the  first  Constitution 
of  the  State,  he  was  elected  President  of  the  Senate,  al- 
though he  at  that  time  was  a  Senator  from  the  far  Avest 
of  loAva,  liA'ing  some  forty  miles  fartlier  west  than  any 
<itluu'  of  his  Senatorial  colleiigues.  It  is  also  to  be  uot(^d 
that  at  an  extra  sessi(ui  of  tlie  same  Senate  Baker's  step- 
son, Thomas  Hughes,  Avas  made  President  of  tlie  Senate. 
A  year  or  two  after  seiTing  his  term  as  Senator,  Baker 
foUoAved  in  the  tide  i)f  emigration  then  fioAving  in  search 
of  gold  to  California.     He  died  there  years  ago. 

Dr.  AndrcAV  J.  Hull,  a  Democrat,  as  Avas  his  predecess- 
ors, represented  in  the  Senate  Polk  C(ninty  and  a  num- 
ber of  other  counties  in  the  Fourth  (Jeneral  Assembly, 
Dr.  Hull  came  to  the  county  Avith  his  father  in  lS4!j, 
and  settled  and  lived  in  the  tOAvn  of  Lafayette  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Des  Moines  Kiver,  in  Cam])  ToAvuslii]*, 
near  the  southeast  corner  of  the  (/ouutv.     For  some  vears 


646  A'NNALB  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Lafayette  was  quite  a  village  with  considerable  business, 
but  its  growth  was  checked  for  many  years  by  lack  of 
railroad  facilities,  and  the  ambitious  hopes  of  its  founders 
were  never  realized.  Dr.  Hull  was  an  energetic  working- 
politician  and  took  a  prominent  part  in  legislation,  al- 
though he  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  what  was  called 
"the  strip"  at  that  session,  the  General  Assembly  pass- 
ing an  act  taking  it  from  Polk  County  and  giving  it  to 
Warren.  In  fact,  it  is  told  the  doctor  came  near  being 
legislated  into  Warren  County  himself  and  into  another 
Senatorial  district,  but  managed  at  last  to  save  to  Polk 
County  that  small  portion  of  "the  strip"  lying  east  of  the 
Des  Moines  River,  and  including  the  town  of  Lafayette, 
then  the  Senator's  home.  A  year  or  two  later  the  doctor 
became  a  resident  of  Des  Moines,  abandoned  physic  for 
the  law,  and  for  some  ten  or  fifteen  years  thereafter  was 
an  active  and  prominent  citizen  of  this  city.  After  a 
trip  to  the  mountains  and  operating  with  the  Union  army 
in  the  South,  Dr.  Hull  removed  to  Missouri,  where  he 
edited  a  Democratic  newspaper  for  some  years.  He  then 
made  his  home  for  several  j^ears  in  Colorado,  where  he 
was  editor,  school  superintendent,  etc.,  and  some  two 
years  ago  he  returned  to  his  old  home  in  Des  Moines, 
where  he  is  quietly  spending  the  closing  years  of  his  active 
life  with  his  children.  His  son,  Hon.  J.  A.  T.  Hull,  is 
now  on  Ms  third  term  as  member  of  Congress  from  this 
district.  His  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  H.  C.  Potter,  a 
well  known  and  popular  physician  of  the  city. 

At  the  next  election  for  Senator  the  Democratic  can- 
didate was  defeated  by  James  C.  Jordan,  a  Whig.  Sen- 
ator Jordan  served  in  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  General  As- 
sembly, and  during  his  first  term  the  act  was  passed  lo- 
cating the  State  capital  at  Des  Moines.     Senator  Jordan 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  647 

was  born  in  Virginia  in  1813,  moved  to  Micliigan,  wliere 
he  was  married  in  1833  to  Maliuda  Pitman,  went  to  Platte 
County,  Missouri,  in  1839,  and  in  the  fall  of  1844  came 
to  Polk  County,  settling  upon  a  tine  tract  of  land  near  the 
Eaccoon  River,  and  here  he  resided  up  to  his  death  in 
1893.  He  was  a  farmer  and  stock  dealer  and  was  suc- 
cessful, though  he  cheerfully  suffered  all  the  troubles  and 
hardships  of  the  early  settlers.  He  was  a  fast  friend  and 
good  neighbor.  He  had  always  been  a  Clay  Whig  and  was 
bitterly  opposed  to  the  famous  "Kansas-Nebraska"  bill. 
Though  born  in  a  then  slave  State  he  was  intensely  op- 
posed to  all  kinds  of  slavery.  He  was  unexpectedly  nom- 
inated for  State  Senator  by  the  Whigs  and  "Anti-Ne- 
braska" Democrats  and  reluctantly  accepted.  The  elec- 
tion was  warm  and  close  and  his  opponent  was  finally 
given  the  seat.  Mr.  Jordan's  political  and  personal  friends 
claimed  he  had  been  elected  and  urged  a  contest.  This 
was  made  and  after  some  delay,  during  which  his  op- 
ponent held  the  seat,  the  Senate  declared  Mr.  Jordan 
had  been  elected  by  eighty-four  majority.  His  opponent 
was  ousted  and  Mr.  Jordan  took  his  seat  as  a  Senator. 
Subsequently  Mr.  Jordan  was  elected  and  served  as  a 
member  of  the  County  Board  of  Supervisors,  and  in  1879 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  General  Assembly  and  served 
in  the  House  during  the  session  of  1880.  When  he  first 
entered  the  legislature  it  took  Polk  County  and  a  number 
of  other  counties  to  form  one  senatorial  district.  When 
twenty-five  years  afterwards  he  re-entered  the  General 
Assembly  Polk  County  had  of  its  own  one  Senator  and 
two  members  of  the  House.  This  illustrates  the  rapid 
growth  in  population  of  the  county.  Under  the  roof  of 
Mr.  Jordan's  pioneer  cabin  was  preached  the  first  sermon 
in  Walnut  Township,  and  he  was  for  many  years  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Church,  giving  freely  of  his  means 


648       ANNALi^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

in  support  of  the  ministers  of  that  and  other  churches 
and  to  aid  in  building  up  the  hitter.  Mr.  Jordan  was  a 
liberal,  generous  friend,  and  good  citizen,  always  ready 
to  help  any  good  cause.  He  died  in  1893  and  was  buried 
from  Jordan  Chapel,  which  he  had  been  mainly  instru- 
mental iu  erecting.  He  left  a  family  of  nine  children,  th(_» 
most  of  whom  reside  in  this  coiuuty. 

Dr.  William  P.  Davis,  of  Des  Moines,  succeeded  Sen- 
ator Jordan.  He  was  an  Indiana  man,  who  in  middle 
age,  came  to  Des  Moines  in  the  earl.y  fifties.  He  was  a 
physician  and  at  once  entering  upon  the  practice  of  his 
profession  was  generally  successful.  An  active  Whig, 
and  afterwards  Republican,  Dr.  Davis  took  an  earnest 
interest  in  political  matters.  In  185G  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  House  from  this  county,  served  one  term, 
and  in  1857  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  defeating 
D.  0.  Finch,  Democrat,  by  a  very  small  majority.  This 
last  election  was  a  very  exciting  one  locally.  Finch  Avas 
a  well  known  lawyer,  a  fine  speaker  and  popular,  but  while 
running  ahead  of  his  part,y  vote,  he  fell  a  little  short  of 
an  election.  Dr.  Davis  served  with  considerable  credit 
in  the  sessions  of  1858  and  1800.  He  was  an  ardent  Union 
man  and  aided  in  enlisting  soldiers  at  the  commencement 
and  during  the  war,  iind  for  some  time  was  surgeon  of 
the  Tenth  Iowa  Infantry.  His  healtli  failing  he  was  forced 
to  retire  from  the  army,  and  returning  to  Des  Moines 
entered  upon  the  private  practice  of  his  profession.  Un- 
fortunately he  did  not  regain  his  former  health  and 
strength,  and  after  a  lingering  illness  died  a  few  years 
after  the  close  of  the  war.  Dr.  DaAus  was  also  a  leader 
in  the  Metliodist  (''hurch,  and  did  much  for  tliat  denom- 
ination in  Des  Moines. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIJS^EH.  (UD 

Of  the  other  iSeiuitors  nieiition  is  made  in  other  por- 
tions of  tliis  Yolmiie. 

As  before  state<l  the  Democrats  at  lii-st  li'eiierally  liad 
political  control  of  the  <'OuutY,  and  the  candidates  of  that 
jiarty  were  elected  to  till  the  connty  offices.  In  185(>,  how- 
ever, the  then  new  Kepnblican  party  carried  a  portion 
of  the  count}'  ticket,  TT.  M.  Hoxie,  Republican,  being 
elected  (derk  of  the  courts  and  coujity,  and  the  Presiden- 
tial vote  in  the  county  was  (dose.  In  the  following  year 
came  one  of  the  most  exciting  local  elections  ever  held 
in  the  county.  This  was  in  1S57,  and  the  liglit  then  on 
between  the  East  and  West  i^ide  had  much  to  do  with 
intluencing  tlie  result,  and  hence  the  vote  was  not  strictly 
a  ])arty  one.  After  a  hot  and  vigorous  campaign  the  Dem- 
ocratic candidates  for  the  county  offices  were  all  elected 
by  varying  majorities.  And  tliis  was  the  last  time  that 
party  carried  I'olk  (^'ounty  for  the  whole  of  its  ticket. 
Two  years  after,  in  1859,  the  Republicans  elected  their 
entire^  ticket,  and  from  that  day  to  this  they  have  been 
uniforndy  successful,  frequently  carrying  the  county  by 
/uajorities  running  up  into  the  thousands.  Occasionally 
a  Democratic  c;indidate  would  be  elected,  but  these  oc- 
casions were  not  fre<iuent.  In  glancing  over  the  list  of 
county  officers  of  the  past  and  present,  Ave  find  Ijut  few 
Democrats  among  them  since  the  date  mention(»d.  They 
are  so  few  we  will  endeavor  to  give  a  list  of  the  Demo- 
cratic candidates  for  county  offices  who,  since  IS.jO,  were 
foilunate  enough  to  secure  a  majority  of  th(^  votes  cast: 
18r>l — Bernard  Callan,  elected  C(')unty  surveyor;  Isaac  AV. 
(triffith,  sheriff.  1871 — Dan  M.  Bringolf,  elected  sheriff. 
1873 — William  Lowry,  treasurer;  Dan  M.  Bringolf,  re- 
elected sheriff'.  1875 — William  Lowry,  re-electe<l  treas- 
urer, and  re-elected  again  in  1877.    1S7S — Oeorge  II.  Oard- 


650  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ner,  elected  recorder.    1887 — C.  C.  Loomis,  elected  sheriff;' 
re-elected  in  1889. 

One  year  in  the  eighties  the  Democrats  had  three  out 
of  five  members  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  thej  being 
elected  by  districts. 

This  small  list  includes  all  the  Democrats  who  have 
held  Polk  County  offices  in  the  past  thirty-seven  j^ears. 
The  list  is  a  brief  one,  and  certainly  proves  it  is  not  the 
attraction  of  county  offices  Avhich  keeps  so  many  mem- 
bers of  that  party  true  to  the  same.  Year  after  year,  this 
party  has  placed  its  ticket  in  the  field,  and  often  fought 
for  it  with  about  as  much  zeal  as  if  thej^  had  before  them 
the  brightest  prospects  of  success.  And  yet  only  a  bare 
half  dozen  Democrats  have  been  elected  to  Polk  County 
offices  in  the  past  thirty-seven  years. 

In  the  Citj  of  Des  Moines  the  Democratic  candidates 
have  been  more  fortunate  than  in  the  pursuit  of  county 
offices.  Des  Moines  became  a  city  in  1857,  and  since  that 
time  has  had  in  all  up  to  1896,  twenty-five  different  per- 
sons as  mayor.  Of  these  eleven  have  been  classed  as 
Democrats  or  Independents:  C.  W.  Nash,  W.  H.  Mc- 
Henr-y,  H.  E.  Lemaroux,  R.  L.  Tidrick,  Thomas  Cavan- 
augh,  S.  F.  Spofford,  Martin  Tuttle,  George  Sneer,  W.  H. 
Merritt,  J.  H.  Phillips  and  W.  L.  Carpenter. 

The  Republican  mayors  have  been :  P.  H.  W.  Latshaw,. 
Ira  Cook,  W.  S.  Barns,  W.  H.  Leas,  G.  W.  Cleveland,  J. 
H.  Hatch,  J.  P.  Foster,  Giles  H.  Turner,  A.  Ne-ni;on,  P. 
V.  Carey,  John  H.  Campbell,  C.  C.  Lane,  Isaac  L.  Hillis. 

However  a  large  majority  of  the  other  city  officers  and 
aldermen  have  been  Republicans  during  the  past  thirty 
years,  and  Des  Moines  has  during  the  period  mentioned 
been  generally  regarded  politically  as  a  Republican  city, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  651 

although  not  as  strongly  so  as  the  county.  And  the  city 
is  more  liable  to  be  influenced  in  its  vote  by  local  and  other- 
considerations  than  is  the  county.  Hence,  in  the  city  a 
Republican  nomination  is  not  always  equivalent  to  the 
election  of  the  persons  nominated,  although  since  the 
recent  enlargement  of  the  city  boundaries  the  Republican 
majority  has  been  considerably  enlarged  and  Republican 
party  success  made  more  certain. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

ORGANIZATION   OF   TOWNSHIPS. 

AT  THE  tiist  election  held  in  Polii  County,  in  1848, 
there  were  only  three  precincts  or  A'otiug  places 
in  the  C(jnnty:  At  one  of  the  fort  buildings  at  Fort 
Des  M(iines;  at  Thomas  Mitchell's  house,  on  Camp  Creek; 
at  the  house  of  J.  D.  Parmlee,  at  Allen's  Mill.  The  judges 
of  this  first  election  were:  James  White,  J.  D.  Parmlee, 
]Matthew  Spnrlock,  Thomas  Black,  C.  C.  Hoskins,  W.  II. 
Meachara,  (xreen  B.  Clark,  Thomas  K.  Brooks,  Jesse  Grin- 
stead.  The  clerks  were:  Lewis  Whitten,  J.  T.  Meldrnm, 
William  vSolars,  Stephen  P.  Scoville,  James  White,  Jr., 
and   Tliomas  McMullin. 

For  the  fullowing  August  election  the  board  divided 
the  county  into  five  precincts:  t^kuidv  Precinct,  to  vote 
at  house  of  Eli  Trullinger;  Democrat  Precinct,  at  house 
of  William  Wallace  (this  is  now  Camp  and  Four  Mile); 
Three  Kiver  l'recin<-t,  at  luuise  of  Matthew  S])urlock  (this 
is  now  mostly  in  Warren  County);  Fort  Des  Moines  Pre- 
cinct; (-day  Precinct,  at  tin-  house  of  John  Haylor.  The 
following  judges  were  api)ointed:  First,  James  Stewart, 
William  Stewart,  Stephen  Cooper;  Second,  James  Mount, 
Janu's  White,  Sr.,  Jaujes  McR(d)erts;  Third,  William 
Lamb,  Tliomas  Morris,  AVilliani  Kickey;  Fourth,  John 
Saylor,  James  Bradley,  James  Thornton.  All  of  Dallas 
County  and  tlu^  region  tlun-eabont  w;is  made  into  one 
A'oting  precinct,  called  Dallas. 

According  to  the  oflicial  records  the  county  was  not 
divided  into  townships  until  February  2,  1847,  when  the 
following  townsliips  were  created  by  order  of  the  Board: 


ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY  (353 

Ikiclilaiid — .Vll  of  tnwuslii])  77,  iiortli  of  ran,i;e  23,  west, 
and  that  ])art  of  to\\-iiKlii}i  77,  north  of  raiimc  22,  west, 
A\-hi(/h  lavs  on  the  south  side  of  Des  Moines  River,  the 
place  of  lioldini;-  ehn-tions  to  be  at  tlie  liouse  of  Thomas 
Keese. 

Canii) — All  of  toAvnshijis  78  and  7!_),  north  of  ran;^e  22, 
A^'est,  and  so  mncli  (d'  to\\nslii])  77,  north  of  rani^e  22, 
AA'est,  as  lays  on  tiie  noi-th  side  of  the  Des  Moines  Iviver, 
and  the  place  t>f  holdini;-  tlu^  elections  at  the  honse  of 
Patviek   Kelley. 

Skunk — All  of  townships  SO  and  SI,  north  of  rauLi'e  22, 
west,  ami  townships  SO  and  SI,  north  of  rani^e  2o,  west, 
and  tile  place  of  holding;-  the  election  at  the  house  of  Henry 
Burge. 

Madison — All  of  townships  (SO  and  SI  north,  ran!:;e  24 
west,  and  townshi])S  SO  and  81  north,  rant;e  25  Avest,  and 
the  place  of  holdiui;'  the  (dection  at  the  house  of  (ieornc 
Beelte. 

Des  Moines — All  of  townships  7S  and  79  north,  ran!j,e 
23  west,  and  townships  78  and  79  ncu-fh,  rant;-e  2i  west, 
and  townships  78  and  79  north,  ran,t;v  25  Avest,  and  the 
place  of  luddinii'  thc^  election   at  Fort   Des   Moines. 

Lynn — All  of  township  77  north,  raiiii'e  25  west,  and 
township  77  north,  rant;e  24  Avest,  and  the  place  of  hohl- 
iu.n  the  election  at  the  house  of  James  Heart. 

Four  Mile — April  13,  1817,  the  Board  ordered  that 
townslui:)S  78  and  79,  north  of  Des  Moines  RiA'er  ami 
toAVushi])  80  of  Hkunk  ToAA-nship  should  be  knoAvn  as  Four 
Mile  ToAVuship.  The  place  for  holdin^i;-  elections  was  fixe<l 
at  the  house  of  Jacob  Frederick,  and  he,  Avith  Mont!.ii)m- 
ery  McCall  and  Thomas  II.  Xapier  AA'ere  ap](ointed  judi^es. 

January  3,  1848,  tlie  P>oard  ])roceeded  to  a.nain  diA'ide 


«54  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

the  county  into  townships,  and  P.  M.  Casady  was  em- 
ployed as  connsel  for  the  Board.  This  ueAV  division  made 
the  following  townships: 

Eichland — That  so  much  of  township  77  north,  range 

22  west,  as  lays  on  the  southwest  side  of  the  Des  Moines 
KiTer,  and  the  place  of  holding  the  first  election  shall  be 
at  the  school  house  situated  near  the  house  of  Benjamin 
Phillips.    In  1853  it  went  back  to  Warren  County. 

Allen — All  of  congressional  township  77,  north  of  range 

23  west,  and  so  much  of  townshiij  78,  north  of  range  23 
west,  as  lays  on  the  southwest  side  of  the  Des  Moines 
liiver.  The  place  of  the  first  election  in  said  township 
was  at  the  house  of  Thomas  Reese. 

Saylor — So  much  of  township  79,  north  of  range  24 
west,  as  lays  east  of  the  Des  Moines  River  and  the  south 
lialf  of  township  80,  north  of  range  24  west,  and  the  place 
of  holding  the  first  election  was  at  the  house  of  John 
Saylor. 

Madison — All  of  townships  80  and  81,  north  of  range  25 
west,  all  of  township  81  and  north  half  of  township  80, 
north  of  range  24  west. 

Des  Moines — Townships  78  and  79,  north  of  range 
23  west,  and  townships  78  and  79  north,  range  24  west, 
liart  of  township  79,  north  of  range  24  west,  which  lays 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Des  Moines  River. 

Lj'nn — All  of  township  77,  north  of  range  25  west,  and 
township  77,  north  of  range  24  west.  The  place  of  hold- 
ing the  first  election  was  at  the  house  of  James  Heart. 
In  1853  went  back  to  Warren  County. 

Camp — All  of  townships  78  and  79,  north  of  range  22 
west,  and  so  much  of  township  77,  north  of  range  22  Avest, 
as  lays  on  the  northeast  side  of  the  Des  Moines  River. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  655 

The  place  of  holding  the  first  election  was  at  the  house 
of  Patrick  Kelley. 

Skunk — All  of  townships  80  and  81,  north  of  range  22 
west,  and  townships  80  and  81,  north  of  range  23  west. 
The  place  of  holdiiig  the  first  election  was  at  the  house 
of  Henry  Burge. 

Four  Mile — All  of  township  79,  north  of  range  23  west, 
and  that  part  of  township  78,  north  of  range  23  west, 
which  laj's  on  the  north  side  of  the  Des  Moines  Riyer. 

April  10,  1818,  Greenfield  Township  was  created,  con- 
sisting of  township  77,  north  of  range  24  west.  In  1853 
this  township  was  returned  to  Warren  County. 

January  3,  1849,  sections  13,  14,  15,  and  IG,  township 
80,  range  24,  were  taken  from  Madison  and  added  to 
kSaylor  Township,  and  the  south  half  of  township  79, 
range  24,  was  taken  from  vSaylor  and  added  to  Des  Moines 
Township. 

January  9,  1850,  congressional  townships  79  and  80, 
range  22,  were  detached  from  Skunk  and  created  into 
the  Township  of  Beaver.  The  first  place  for  holding  elec- 
tions to  be  at  the  house  of  Eli  Trullinger. 

October  9,  1851,  township  79  and  the  south  tiers  of 
sections  of  township  80,  range  23,  were  set  off  from  Four 
Mile  and  made  the  Township  of  Delaware. 

January  7,  1851,  Jefferson  Township  was  created,  being 
taken  mostly  from  Madison  Township  and  all  lying  west 
of  the  Des  Moines  Eiver. 

April  10,  1851,  in  accordance  with  a  petition  of  the 
citizens  who  disliked  the  name  Skunk,  it  was  ordered 
that  thereafter  it  be  known  by  the  name  of  Elkhart  Town- 
iship. 


656  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

jMai'ch  (I,  ISijit,  con^i-essioiial  township  80,  i-aui;e  22, 
AAas  luaile  into  Franklin  Tdwnsliip. 

On  the  sanu^  (la1(^  township  81,  ran,i;e  22,  Avas  ordered 
or_i;anizi'(l   into   ^\'as]iin.L;ton   Townsliip. 

Sejiteniber  28,  1857,  all  that  porti(.>n  of  Des  Moines 
Township  (^ast  of  the  Des  Moines  River  Avas  made  Lee 
Township.  The  writer  was  ex-otBcio  the  tirst  jnstice  of 
the  ]»eace  of  the  neA\'  townslii]!.  Shortly  afterwards  he 
resii^ned  and  had  Will  Tondinson  appointed  his  snc- 
ccssor. 

Se]itenilier  (>,  18.1S,  Ihiiii^las  Township  -was  created  ont 
of  i»arts  of  Delaware  and  Elkhart  ToAvnships,  and  in- 
elnded  all  of  coniii-essional  toAA'nship  80,  rani^e  23. 

September  20,  1858,  all  that  portion  of  Des  Moin<'s 
Townsliip,  lying'  south  of  the  Kaocoon  Kiver,  was  made 
Bloomtield  Township. 

Sejiteniber  21,  1858,  a  portion  of  Madison  ToAA'nshi]) 
Avas  ordered  made  into  a  new  toAA'nship  of  Jackson,  bnt 
this  order  was  not  fnlly  carried  out,  and  in  the  following 
Jnly  the  order  was  annulled  or  A'acated. 

Sejitember  21,  1858,  a  portion  of  Camp  Avas  added  to 
Four  Mile  Townslii]),  and  a  ])ortion  of  the  latter  added 
to  Lee  ToAA'nship. 

March  20,  1800,  the  ToAvnships  of  ^'alley  and  Walnut 
were  ci'eated  out  of  all  that  portion  of  Des  Moines  Toaa'u- 
ship  lying  outside  of  the  corporate  limits  of  the  City  of 
Des  Moines,  on  the  AA'est  side  of  the  Des  Moines  lUA'er. 

L>ecend)er  27,  1870,  congressional  township  81,  range 
24,  Avas  made  Lincoln  Township,  and  township  80,  range 
21,  east  of  D(^s  Moines  River,  created  Crocker  Townshij), 
and  Saylor  ToAA'nship  Avas  i-educed  to  that  portion  of 
congressional  toA\'nship  7!l,  range  21,  lying  east  of  the 
Des  Moines  RiA^er. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOINES.  657 

September  7,  1870,  a  portion  of  the  territory  of  Lee 
Townsliip,  lying  outside  of  tlie  City  of  Des  Moines,  was 
made  the  new  Township  of  Grant,  and  a  short  time  after 
the  remaining  portion  of  Lee  Township,  outside  the  city, 
was  annexed  to  Saylor  Township. 

June  14,  1878,  the  east  two  miles  of  Delaware  and  the 
west  two  miles  of  Beaver  Townships  were  made  into 
Clay  Township,  the  election  to  be  held  at  Altoona. 

On  the  same  date  the  new  Township  of  Webster  was 
created  from  the  north  four  and  one-half  miles  of  Wal- 
nut Township.  Later  a  portion  of  Jefferson  was  added 
to  Webster. 

Later  most  of  the  townships  were  divided  into  two  or 
more  voting  precincts,  to  accommodate  the  voters. 

By  the  extension  of  the  limits  of  the  City  of  Des  Moines 
in  1890  the  following  townships  were  more  or  less  af- 
fected: Des  Moines,  Lee,  Grant,  Four  Mile,  Delaware, 
Saylor,  Valley,  Webster,  Walnut,  Bloomfield  and  Allen, 
and  Grant  and  Valley  Townships  ceased  to  exist. 

The  present  townships  of  Polk  County  are:  Allen, 
Beaver,  Bloomfield,  Camp,  Clay,  Crocker,  Delaware, 
Douglas,  Elkhart,  Franklin,  Four  Mile,  Jefferson,  Lin- 
coln, Madison,  Saylor,  Walnut,  Washington,  Webster, 
Des  Moines  and  Lee. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

EARLY   SETTLERS'   ASSOCIATION. 

IT  IS  but  natural  that  a  warm  feeling  of  friendship,  of 
brotherly  and  sisterly  love,  should  spring  up  between 
those  who,  becoming  early  settlers  in  the  city  and 
county,  have  associated  "\A'ith  each  other  for  years  and 
mutually  aided  in  building  up  city  and  county,  and  doing 
so  much  to  shape  its  present  and  future.  As  years  go 
by  and  thousands  of  peoj)le  swarm  in  the  jilaces  where 
but  a  few  years  ago  hundreds  were  to  be  found,  and  as 
each  year  sees  the  passing  awa}'  of  those  early  citi/.ens, 
more  or  less  rapidly,  and  all  of  them  are  in  or  approacli- 
ing  the  aged  list,  it  is  natural  that  those  of  the  early 
settlers  wlio  remain  are  drawn  more  and  more  closely 
together.  They  were  together  at  the  beginning  and  they 
desire  to  be  together  at  the  end.  More  separated  in  some 
respects  than  they  were  in  the  early  days,  when  they 
nearly  all  knew  each  other  and  were  more  or  less  thrown 
together  in  their  daily  work  and  business,  they  now  feel 
the  need  of,  and  heartilj^  eujoy  the  annual  reunions  which 
are  a  pirominent  feature  of  the  Polk  County  Early  Set- 
tlers' Association. 

The  need  of  such  an  organization  was  felt  at  an  early 
period,  but  not  until  18G8  did  this  desire  take  actual 
shape  and  form.  On  February  26th  of  that  year  some 
twenty-five  met  at  the  City  Council  Chamber  and  de- 
cided to  form  such  an  organization.  Isaac  Cooper  was 
chairman  and  Peter  Myers  secretary.  The  following  gen- 
tlemen were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  a  constitu- 
tion:    Denias  Kobinson,  .J.  A.  Nash,  J.  M.  Griffiths,  G. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOiyES.  G59 

W.  Cleveland  and  Hoyt  Shermau.  At  a  subsequent  meet- 
ing, held  ou  March  2,  18GS,  the  committee  reported  a  con- 
stitution, ^\-hich  was  adopted  and  the  Association  of  Early 
Settlers  of  Polk  County  was  duly  brought  into  life  and 
being.  With  some  amendments  adopted  from  time  to 
time  the  original  remains  the  constitution  of  this  day. 
The  first  oflicers  of  the  association  were:  President, 
Thomas  Mitchell;  vice  presidents,  Isaac  Cooper,  John 
Hughes,  *J.  D.  McClothlin,  Peter  Newcomer,  J.  C.  Jor- 
dan, Thomps(m  Bird,  F.  Nagle,  H.  H.  Baylor,  Thomas  Mc- 
Mulleu,  Benjamin  F.  Frederick;  recording  secretary,  E. 
L.  Tidi-ick;  corres])onding  secretary,  Hoyt  Sherman; 
treasurer,  B.  F.  Allen. 

The  first  annual  reunion,  or  festival,  was  held  in  Octo- 
ber, 180S,  on  the  square  where  the  State  capitol  now 
stands,  and  was  well  attended  and  much  enjoyed.  Some 
four  hundred  persons  were  present.  The  2>rogramme  was: 
Prayer,  Eev.  Mr.  Be  F(n'est;  oration,  Bev.  J.  A.  Nash; 
paper  on  "Early  Times,"  J.  M.  Thrift.  There  was  a  picnic 
dinner,  toasts  and  responses  and  the  narrative  of  many 
incidents  of  early  days,  etc.  A  number  of  new  members 
were  added,  bringing  the  total  membership  up  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six. 

The  second  annual  festival  was  held  in  October,  1SG9. 
We  find  the  following  account  of  the  same  in  the  records 
of  the  association,  which  may  prove  interesting  to  the 
readers  of  the  present  day: 

"Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  Saturday,  the  second 
day  of  October,  1869,  the  Society  of  Early' Settlers  met 
at  the  capitol  square  in  the  City  of  Des  Moines,  and  held 
their  annual  festival.  This  has  been  the  rainy  season; 
f'ontinued  raining  every  few  days  from  May  to  the  first 
of  the  month.  On  first  day  of  this  month  it  rained  all 
day,  and  the  rivers  are  very  high.     Both  Court  avenue 


660  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  Waluut  street  bridges  gone  out,  and  the  river  has 
to  be  crossed  by  ferry  boat.  The  society  went  today  to 
the  depot  of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific  Rail- 
road and  were  taken  across  the  river  and  returned  in  the 
cars  of  the  said  road.  Owing  to  the  rains  of  the  day  pre- 
vious and  very  bad  roads,  worse  than  ever  known  before, 
there  wei'e  very  few  out,  except  from  the  city  and  near  hj. 
The  day  was  clear  and  pleasant,  and  we  had  a  pleasant 
meeting.     Toasts  and  responses,  and  basket  dinner." 

The  following  officers  were  elected  for  ensuing  year: 
President,  Thomas  Mitchell;  recording  secretary,  R.  L. 
Tidrick;  corresponding  secretary,  Hoyt  Sherman;  treas 
urer,  B.  F.  Allen. 

These  annual  reunions  have  been  held  with  some  few 
exceptions,  each  year,  generally  in  Des  Moines,  and  have 
been  most  pleasant  and  entertaining  gatherings.  Last 
year  many  of  the  earlj-  settlers  spent  a  pleasant  day  at 
Greenwood  Park,  and  there  erected  a  veritable  log  cabin, 
something  akin  to  the  former  cabins  of  the  early  days, 
which  now  stands  filled  with  many  relics  of  the  past. 
Subsequently  the  regular  annual  reunion  was  held  at 
Crocker  Woods,  which  were  thronged  with  many  hun- 
dreds of  the  early  and  later  settlers  with  their  children 
and  friends.  It  has  been  and  is  the  custom  when  one  of 
the  early  settlers  dies,  to  send  notice  to  the  members  of 
the  association,  and  they  attend  the  funeral  wearing  tlie 
usual  badges  of  mourning.  These  calls  have  been  some 
what  frequent,  as  the  members  one  by  one  drop  awa.y 
from  life  and  from  the  scenes  of  toil,  sorrow  and  joy,  they 
have  seen  or  felt  during  the  passing  years.  A  few  years 
more  and  none  of  the  earliest  of  these  settlers  will  be  left 
in  the  county.  But  let  us  hope  their  goodly  memories 
will  long  live  in  the  minds  of  those  now  and  then  living 
in  the  city  and  county  for  which  they  did  so  much. 

The  following  list  of  earlv  settlers  is  taken  from  the 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  661 

books  of  the  association.  It  is  not  as  complete  as  it  should 
be,  because  of  the  neglect  of  many  to  have  their  names 
properly  enrolled.  Those  known  to  be  dead  and  date  of 
death  not  given  are  marked  with  a  * 

1843— John  Baird,  Addison  Michaels,  *H.  B.  Mitchell, 
Peter  Newcomer,  died  1891;  J.  M.  Thrift. 

1844 — Owen  Egerton,  Mary  A.  Hoxie,  Thomas  Mitchell. 

1845 — Thomas  K.  Brooks,  *J.  F.  Brooks,  Phoebe  Brooks, 
Isaac  Cooper,  *Jerry  Church,  *Eliza  Fisher,  *William 
Hughes,  Herbert  M.  Hoxie,  died  1886,  Ruth  P.  Hoxie, 
William  H.  Hoxie,  Elvira  Henderson,  S.  J.  V.  Hender- 
son, Martha  J.  Henderson,  Charles  J.  Henderson,  Town- 
send  Hall,  *Newton  Lamb,  Thomas  McMullin,  died  1880, 
David  NoiTis,  *F.  W.  Nagle,  B.  F.  Prunty,  Dr.  H.  H. 
Saylor,  died  1874,  J.  B.  Saylor,  died  1882,  Robert  War- 
ren. 

1846— P.  H.  Burrows,  Alf.  Beebe,  Thomas  H.  Clough, 
died  1878,  James  Campbell,  Ed.  R.  Clapp,  B.  Cooney. 
Phineas  M.  Casady,  J.  M.  T.  Corey,  William  Deford,  Val- 
entine P.  Fink,  S.  T.  Filson,  J.  B.  Grimstead,  Florence 
Ginn,  John  Hays,  died  1890,  Jarvis  Hougham,  *Richard 
Holcombe,  Sarah  A.  Ilarrod,  Pleasant  W.  Harris,  Sam- 
uel Hunt,  F.  M.  Howard,  *James  C.  Jordan,  A.  D.  Jones, 
J.  C.  Jones,  *Durham  J.  Keeney,  Rosana  Keenej',  James 
Laverty,  *Pcter  Myers,  D.  C.  Mar-tz,  died  1879,  John  D. 
McGlothlin,  died  1878,  Daniel  Mock,  M.  Eli  Millinger, 
Mrs.  E.  Noel,  Webster  Nagle,  Walter  Oyler,  *Ezra  Rath- 
bun,  died  1879,  R.  W.  Sypher,  died  1879,  *John  B.  Say- 
lor, George  Sneer,  died  1891,  *Conrad  Stutsman,  Mary  H. 
Stutsman,  W.  R.  Vice,  Resin  Wilkins,  S.  G.  Winchester. 

1847 — Philo  S.  Case,  Benjamin  Bennett,  D.  F.  Barlow, 
Elisha  Canfield,  William  R.  Close,  Catherine  Carson, 
James  H.  Dean,  Annie  Dean,  John  S.  Dean,  died  1872, 


662  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

*Thomas  Elliott,  F.  E.  Elliott,  B.  F.  Frederick,  J.  H. 
Finch,  Sarah  J.  Finch,  died  1890,  Aaron  Hougham,  *J. 
J.  HaiTod,  H.  S.  Hendrix,  Lj'sander  Haryej',  vStephen  Ilar- 
Tey,  Martha  J.  HarveT,  W.  AT.  Jones,  died  1SS3,  ^Jervis 
Jones,  D.  J.  Longnecker,  Richard  Stanton,  Mahala  J.  Mc- 
Mullin,  Elizabeth  L.  Pnrsler,  J.  F.  Randolph,  *Richard 
Stanton,  Andrew  Snyder,  John  C.  Smith,  Robert  S.  Fred- 
erick, died  1894,  J.  C.  Thompson,  Hannah  Thrift,  D.  11. 
Thraikill. 

1848 — *  Jonathan  Lyon,  William  Lewis,  William  L. 
Pitcher,  C.  D.  Reinking,  Hoyt  Slierman,  Lorenzo  D.  Sims, 
died  1895,  Chris  Shoemaker,  James  Stanton,  George  C. 
Sims,  Christian  Sims,  died  1857,  A.  B.  Shoemaker,  died 
1888,  Charles  C.  Van,  died  1885,  William  Van  Horn,  Green 
Wheeler,  Thompson  Bird,  died  1SG9,  Lonisa  Bird,  *J. 
AV.  Bnrgett,  Elizabeth  Cady,  Alex  Bowers,  died  1874, 
J.  A.  Eyerett,  John  Barlow,  died  1873,  J.  E.  Fagan,  C. 
B.  Fagan,  L.  H.  Bnsh,  C.  W.  Garrett,  Stephen  Harvey, 
died  1891,  *H.  M.  Bnsh,  C.  AA\  Garrett,  Steplien  Harvey, 
G.  W.  Hickman,  David  Bnsh,  died  1880,  Sarah  E.  Hen- 
derson, *J.  C.  Jordan,  Lewis  Bender,  *Alfred  M.  Lyon, 
George  W.  Lyon,  AA\  H.  Lehman,  AA".  H.  McHenry,  died 
1893,  AV.  S.  Mills,  C.  A.  Mosier,  John  A.  McFarland. 

1849— A.  C.  Breckbill,  Jacob  Bender,  Thomas  Crab- 
tree,  AA\  M.  Campbell,  Messe  S.  Dicks,  Ed  P.  Dicks,  *Jo- 
seph  C.  Davis,  Cyrns  Gates,  John  Harley,  Robert  How- 
ard, James  tiall,  *Grauvil]e  Holland,  James  Hnston, 
Joseph  Hardin,  *Maria  J.  Hardin,  AV.  L.  Hawkins,  -J. 
A.  T.  Hnll,  J.  AV.  Hawkins,  AVilliam  P.  Hnrd,  J.  AA^  Jones, 
died  ]873,  Dr.  AV.  IT.  AA^ard,  Francis  M.  Wilkins,  Alad- 
ison  Yonng,  died  1872,  AA'illiam  McClelland,  AA'illiam 
Pnrsley,  Byron  Rice,  Hugh  G.  Rogers,  L.  P.  Sherman, 
Harry  Stephenson,  died  1870,  Catlierine  Tyler,  died  1893, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEfi  MOINES.  663 

W.  Van  Horn,  X.  T.  Yovse,  died  1877,  W.  W.  Williamson, 
died   1893. 

1850— Curtis  Bates,  died  1879,  H.  S.  Busick,  Molm 
Crow,  *Thomas  Cavanagh,  William  Dawson,  James  De- 
pew,  Dan  M.  Flinn,  Squire  Flinn,  J.  M.  Griffiths,  Sam- 
uel M.  Good,  Elizabeth  H.  Holcombe,  A.  S.  Kingman, 
Levi  Krj-sher,  *H.  E.  Lovejoy,  *Harrison  Ljou,  Xatliau 
McClelland,  Taylor  Pierce,  William  Kogers,  B.  H.  Steele, 
M.  R.  Sypher,  W.  H.  M.  Smith,  Celia  Smith,  W.  F. 
Spaulding,  Sophia  Shoemaker,  Lucia  Stutsman,  Calvin 
Thornton,  J.  D.  Williams,  J.  W.  Williams,  Joseph  Wil- 
liams. 

1851— Mrs.  William  Baker,  J.  P.  Casady,  Dr.  William 
Baker,  Frank  Casady,  born,  Dr.  D.  V.  Cole,  *S.  M.  Dyer, 
Daniel  O.  Finch,  John  H.  Given,  Mary  A.  Galbraith,  M.  E. 
Galbraith,  *Davis  Hughes,  *Joseph  W.  Haskell,  *Sau- 
ford  Haines,  William  Jiistice,  Daniel  Justice,  William 
Mar-tin,  *J.  D.  McClaiu,  James  W.  Mills,  Samuel  Noel, 
Rev.  J.  A.  Xash,  died  1890,  L.  L.  Page,  Amanda  Page, 
John  F.  A.  LI.  Roberts,  J.  A.  Rhyno,  Myra  A.  Reed,  John 
Rutherford,  Wesley  Redhead,  died  1891,  Hoyt  Sherman, 
Jr.,  J.  B.  Tiffin,  J.  P.  Wilson,  John  Youngermau,  *B. 
Zell,  Richard  Ashworth,  Abram  Ashworth,  James  T. 
Ashworth,  Charles  H.  Ashworth. 

1852 — Simon  Casady,  X'oah  Devault,  Hannah  De- 
vault,  Annie  Gleasou,  J.  Lee,  Marion  Lee,  John  A. 
McCall,  Larkin  Murray,  Cole  Noel,  John  Rickabaugh, 
Ella  Reinking,  Frank  A.  Saylor,  Jacob  Sagers,  *Joh;i 
Temple,  Leonard  Brown,  M.  L.  Devin,  S.  W.  Edinburn, 
George  W.  Fuller,  W.  S.  Fisher,  Benjamin  Fuller,  Syl- 
via Fuller,  Capt,  H.  H.  Griffiths,  died  1885,  H.  C.  Hargi  ■, 
*W.  A.   Hunt,   N.  J.   Harris,   D.   F.   Harris,  William   H. 


(i64  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Leas,  died  1892,   *John  Morris,  Da,vid  Manbeck,  T.  J. 
McCleary. 

1853 — *A.  M.  Overman,  John  Parker,  Pitt  Prentice, 
DeWitt  Prentice,  F.  R.  Prentice,  died  1879,  Eli  Eison, 
J.  R.  Rittgers,  Joseph  B.  Stewart,  W.  R.  Stimson,  Zeph- 
oru  Stimson,  Dr.  Alexander  Shaw,  died  1893,  Alex.  C. 
Talbott,  F.  R.  West,  died  1895,  Martin  Winters,  died  1895, 
Dr.  H.  C.  Whitman,  died  1885,  Dr.  Henry  Courtney,  died 
1861,  W.  C.  Burton. 

1854 — Mary  Brown,  Hugh  Brown,  Jacob  Brazeltou,  E. 
L.  Burnham,  F.  W.  Chaffee,  Wear  Casady,  died  1881, 
'•James  Crane,  FaiTon  Case,  M.  C.  Christy,  *Duane  De- 
votie,  Robert  W.  Dickey,  died  1884,  John  A.  Fleming, 
*John  Jack,  Joseph  Kuhn,  died  1895,  J.  J.  Fredergill, 
John  Fox,  Edward  Higgins,  Lowiy  A.  Harvey,  E.  S. 
Harter,  J.  W.  Conine,  L.  Hamilton,  *J.  W.  Laird,  *Mich- 
ael  McTighe,  Patrick  McTighe,  died  1882,  Francis  Mar- 
tin, William  McDivitt,  S.  J.  McGrady,  Frank  Meehen, 
Aiigustus  Newton,  died  1890,  W.  S.  Pritchard,  Thomas 
W.  Parks,  Heniy  Reinor,  *Demas  Robinson,  F.  H.  Ross, 
William  Riddle,  Charles  P.  Reinig,  Samuel  Rees,  James 
C.  Savery,  John  L.  Smith,  died  1874,  Mary  A.  Smith, 
died  1889,  William  Shepard,  Hiram  Y.  Smith,  died  1895, 
*W.  M.  Stone,  John  Thompson,  D.  E.  IMer,  *C.  W.  ^''an 
Horn,  R.  C.  Van  Horn,  Joseph  CI  Warner,  died  1882, 
J.  A.  Woodward. 

1855 — Jule  Bausmau,  Daniel  Bare,  Will.  Porter,  Har- 
riet M.  Porter,  D.  M.  Bringolf,  Jacob  Bringolf,  A.  Brin- 
;;olf,  C.  F.  Clarkson,  to  Iowa  in  1855,  died  1890,  C.  Brotchi, 
( ;elia  M.  Bare,  *T.  E.  Brown,  Simon  S.  Bitting,  K  B.  Cooly, 
Samuel  H.  Carson,  died  1884,  Ira  Cook,  R.  W.  Clark,  died 
1 895,  James  O.  Clark,  *G.  AV.  Cleveland,  Juo.  N.  Dewey, 
died  1889,  Thomas  Duncan,  J.  P.  Foster,  Stephen  Farr, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0INES.  665 

Tlied  1892,  Seth  Graham,  W.  H.  Ginn,  died  1895,  F.  M. 
Hubbell,  J.  Add.  Hepburn,  died  1893,  George  M.  Hippee, 
C.  C.  Howell,  Joseph  Hierb,  died  1887,  *M.  M.  Crocker, 
George  W.  Dunkle,  A.  J.  Dunkle,  W.  J.  Payne,  William 
Kahm,  *John  Johns,  Stacy  Johns,  Theodore  Johns,  Mar- 
cus Kavanagh,  Michael  Kennedy  (first  drayman),  *Jacob 
Knadler,  Thomas  King,  Jr.,  Isaac  Kuhn,  James  F.  Kemp, 
.John  Leyner,  *C.  P.  Lnse,  Absolom  Morris,  died  1877, 
George  D.  McCain,  .John  McGrady,  .James  Miller,  Jane 
H.  Miller,  died  1892,  M.  E.  Nordyke,  died  1871,  S.  R.  New- 
man, A.  Newman,  C.  W.  Nicholas,  Jeft"  S.  Polk,  William 
Phillips,  *Robert  R.  Peters,  Ed  Parmenter,  E.  L.  Russell, 
S.  H.  Reynolds,  Sumner  F.  Spofford,  died  1885,  *E.  San- 
ford,  Charles  Spoiford,  died  1872,  E.  M.  Smith,  .James 
Simington,  "^Thomas  Stringham,  W.  D.  Trowbridge,  F. 
A.  Trowbridge,  Jane  Tobin,  Samuel  Van  CI  eve,  died  1886, 
R.  L.  O.  Van  Cleve,  Charles  S.  Vorse,  died  1890,  C.  A. 
Weaver,  Nancy  D.  Ha.skell,  Gen.  -J.  A.  Williamson. 

1856— John  Bryan,  W.  S.  Bennett,  William  Babb, 
Mary  A.  Babb,  G.  G.  Githens,  died  1880,  Evin  M.  Bolton, 
died  1871,  Albert  Bell,  Isaac  Braudt,  J.  S.  Cook,  died 
1869,  ^Caroline  Clark,  Dencil  Carter,  *Rose  Casady,  born, 
George  Crawford,  George  H.  Cranston,  *J.  M.  Dixon,  Har- 
rison A.  Eaton,  Stewart  Goodrell,  died  1872,  S.  Har-ter, 
Sara  J.  Plowell,  S.  -J.  Cope,  John  Daugherty,  died  1890, 
M.  A.  Daugherty,  E.  A.  Ingham,  B.  F.  .Jones,  Thomas 
H.  .James,  William  Lowry,  L.  W.  Larsh,  .John  Mitchell, 
died  1890,  S.  B.  McCall,  *M.  D.  McHenry,  A.  L.  F.  Mower, 
Mary  E.  Mower,  S.  M.  Nelson,  F.  T.  Nelson,  John  O'Con- 
nell,  M.  J.  Owen,  .John  Peuu,  John  Rogers,  A.  Y.  Rawson, 
died  1895,  S.  A.  Robertson,  Margaret  P.  Robertson,  -John 
R.  Rollins,  .James  L.  Scott,  J.  P.  Sharmau,  *.J.  O.  Sherwood, 
*.John  Slatten,  Marian  Slatten,  D.  D.  Skinner,  died  1895, 


666  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Mary    Skinner,    Angnstus    Terlinne,    Franklin    Voodrj^, 
George  Whitaker,  S.  D.  Welling,  died  1890,  *J.  G.  Weeks,  ■ 
Dyer  H.  Young,  died  1879,  Conrad  Yonngermau,  X.  B. 
Yant. 

1857 — ''George  C.  Baker,  J.  S.  Carter,  John  Cassiday, 
Ann  Cassidy,  Samuel  Green,  Henry  Hahnen,  Hugh  Y. 
King,  George  W.  Barnes,  E.  X.  Curl,  C.  C.  Cole,  William 
M.  Day,  Stewart  Goodrell,  Jr.,  born,  L.  Harbacli,  Aggie 
Kimble,  Giles  H.  Turner,  died  1880,  Spencer  Lee,  *E.  D. 
Janes,  A.  C.  J>()U(lurant,  Mattie  Dicks,  W.  C.  Gabraith, 
D.  C.  Githens,  M.  A.  Githens,  Thomas  A.  Hallett,  *Lewis 
Kinsey,  John  A.  Kasson,  Dr.  C.  H.  Rawson,  died  1881, 
Dr.  J.  O.  Skinner. 

1858— *N.  Baylies,  Amos  W.  Brandt,  F.  W.  Car- 
l)enter,  died  1875,  William  Dickersou,  Isaac  W.  Griffith, 
Charles  H.  Gamp,  *Selby  S.  Griffith,  A.  L.  Griffith,  E. 
J.  Ingersoll,  died  1891,  P.  J.  Kimball,  Marcus  Kavanagli, 
Jr.,  born,  J.  G.  Milligan,  John  P.  Robertson,  born,  Harry 
C.  Porter,  born,  Moses  Strauss,  Martin  Tnttle,  David  Ut- 
tersou. 

1859— Rev.  John  F.  Brazill,  died  1885,  *C.  W.  Ensign, 
G.  L.  Godfrey,  J.  B.  Laugiuan,  J.  M.  St.  John,  J.  R. 
Thomas,  M.  P.  Turner,  J.  K.  Wilkins. 

1860— John  BroAvne,  died  1882,  J.  W.  Check,  W.  H. 
Turner,  T.  J.  Wright. 

1861— W.  F.  Gruss,  Thomas  J.  Kennedy,  L.  II.  Kurtz, 
N.  S.  McDonnell,  Philip  Morgan,  E.  S.  Stone,  H.  A.  Titu^^. 

1862— L.  M.  G.  Barnett,  R.  G.  Orwig. 

1863— A.  G.  Field,  M.  D.,  *Dr.  B.  L.  Steele,  Edward 
Vaughn,  Nelson  Van  Horn. 

1804 — Annie  B.  Bristow,  W.  G.  Bagg,  Percie  E.  Bagg, 
John  A.  Elliott,  died  1887,  *George  W.  Jones,  C.  A.  John- 
son, P.  F.  Morrisey,  *Gen.  James  M.  Tuttle. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  667 

1865— W.  Baldwin,  J.  M.  Cog-geshell,  died  1885,  J.  T. 
Horning,  James  H.  Long,  died  1880,  J.  W.  Miifflj,  James 
Porter,  W.   R.   Ray. 

1866— J.  P.  Bushnell,  George  M.  Dimmitt,  W.  P.  De- 
Long,  John  M.  Otis,  C.  O.  Otis,  Rose  St.  Jolin,  Hattie 
M  .Tliraillvill,  Job  Throckmorton. 

1867— W.  A.  Colton,  O.  W.  Munsell,  Wylie  M.  Moore, 
Samuel  Men*ell,  George  Schram,  Isabella  C.  Schram. 

1868— John  M.  Day,  Dr.  R.  G.  English,  William  Mus- 
son,  Lester  Perkins,  W.  M.  Patrick,  Adelgertha  Russell, 
M.  T.  Russell,  W.  H.  Tanner. 

1869— E.  Harris,  Nancy  McDivitt,  W.  R.  Stewart. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

FERRIES    AND   BRIDGES. 

THE  first  problem  of  the  early  settlers  of  Fort  Des 
Moines  and  Polk  County  was  the  crossing  of  the  Des 
Moijies  and  Kaecoon  Eirers  at  this  point.  At  some 
seasons  cT  the  year  both  rivers  could  be  forded, but  at  other 
times  this  was  impossible.  Some  way  had  to  be  provided 
for  cariying-  men,  horses  and  wagons  over  the  streams. 
The  ferry,  as  was  natural,  came  first.  The  first  person  reg- 
ularly licensed  to  maintain  a  ferry  across  the  Des  Moines 
and  Raccoon  Rivers  was  John  B.  Scott.  His  first  license 
was  from  Mahaska  County,  which  for  a  short  time  claimed 
jurisdiction  over  this  section,  and  afterwards,  in  1847, 
a  license  was  granted  him  by  Polk  County  for  the  sum 
of  five  dollars.  His  charges  for  ferriage  were  fixed  by 
the  county  as  follows: 

Cents. 

For  crossing  a  footman  over  either  river 5 

Man  and  horse 12-]- 

Wagon  aud  two  horses 37-]- 

Wagon  and  four  horses .50 

Loose  cattle,  per  head 5 

Hogs  and  sheep,  per  head 3 

In  1845,  Edward  Martin  was  licensed  to  establish  a 
ferry  across  the  Des  Moines  River,  below  the  town,  and 
during  the  next  few  years  a  number  of  ferry  licenses 
were  gTanted  in  the  county.  The  Scott  franchise  at  Des 
Moines  was  of  course  the  most  valuable,  and  for  several 
years  John  and  Aleck  Scott  had  large  receipts  therefrom, 
especially  during  the  time  of  the  heai^  California  emi- 
gration.    At  a  later  period  an  effort  was  made  to  have 


AVD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  669 

the  town  j^urcbase  the  Scott  interest  in  the  feny  and 
make  it  free  to  the  people  of  the  county,  and  a  bargain 
was  finally"  made.  But  the  record  does  not  state  it  was 
fully  carried  out. 

These  ferries  were  a  great  convenience  to  the  people 
then  here,  as  well  as  to  travelers  passing  through  the 
countrj',  and  they  answered  the  purjiose  for  which  they 
were  intended.  In  addition  many  of  the  residents  along 
the  river  had  their  skiffs  or  boats,  and  with  these  aided 
in  keeping  communication  open  between  the  two  sides 
of  the  river.  In  the  fall  of  1816,  Jerry  Church  estab 
lished  two  rope  ferries  near  his  town  of  Dudley,  and  at 
times  did  a  prosperous  business.  However  as  the  town 
and  county  became  more  wealthy  and  thicklj-  settled, 
there  came  a  demand  for  bridges.  They  were  more  costly, 
but  much  more  convenient  than  ferries,  and  the}'  must 
be  had. 

In  1855,  came  the  first  bridge  across  the  Des  Moines 
in  this  county.  It  was  only  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  some- 
what roughly  made  at  that,  but  it  well  answered  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  designed.  It  was  built  at  the 
expense  of  the  town,  with  perhaps  some  help  from  the 
county,  and  was  located  about  where  the  Grand  avenue 
bridge  now  stands.  This  float  bridge  was  a  great  con- 
venience and  was  kept  in  place  some  two  years. 

About  the  same  time  in  1850-57  preliminary  work  was 
commenced  on  trestle  or  arch  bridges  at  Court  avenue 
and  Market  streets.  The  latter  was  the  first  ready  for 
crossing,  and  was  pushed  forward  mostly  through  the 
energy  and  means  of  W.  A.  Scott.  This  was  opened  to 
travel  in  1857  and  may  be  called  the  first  regular  bridge 
across  the  Des  Moines  River.  It,  however,  was  not  con- 
structed as  well  as  it  might  have  been,  and  unfortunately 


670  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

broke  down  in  1S59.  It  Avas  recoustracted  by  J.  C.  War- 
ner, but  was  swept  away  by  high  waters  iu  1861.  The 
Court  avenue  bridge,  which  was  completed  a  short  time 
after  the  Scott  bridge,  was  built  under  the  supeiwisiou 
of  U.  B.  White  in  1856-57,  and  was  a  much  more  sub- 
stantial bridge  in  every  way.  In  time,  the  bridge  show- 
ing decay,  it  was  rebuilt  in  1866  by  U.  B.  White  and  Dr. 
M.  P.  Turner.  In  1869  this  bridge  broke  down,  and  iu 
1870  new  piers  Avere  constructed,  and  the  present  line 
iron  bridge,  on  the  post  truss  plan,  was  erected,  at  the 
expense  of  the  city. 

In  1862,  Dr.  M.  P.  Turner  and  U.  B.  White  erected  a 
bridge  across  Raccoon  Eiver  at  "the  Point.''  In  Febru- 
ary, 1865,  this  Avas  SAvept  aAvay  by  ice  during  a  freshet, 
and  Avas  rebuilt  by  July  of  the  same  year.  This  did 
service  iintil  the  present  bridge  was  built  in  1872. 

In  March,  1866,  S.  F.  Spofford,  Frank  R.  Laird  and 
others  arranged  for  the  erection  of  a  bridge  on  Walnut 
street,  and  this  AA'as  completed  and  opened  for  travel  in 
October  of  the  same  year  as  a  toll  bridge.  This  bridge 
Avas  subsequently  broken  down  and  was  replaced  in  1871 
by  an  iron  bow  string  girder  bridge.  Later  this  broke 
down,  and  after  some  delay,  a  few  j'ears  ago  the  present 
fine  bridge  Avas  built  by  the  city. 

The  Seventh  street  bridge  across  the  Raccoon  River 
Avas  first  built  in  1871. 

The  Rock  Island  was  the  first  railroad  bridge  built 
across  the  Des  Moines  River.  This  was  in  1868,  and 
Avas  followed  in  1869  by  the  Des  Moines  Valley  Railroad 
bridge.  Then  later  on  came  the  Wabash,  the  Chicago, 
Burlington  and  Quincy  Railroad  bridges,  and  in  the  last 
feAV  years  the  bridge  over  the  Raccoon  of  the  Des  Moines 
and  Kansas  City,  and  the  Great  Western  Railroad  bridge 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  671 

over  the  De.s  Moines  below  the  mouth  of  the  Raccoon 
Elver. 

During  the  past  ten  years  the  city  has  built  bridges 
across  the  Des  Moines  on  Locust  and  Grand  avenue, 
and  farther  up  at  the  crossing  of  Sixth  avenue,  and  over 
the  Raccoon  near  the  watenvorks.  The  city  and  county 
have  invested  a  large  amount  of  money  in  bridges  inside 
the  limits  of  the  city,  and  the  county  large  sums  in  bridges 
across  the  Skunk,  Des  Moines  and  other  streams,  but 
they  now  have  a  number  of  strong,  handsome  structures 
thoroughly  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  people.  The 
half  dozen  railroad  bridges  inside  the  city  limits,  and 
other  bridges  in  the  county,  have  caused  the  expenditure 
of  large  sums  of  mouej^  by  the  railroad  companies.  Taken 
as  a  whole  the  city  and  county  are  now  well  bridged, 
but  every  year  there  is  a  call  for  more  of  these  impor- 
tant and  necessary  structures. 

In  1S79,  a  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose  ap- 
praised the  value  of  the  four  city  bridges — Walnut,  Court 
avenue,  Coon  Point,  and  Seventh  street— at  .|100,.349.19, 
and  about  this  time  they  were  all  made  free  bridges  and 
have  since  remained  free  to  all,  the  county  having  paid 
much  of  their  cost. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

SEWERS,   PAVING,   ETC 

FOR  years  the  streets  of  Des  Moines  were  to  some 
extent  graded,  but  no  attempts  were  made  to  ma- 
cadamize or  pave  the  same.  The  result  was  that, 
with  the  rich  alluvial  soil  upon  which  the  city  was  lo- 
cated, during  various  seasons  of  the  year  the  streets  were 
in  a  yerj  bad  condition.  The  mud  was  deep  and  it  was 
no  common  sight  to  see  wagons  and  teams  mired  in  the 
principal  streets.  Some  attention  had  been  paid  to  side- 
walks, and  these  were  mostly  of  plank,  afteu  rough  and 
uneven,  but  generally  passable  by  pedestrians,  but  the 
streets,  except  by  grading,  had  generally  been  left  as  dirt^ 
roads.  Part  of  the  jear  these  made  very  good  roads, 
but  at  times,  as  before  stated,  they  were  in  a  very  bad 
condition.  There  were  many  complaints  of  this  state  of 
affairs,  and  the  citizens  generally  were  convinced  that 
something  must  be  done  and  done  soon  to  remedy  this 
evil  and  make  our  main  thoroughfares  at  least  what  the 
streets  of  a  prosperous  and  growing  city  should  be.  They 
all  saw  the  need  of  a  radical  improvement,  but  how  it 
was  to  be  made  was  the  question.  At  one  time  when  the 
streets  were  in  a  very  bad  condition,  Levi  J.  Wells,  the 
veteran  livery  man,  gave  the  citizens  an  object  lesson 
by  hitching  four  of  his  horses  to  a  river  skiff  and  thus 
navigating  the  principal  streets.  This  ludicrous  lesson 
was  not  without  its  good  effect.  It  aided  the  public  in 
grasping  fully  the  deplorable  situation  and  determined 
them  to  at  once  proceed  upon  a  work  which  had  already 
been  too  long  delayed. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  673 

James  Callanan,  a  wealthy  citizen,  was  one  of  the  tirst 
to  suggest  and  advocate  a  thorough  and  systematic  plan 
for  sewering  and  paving  the  citj'.  In  1878,  S.  A.  Rob- 
ertson, a  leading  and  practical  builder,  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  City  Council,  and  he  took  hold  of  the  move- 
ment with  zeal  and  energy,  and  in  connection  with  others 
in  and  out  of  the  council,  never  rested  until  this  great 
work  had  been  fairly  started.  The  noted  civil  engineer, 
Ohesebrough,  of  Chicago,  was  induced  to  paj^  a  visit  here 
and  make  a  thorough  examination,  topographically  and 
otherwise,  and  after  completing  his  examination  pre- 
sented a  general  plan  for  a  complete  sewerage  system 
for  the  entire  city,  which  was  adopted  by  the  City  Coun- 
cil, and  work  at  once  commenced  upon  it.  The  first  Avork 
was  the  building  of  a  sixtj^-inch  brick  intercepting  sewer 
along  First  or  Water  street,  from  Locust  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Raccoon  River.  This  was  built  by  Contractor  Maj. 
P.  H.  McCauley,  in  1879,  at  the  total  cost  of  |14,327.56. 
Brick  sewers  were  then  built  on  Court  avenue.  Mulberry 
and  Walnut,  and  later  on  of  brick  or  tile  on  connecting- 
streets.  Each  year  more  or  less  new  sewers  were  added, 
both  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  river,  with  anothe)' 
intercepting  sewer  on  the  East  Side.  This  work  has  been 
steadilj'  pushed  ahead  hj  the  city  during  these  sixteeii 
3'ears.  The  enlargement  of  the  city  boundaries  by  the 
taking  in  of  so  many  of  the  suburban  towns  necessarily 
enlarged  tlie  original  seAverage  plans,  and  these  have 
grown  with  the  growth  of  the  city,  and  even  beyond  this, 
as  the  enlarged  plans  provide  for  a  population  many 
times  larger  than  are  now  congregated  within  the  limits^ 
of  the  city.  They  now  extend  north,  east,  west  and  south, 
and  some  of  these  sewers  extend  for  miles,  and  have  cosi: 
a  large  amount  of  money,  of  which  a  portion  has  been 


67-t  ANNALf<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

paid  from  the  general  sewer  fund  and  the  remainder  by 
assessments  upon  the  property  contiguous  to  the  sewers. 

Following  the  building  of  sewers  came  the  paving  of 
the  streets  of  the  city.  The  first  street  paving  was  com- 
pleted in  June,  1SS2,  on  Walnut  street,  from  First  to 
Fifth.  This  was  with  cedar  blocks,  the  contractors  being 
J.  B.  Smith  &  Co.  During  that  year  the  paving  was  ex- 
tended on  Walnut  and  also  laid  on  Court  avenue.  Locust, 
and  on  Second,  Third,  Fourth  and  Fifth  streets.  Part  of 
this  was  macadam,  but  tlie  greater  portion  was  laid  with 
cedar  blocks,  which  were  then  regarded  as  the  very  best 
for  street  paving.  The  following  year  more  paving  was 
done,  cedar  blocks,  macadam  and  stone  blocks  being 
iTsed.  For  a  few  years  following  other  streets  were  paved, 
the  preference  being  generally  given  to  cedar  blocks.  Of 
the  latter,  however,  complaints  began  to  be  made,  and  in 
a  few  years  this  style  of  paving  lost  much  of  its  previous 
popularity.  It  made  a  nice  street  for  a  time,  but  soon 
became  rough  and  uneven,  and  gave  sure  indications  that 
it  would  not  last  as  long  a  time  as  had  been  claimed  for 
it.  Those  interested  finally  saw  that  some  other  and 
better  material  must  be  found,  if  it  was  expected  to  keep 
the  streets  in  good  order  without  the  trouble  and  expense 
of  continuous  repair.  About  1888,  hard,  thoroughly  vit- 
rified brick  was  suggested  as  a  solution  of  the  problem. 
After  much  consideration  early  in  1889  brick  was  first 
used  in  Des  Moines  for  street  paving.  Imiirovements 
and  experience  in  the  laying  of  the  same  have  shown  that 
hard  brick  is  much  better  for  this  purpose  than  any  of  the 
(ither  material  previousl}^  used,  and  during  the  past  few 
years  brick  for  street  paving  has  come  into  general  use, 
not  only  in  Des  Moines,  but  also  in  many  other  cities  and 
towns.     A  few  years  ago  S.  A.  Robertson,  in  connection 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  675 

with  Martin  Flj^nu  and  other  enterprising  citizens,  in- 
vested a  large  amount  of  money  in  a  plant,  called  the 
Des  Moines  Brick  Manufacturing  Company,  with  the  lat- 
est improved  machinery,  and  have  manufactured  manj' 
millions  of  brick — shipping  to  other  cities  and  towns  a 
large  proportion  of  their  production.  The  success  of  this 
plant  induced  John  B.  McGorrisk,  E.  T.  Likes  and  others 
to  engage  in  the  brick  manufacture,  and  the  result  is 
there  are  four  or  five  large  plants  in  or  near  the  citj^  pro- 
ducing many  millions  of  brick  each  year  and  giving  em- 
ployment to  many  hundreds  of  men.  Des  Moines  brick 
now  stands  in  quality  and  reputation  in  the  first  rank, 
and  the  demand  for  it  increases  steadily  each  year.  These 
manufacturers  are  now  ship]»ing  their  brick  not  only  to 
points  in  this  kState,  but  also  to  other  States  and  fear  no 
competition.  Brick  paving  has  evidently  come  to  sta}", 
and  bids  fair  to  become  the  popular  paving  throughout 
the  coimtry. 

In  his  official  report,  January  1,  189.5,  Frank  Pelton, 
city  engineer,  says:  "The  total  amount  of  paving  in  the 
cit\'  is  1,040,221  square  yards,  and  the  cost  of  laying 
these  pavements  was  .fl,G55,5S0.70.  The  added  length 
of  all  the  pavements  is  210,000  feet,  or  1.5.57  miles." 

During  the  past  year  or  two  much  of  the  cedar  block 
paving  has  been  removed  and  replaced  with  brick,  mak- 
ing the  total  of  brick  street  paving  January  1,  1895, 
amount  to  119,328  feet,  or  28.28  miles. 

Each  3'ear  there  has  also  been  a  large  amount  of  grad- 
ing done  in  bringing  the  streets  to  grade,  and  much  more 
remains  to  be  done,  as  the  city  engineer  states  there  are 
within  the  enlarged  limits  of  the  city  367  miles  of  streets 
without  counting  the  alleys. 

To  show  how  rapidly  this  street  work  is  being  pushed 


676  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY       » 

forward,  City  Engineer  Pelton  gives  tlie  following  fig- 
ures for  the  year  1894,  when  the  permanent  improve 
meuts  made  amounted  to  the  sum  of  $392,084.52,  as 
follows : 

Grading  paid  for  by  assessment |        581.58 

Grading  paid  for  from  grading  fund 9,670.07 

Paving  streets 195,470.37 

Paving  alleys 29,735.85 

Constructing  sewers 152,432.24 

Constructing  curb 3,201.41 

Constructing  culverts 344.00 

Eepairing  Seventh  street  bridge 649.00 

The  public  improvements  made  during  the  year  1895, 
according  to  the  last  report  of  the  city  engineer  amounted 
to  -f 205,809.10,  as  follows: 

Sewers |  30,891.74 

Paving  streets 164,021.94 

Paving  alleys 2,775.78 

Constructing  curbs 16,684.93 

Grading  paid  for  by  assessment 1,379.03 

Grading  paid  fi"om  grading  fund 10,564.50 

Constructing  culverts 1,707.10 

Constructing  and  I'epairing  bridges 5,954.42 

East  Side  drainage  svstem 3,375.00 

Bird's  Run .'...' 23,149.5 1 

1260,503.98 

The  total  length  of  sewers  in  the  City  of  Des  Moines, 
January  1,  1896,  was  317,780  feet  or  60  2-10  miles. 

The  total  amount  of  paving,  sti'eets  and  alleys,  at  tlie 
same  date  was  1,171,643  square  yards,  costing  |1,820.- 
948.09.  Tlie  total  length  of  the  streets  paved  was  then 
273,229  feet,  or  SliJ  miles. 

The  total  length  of  curbing  at  that  time  was  460,945 
feet,  costing  .|261,394.06. 

The  noted  Bird's  Run  was  during  the  vear  1895  changed 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  677 

into  a  sewer  or  drain  from  its  mouth  to  Eleventh  street 
at  the  cost  of  .|22,812.10,  and  is  to  be  extended  to  School 
street.  This  conduit  is  deemed  large  enough  to  drain  the 
entire  valley  tributary  to  it. 

The  total  length  of  water  mains  in  the  city  January 
1,  1896,  is  placed  at  81.8  miles. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

WOMAN'S   SUFFRAGE   SOCIETY. 
BY  MRS-   M.  J.  COGGESHALL. 

THE  Polk  County  Woman's  Suffrage  Society  was 
organized  October  25,  1870.  It  was  the  re- 
sult of  the  convictions  of  a  few  earnest  men 
and  women,  who,  by  a  happy  fortune,  became 
known  to  each  other.  That  active,  educated  and 
many  sided  woman,  Mrs.  James  C.  Savery,  secured  the 
services  of  Mrs.  Harriet  M.  Cutler,  of  Illinois,  and  Mrs. 
Amelia  Bloomer,  of  Council  Bluffs,  for  a  series  of  lec- 
tures upon  "Woman  Suffrage,"  and  thus  brought  the 
liberal  thought  to  the  young  city  of  Des  Moines  to  an 
acquaintance. 

Among  the  charter  members  were  Mesdames  Deborah 
Cattell,  Mary  A.  Work,  A.  S.  Kissell,  Rebecca  Nourse, 
Mary  P.  Fuller,  Eliza  H.  Hunter,  C.  H.  Gatch,  Martha  C. 
Callauan,  Mary  J.  Coggeshall,  S.  Sharman,  M.  Gray  Pit- 
man and  others. 

There  were  a  few  giant  men  in  those  days,  such  as  Dr. 
James  Wright  and  Corydon  E.  Fuller,  who  stood  by  the 
society  from  the  beginning,  and  by  their  larger  experi- 
ence were  an  invaluable  help  to  the  new  organization. 
With  the  shortsightedness  wliich  marks  many  societies 
bidding  for  popular  favor  it  chose  for  its  first  president 
one  of  the  most  prominent  and  fashionable  society  wo- 
men of  the  city,  who  was  not  present  at  the  meeting. 
In  a  few  days  this  lady  came  out  in  a  card  in  the  daily 
papers   informing  the  public   and  the  woman   suffrage 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0INES.  679 

society  that  she  had  "no  STiiipathy  with  the  movement." 
Then,  in  a  spasm  of  good  sense,  it  cliose  for  its  leader 
that  gifted  and  sweet-spirited  "Motlier  in  Israel,"  Mrs. 
Susan   Sharman. 

What  was  the  society  organized  to  do?  It  was  a 
united  attempt  to  educate  public  sentiment  in  favor  of 
equal  j^olitical  rights  for  women.  From  this  higher  ideal 
the  society  has  never  swerved  for  a  moment,  and  has 
taken  no  vacations.  Xo  Iowa  summers  have  been  so  hot 
or  winters  so  cold  or  stormy  but  the  regular  monthly 
meetings  have  been  held.  Only  once  in  the  twenty-flve 
years  has  there  been  an  omission.  In  December,  1876, 
when  the  railroad  bridge  at  Ashtabula  Avent  down  with 
its  living  freight,  and  the  only  son  of  Mrs.  Ludia  (t. 
Aid  rich  went  down  with  it,  tlien  for  once  this  society 
paused  in  the  paralysis  of  sympathy. 

Has  anything  been  accom])lished?  In  actual  change 
in  legislation  but  little;  in  the  education  to  believe  in 
woman  suffrage,  very  much.  Perhaps  there  is  no  better 
testimonial  to  the  strength  and  inspiration  of  such  an 
organization  than  the  zeal  Avith  which  those  of  its  mem- 
bership who  have  gone  out  from  it  have  carried  the  cause 
into  their  different  fields  and  gathered  about  them  simi- 
lar societies.  Mrs.  Maria  S.  Orwig,  still  the  correspon- 
dent of  the  State  Register,  is  closely  identified  with  re- 
form work  in  Chicago.  Mrs.  Laura  A.  Berry  is  still  edit- 
ing a  woman's  paper  in  Denver,  Colo.  Mrs.  M.  A.  Dor- 
sett,  who  graduated  at  the  Iowa  Law  School  soon  becani" 
a  leader  for  woman  suffrage  in  Minnesota.  Miss  Jennie 
Brown,  who  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Cole,  whe:) 
last  heard  from  was  marshalling  the  suffrage  forces  of 
Sterling,  111.  Miss  Kate  Tupper  has  just  been  through  a 
suffrage  campaign   in   California.     Mrs.   Lizzie   Boyut(si 


680  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Herbert,  author,  editor  and  lecturer,  is  prominent  in  suf- 
frage work  throughout  the  country.  Mrs.  George  Bemis 
is  the  leader  in  the  Political  Equality  Club  of  Indepen- 
dence, Iowa,  and  many  others  of  whom  space  will  not 
permit  mention. 

The  State  Woman's  Suffrage  Association  Avas  organ- 
ized in  Dubuque  in  1869.  As  early  as  1875  in  its  annual 
meetings  in  Des  Moines  several  members  of  the  Polk 
County  Society  became  officers  in  the  State  association, 
since  which  the  society  has  kept  in  touch  with  the  work 
of  the  entire  State,  a  quorum  of  the  State  executive  com- 
mittee being  always  in  this  city. 

During  the  Industrial  Exposition  in  Des  Moines  a 
handsomely  decorated  "space"  was  arranged  in  the  build- 
ing, Mrs.  Eliza  H.  Hunter  taking  charge.  Here  petitions 
were  presented,  literature  distributed,  questions  an- 
swered, and  a  weekly  paper  issued.  This  society  was 
largely  instrumental  in  having  erected  a  beautiful  cot- 
tage upon  the  new  fair  grounds,  where  each  year  during 
the  fair  relays  of  its  members  keep  open  house  to  the 
passers-by,  and  on  "Woman's  Day"  some  eloquent  speak- 
ers entertain  the  multitude. 

If  the  number  of  lectures  given  under  the  auspices 
of  this  society  coTild  be  correctly  estimated  it  would 
show  a  marvelous  dissemination  of  the  gospel  of  wo- 
man's equality  with  man.  The  steady  zeal  of  its  mem- 
bers has  been  phenomenal.  No  adverse  legislative  de- 
cisions— and  there  have  been  many — have  driven  them 
from  their  purpose.  They  not  only  give  freely  of  their 
time  but  of  their  substance.  Thousands  of  dollars  have 
been  spent  in  the  work,  yet  no  debts  have  been  incurred. 
During  the  suffrage  campaigns  in  Kansas  and  Colorado 
this  society  contributed  hundreds  of  dollars  to  aid  the 


AlsW  TEE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  681 

women  of  those  States  in  their  struggle  for  freedom.  The 
State  paper,  the  "Woman's  Standard,"  established  b.y 
Mrs.  M.  C.  Callanan,  has  been  almost  wholly  the  work 
of  the  members  of  this  organization. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Landlord  Macartuej',  the  home 
of  the  society  for  the  last  few  years  for  its  business  meet- 
ings has  been  the  parlors  of  the  Kirkwood  House.  The 
monthly  parlor  meetings  are  held  at  private  residences. 
These  have  grown  to  such  proportions  that  only  the 
larger  houses  can  accommodate  them. 

The  twenty-first  anniversary  of  the  society  has  just 
been  held.  The  character  of  the  people  attending,  the  size 
of  the  gathering,  and  the  style  of  the  addresses,  attest 
the  immense  growth  and  standing  of  an  organization 
which  had  its  feeble  beginning  far  back  in  a  time  when 
to  be  known  as  a  woman  suffragist  was  to  be  under  a 
ban. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

EARLY   SETTLERS. 

AD.  JONEB  was  ijromiuent  among  the  early  settlers 
of  the  future  city  and  will  alwaj^s  be  noted  a« 
•  the  man  who  "laid  out"  the  original  town  of  Fort 
Des  Moines.  lie  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylyauia, 
January  30,  1S14,  and  came  to  Fort  Des  Moines,  Feb- 
ruary 13,  184:().  lie  says  he  spent  the  first  night  here  with 
Squire  Meacham,  who  then  kept  a  small  tavern  and  store 
on  the  East  Hide.  It  is  also  said  of  him  that  upon  the  day 
after  his  arrival  he  attended  a  political  convention,  was 
made  secretary  and  nominated  for  the  office  of  county 
surveyor;  to  which  office  he  was  afterwards  elected.  In 
those  days  they  were  all  "new  comers"  and  no  special 
lengtli  of  residence  was  required  of  a  man  before  he  could 
take  an  active  part  in  politics  and  become  a  candidate 
for  office.  In  these  latter  days  it  has  been  said  of  some 
men  that  they  stopped  off  here  between  trains  and  being 
given  an  office  at  once  became  active  citizens.  Mr.  Jones 
was  tlie  pioneer  of  this  class.  He  appears  to  have  been 
a  sort  of  general  utility  man,  and  was  ready  for  anything 
which  might  turn  up.  Lawyers  were  few  in  those  days, 
and  Jones  took  an  active  part  as  a  pettifogger  in  the  few 
law  suits  of  that  day.  He  held  a  number  of  town  and 
county  offices,  sometimes  two  or  three  of  them  at  the  same 
time. 

The  county  seat  having  been  located  at  Fort  Des  Moines 
by  the  commissionei-s  appointe<l  for  that  pur^iose  tlie 
County  Commissioners  on  June  1,  1848,  made  the  follow- 
ing entry  upon  their  records: 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  0S3 

"Ordered,  A.  D.  Jone8,  county  ^^iirveyor,  proceed  as  soon 
as  practicable  to  lay  off  a  town  at  the  site  selected  for 
the  county  seat  of  Polk  County." 

In  compliance  with  the  order  on  June  4,  184(5,  Sur- 
veyor Jones  commenced  the  work  of  iilattiuj;  the  town. 
It  is  said  that  while  surveyinii-  along  the  Des  Moines 
Eiver  the  trees  and  brush  were  so  thick  he  could  not  see 
his  rod  man  and  telling  him  to  halloo,  took  his  bearings 
by  the  sound  of  his  voice.  It  is  also  said  that  in  lieu  of 
the  regulation  chain  he  used  a  clothes  line.  But,  be  this 
as  it  may,  he  persevered  with  his  work,  and  considering 
the  many  disadvantages  under  which  he  labored  made 
a  less  number  of  errors  than  have  since  been  made  by 
later  surveyors  and  ciyH  engineers  with  their  improved 
instruments  and  appliances.  The  pay  he  and  his  helpers 
received  for  their  work  is  not  stated,  b\it  it  must  lia^'e 
been  very  small  in  the  eyes  of  a  latter-day  surveyor,  as 
we  find  another  minute  of  the  County  Commissioners 
ordering  iSurveyor  Jones  "to  make  a  plat  of  Fort  Des 
Moines  for  the  county  and  that  he  be  allowed  the  sum 
of  five  dollars  for  the  same  out  of  the  lot  fund." 

Mr.  Jones  also  oj^ened  or  was  present  at  the  o]»ening  of 
the  first  United  States  mail  bag  brought  to  Des  Moines. 
He  was  asked  by  a  special  messenger  to  assist  at  this 
opening,  and  in  the  bag  was  found  the  ai^pointment  of 
Dr.  Brooks  as  postmaster,  and  the  approval  of  his  bond, 
signed  by  Jeremiah  Church  and  Peter  Newcomer,  and 
the  neAV  postmaster  at  once  entered  upon  the  <lischarge 
of  his  official  duties. 

Mrs.  Sanford  in  her  "Early  Sketches  of  Polk  County" 
tells  of  a  joke  played  b}*  Jones  in  those  early  days.  Even 
at  that  time  the  idea  was  prevalent  that  Fort  Des  Moines 
in  the  not  distant  future  would  be  the  capital  of  tln^  up'n- 
State.     KnoAving  this,  "A.  D.  Jones  thought  it  would  be 


684  ANNALf'<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

a  .!40(m;1  joke  ti)  write  a  letter  to  himself.  This  iluly  came 
by  mail  and  the  next  day  was  opened  in  the  postoffiee, 
in  the  presence  of  the  usual  gathering,  and  Jones  looked 
happy  over  its  contents.  It  was  supposed  to  be  from 
Tom  Baker,  who  w^as  then  at  Iowa  City,  and  related  to 
the  capital  removal.  Jones,  in  reply  to  queries,  cautiously 
let  it  be  known  the  State  capital  Avas  surelj^  coming  to 
the  fort.  Accompanied  by  W.  W.  Clapp,  who  aided  in 
carrying  out  the  joking  scheme,  Jones  at  once  commenced 
looking  over  and  selecting  lots  and  scanning  the  town 
plat.  All  wanted  to  know  what  this  meant?  And  finalh' 
on  the  strength  of  Jones'  letter  and  actions.  Dr.  F.  C. 
Grimmell  and  Thomas  McMullen  bought  heavily  of  lots. 
In  a  day  or  two  came  the  explanation  of  the  joke.  They 
felt  chagrinned  and  the  laugh  was  upon  them.  But  in  a 
year  or  two  the  rapid  increase  in  the  value  of  the  lots 
purchased  added  materially  to  their  wealth  and  the  laugh 
was  then  with  them." 

A.  D.  Jones  was  a  bright,  energetic  man,  but  he  left 
Des  Moines  at  the  time  when  its  real  prosperity  was  com- 
mencing, and  removed  to  Winter-set,  Madison  County,  and 
boomed  that  town.  There  he  became  one  of  the  most  prom- 
inent citizens,  but  in  a  few  years  j^ushed  further  West 
to  the  new"  City  of  Omaha,  where  we  believe  he  is  now 
living  at  a  ripe  old  age,  after  having  partaken  of  all  the 
many  ups  and  downs  of  a  ncAV  country.  From  all  ac- 
counts Jones  was  the  earlj'  original  of  the  boomers  of 
a  later  day  who  have  had  so  much  to  do  with  the  build- 
ing up  of  towns  and  cities  throughout  the  great  Western 
country. 

Dr.  James  Campbell  is  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  now 
living  in  Des  Moines,  having  made  this  his  home  for  fifty 
years.    He  was  born  in  Ohio,  July  11,  1815,  and  emigrated 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  685- 

to  Iowa  in  1829,  first  settling  in  Yau  Buren  County.  He 
came  to  Polk  County  in  March,  1846.  Shortly  after  his 
arrival  here  he  met  Robert  A.  Kinsie,  the  governmeut 
sutler,  who  was  desirous  of  disposing  of  his  stock  of  goods 
as  the  last  of  the  troops  were  then  preparing  to  leave 
the  post,  and  his  occupation  here  would  cease.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell purchased  his  stock  and  opened  a  general  store  near 
the  corner  of  Third  and  Vine  streets,  east  of  the  present 
Rock  Island  railroad  depot.  In  one  of  the  first  issues 
of  the  Iowa  Star,  published  in  1819,  we  find  the  folhiwing 
advertisement : 

"James  Campbell,  retail  dealer  in  dry  goods,  groceries 
and  provisions.  Fort  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  Keeps  constantly 
on  hand  a  general  assortment  of  dry  goods,  such  as  sheet- 
ings, fancy  prints,  cassimeres,  jeans,  alpaca  cloths,  sat- 
inettes  and  tweeds,  etc.  Also  groceries,  such  as  coffee, 
sugar,  molasses,  cotton  yarn,  salt,  whisky,  iron  nails, 
peach  brandy,  cognac  brandy,  port,  Malaga  and  Madeira 
wines,  gin,  rum  and  Pittsburg  ale.  Also  hardware,  queens- 
ware,  boots,  shoes,  hats  and  caps.  Also  the  attention 
of  farmers  is  called  to  my  assortment  of  groceries  and 
liquors,  which  will  always  be  full  and  cheaper  than  the 
cheapest,  as  I  am  determined  to  make  it  an  object  f(n' 
the  farmers  to  deal  with  me.     Give  me  a  chance." 

Dr.  Campbell  remained  in  business  for  a  number  of 
years,  was  at  one  time  a  large  owner  of  town  and  countj' 
real  estate,  was  interested  in  several  additions  to  the 
original  town,  and  one  of  the  earlj^  enterprising  citizens. 
Having  had  much  trouble  with  his  own  eyes  he  devoted 
much  time  and  study  to  the  cure  of  such  diseases,  and 
for  the  past  twenty  years  has  devoted  the  most  of  his 
time  to  curing  diseases  of  the  eyes  and  other  organs.  He 
has  been  very  successful  in  this,  having  operated  in  Iowa 
and  adjoining  States.  Though  now  eighty  years  of  age, 
during  the  past  few  years  he  has  traveled  extensively 
west  and  south,  and  in  the  Pacific  States,  and  is  yet  an 


686  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTT 

active  man.  His  fatlier,  also  one  of  the  early  settlers, 
(lied  only  a  feAv  years  since,  haying  reached  a  full  century 
i)f  life.  His  brothers,  Nathaniel,  Ruin,  Tliomas,  have  also 
been  or  are  now  ^\eU  IcnctAyn  citizens  of  the  county. 

Reuben  W.  Syjiher  was  another  eaily  and  prominent 
merchant  of  Des  Moines.  The  exact  date  of  his  arrival 
liere  is  not  given,  but  it  is  known  he  was  one  of  the  first 
men  to  engage  in  nu^rcliandiziug  in  the  town.  Mr.  Sypher 
was  born  January  3,  1819,  and  was  a  young  man  when 
he  settled  in  Des  Moines.  His  first  i)lace  of  business  was 
in  a  log  house  east  of  the  Des  Moines  River,  and  near 
wliere  the  packing  houses  were  afterwards  built.  The 
building  was  on  the  claim  made  by  Philips  &  Co.,  fur 
traders,  and  subsequently  purchased  by  Dr.  Brooks.  After 
transacting  business  there  for  some  time  he  removed  to 
the  fort,  erected  a  store  building  at  the  corner  of  Second 
and  "S'iue  streets,  and  there  kept  continuously  a  general 
store  for  a  number  of  years.  His  residence,  noted  in  the 
early  histi;)ry  of  the  town,  was  on  the  east  side  of  Fourth 
street,  between  Court  avenue  and  Walnut,  he  owning  the 
tAvo  lots  where  tlie  State  Insurance  Companj'  and  the 
Perkins  buildings  now  stand. 

As  a,  mercliant  Mr.  Sypher  enjoyed  a  large  trade, 
not  only  in  I'olk  County,  but  also  from  the  surrounding 
counties.  This  is  noted  in  a  card  published  by  him  in 
1S49,  in  which  he  says:  "R.  W.  Syjjher  takes  this  method 
of  returning  tlmnks  to  liis  friends  in  Polk  County  and 
the  adjoining  counties  of  Dallas,  B(tone  and  Madison, 
for  tlie  liberal  iiatronage  he  has  received  from  them,  and 
solicits  a  continuation  of  past  favors.  I  have  on  hand 
a  good  assoi-tmeut  of  such  goods  as  are  generally  kept 
in  my  line  of  business,  consisting  in  part  of  diy  goods, 
groceries,  liardware,  queensAvare,  boots,  shoes,  glass,  nails, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  687 

etc.;  and  intend  to  make  frequent  additions  to  my  stock. 
Persons  desirous  of  making  purcliases  are  solicited  to 
give  me  a  call,  as  I  am  determined  to  sell  on  as  reasonable 
terms  as  any  other  establishment  in  the  place.  Store  on 
the  corner  of  Second  and  Vine  streets,  Fort  Des  Moines, 
Iowa." 

We  reproduce  this  card  and  that  of  James  Camx>bell 
to  show  the  manner  of  doing  business  in  those  early  da,ys. 
Then  the  merchants  all  kept  general  stores.  It  was  be- 
fore the  days  of  stores  exclusively  devoted  to  one  or  two 
particular  line  of  goods,  though  these  small  general  stores 
may  have  been  the  forerunners  of  the  large  depai-tment 
stores  of  the  present  day.  Mr.  Sypher  pushed  his  busi- 
ness, and  in  time  became  one  of  the  most  successful  busi- 
ness men  of  the  young  city.  He  also  established  branch 
stores  in  neighbor-ing  towns,  one  of  the  chief  of  these 
being  at  Boonesboro,  then  the  county  seat  of  Boone  Count3^ 
His  partner  and  local  manager  there  was  Samuel  B.  Mc- 
Call,  a  noted  man  in  the  early  history  of  that  county. 
He  was  the  first  sheriff  of  Boone  County,  for  years  county 
judge  and  also  a  member  of  the  General  Assembly  from 
that  district.  He  was  also  a  gallant  soldier  in  the  late 
war.  During  the  panic  of  1857,  and  the  financial  depres- 
sion which  followeil,  Mr.  Sypher  lost  heavily.  When  the 
firm  of  Newton  &  Keene  failed  Mr.  Sypher  became  tlie 
assignee,  and  for  some  time  conducted  a  large  business, 
principally  in  dry  goods,  in  the  east  room  of  Exchange 
block,  corner  of  Third  and  Walnut  streets.  Retiring  from 
this  in  after  years  he  was  extensively  engaged  in  coal 
mining  and  other  pursuits.  During  his  early  life  he  took 
a  somewhat  active  part  in  political  matters,  and  was 
school  fund  commissioner  for  years,  member  of  City  Coun- 
cil, etc.     He  also  superintended  the  building  of  the  first 


088  ANNAL>S  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

jail  ill  tlie  county,  a  liewecl  log  building.  In  all  the  re- 
lations of  life,  Mr.  Sypher  was  one  of  the  best  of  men — 
honest,  kind  and  straightforward  in  all  his  dealings.  He 
died  in  this  city,  April  9,  1879,  aged  sixty  years. 

For  some  thirty  years  Benjamin  F.  Allen  was  one  of 
the  most  prominent  figures  in  the  business  and  social 
life  of  Des  Moines.  Born  in  Indiana  he  came  here  in  1848 
with  considerable  cash  capital,  which  he  had  managed  to 
accumulate  through  his  own  efforts  and  the  help  of  his 
uncle,  the  late  Gen.  Allen,  of  the  United  States  Army. 
Intending  from  the  start  to  make  this  his  home,  young 
Allen,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  was  ready  to  engage 
in  any  undertaking  which  might  aid  in  building  up  Des 
Moines.  As  was  the  custom  of  the  daj^  with  business 
men  of  anj^  capital,  he  at  once  opened  up  a  general  store 
at  the  corner  of  Second  and  Vine  streets,  having  for  a 
time,  we  believe,  his  relative,  Jonathan  Lyon,  as  a  part- 
ner. His  merchandizing  was  successful.  But  he  was  not 
content  with  this,  and  engaged  in  other  enterprises.  He 
and  Charles  C.  Van  erected  a  steam  mill,  then  much 
needed,  and  Mr.  Allen  also  became  interested  in  the  orig- 
inal dam  and  mill  in  the  city,  which  has  since  been  re- 
placed by  the  strong  dam  of  the  electric  works.  He  was 
also  interested  in  the  purchasing  and  chartering  of  steam- 
boats to  run  from  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  River  to 
the  Raccoon  Forks.  Of  this  more  will  be  found  in  an 
other  place.  About  18.55  Mr.  Allen  virtually  retired  from 
merchandizing  and  devoted  his  attention  principally  to 
banking  and  operating  in  real  estate.  The  private  bank- 
ing house  of  B.  F.  Allen  soon  became  noted  and  a  favorite 
one  throughout  the  State,  and  stood  high  in  the  estima- 
tion of  tlie  people.  When  in  the  latter  part  of  the  fifties 
a  number  of  banks  were  started  in  the  Territorv  of  Ne- 


AND  Tjj^  ^<jyY  Qp  jjj^^  MOINES.  68<J 

braska,  Mr.  Allen  and  associates  procured  a  charter  and 
established  the  Bank  of  Nebraska.  Hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars  in  the  bills  of  this  bank  were  placed  in 
circulation,  and  circulated  freely  at  par  among  the 
people  of  this  section,  not  because  of  the  solyency  of  the 
bank  itself,  but  because  it  had  the  endorsement  and  was 
always  promptly  taken  or  redeemed  by  B.  F.  Allen  at 
his  banking  house  in  Des  Moines.  And  Avhen  the  bank 
was  wound  up  all  its  notes  were  made  good  to  the  hold- 
ers by  Allen.  lie  not  only  acted  honestly  in  tliis,  but 
made  much  money  and  established  a  high  financial  repu- 
tation for  himself.  Notwithstanding  he  was  always  will- 
ing to  sell  any  of  them  at  a  fair  price,  in  a  few  years 
Mr.  Allen  became  the  owner  of  a  large  amount  of  valu- 
able lands  and  toAvn  k>ts,  especially  in  central  and  west 
ern  Iowa.  He  was  always  liberal  in  his  subscriptions  to 
churches,  colleges  and  other  educational  or  charitable  in- 
stitutions. He  aided  generously  in  the  building  of  rail- 
roads, of  bridges,  the  introduction  of  gas  and  water  into 
the  city,  and  in  all  the  other  improvements  proposed  for 
the  3'ouug  and  growing  city.  Both  as  a  State  Senator 
and  as  a  citizen  he  labored  and  expended  freely  of  liis 
money  to  secure  the  erection  of  the  magnificent  capitol, 
and  it  is  no  reflection  upon  others  to  now  say  that  without 
his  valuable  aid  there  would  have  been  delay,  perlia]>.-< 
of  yeai-s,  in  the  commencement  nf  this  great  work  in 
wliicli  Des  Moines  \^'as  and  is  so  vitally  interested. 

Mr.  Alh'U  also  ei^ected  at  large  expense  a  magniliciMit 
residence  on  (h-eenwood  avenue  in  the  western  poi-tioii 
of  the  city.  "When  built  it  was  perhaps  the  finest  ]irivntr 
residence  in  tlie  Stat(\  Tliere  for  a  fcnv  years  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Allen  disjtensed  the  most  gem>rous  hospitality.  Mis 
first  residence,  and  Avhere  he  lived  for  many  years,  was 
on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  Aborn  House. 


690       ANNAL^S  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  first  banking  house  occupied  by  Mr.  Allen  was  on 
the  west  side  of  Second  street,  between  Vine  and  Mar- 
ket streets.  At  this  writing  only  a  small  portion  of  the 
old  frame  building  is  left,  and  will  soon  all  be  gone.  Its 
site  is  now  surrounded  and  will  soon  be  occupied  by  the 
extensiTe  buildings  belonging  to  the  large  foundiy  and 
works  of  vSani  Green  &  Sons.  In  1857  the  bank  was  re- 
moved from  there  to  the  briciv  building  built  in  1S5C-57 
by  Capt.  F.  R.  West  on  tlie  corner  of  Fourth  and  Court 
avenue.  The  Clarksou  Brother.s  subsequently  purchased 
the  building  and  enlarged  it  and  it  has  been  for  a  num- 
ber of  3' ears  and  will  no  doubt  remain  for  many  more 
years  the  permanent  home  of  the  State  Register. 

About  1874  Mr.  Allen,  through  some  means,  was  in- 
duced to  purchase  a  controlling  interest  in  the  Cook 
County  Bank  in  tbe  City  of  Chicago,  and  he  made  that  city 
his  headc|narters,  although  continuing  his  private  bank 
in  Des  Moines.  For  several  years  he  had  been  considered 
one  of,  if  not  the  most  wealthy  of  Iowa  men.  But  from 
the  time  of  his  removal  to  Chicago  his  financial  decline 
Avas  rapid,  though  up  to  the  last  thousands  of  men  and 
women  in  Iowa  had  faith  in  his  financial  soundness.  To 
the  surprise  of  all  these  the  crash  came  in  1876,  when  the 
<  'ook  County  Bank  closed  its  doors,  and  the  banking  house 
of  B.  F.  Allen  in  Des  Moines  Avas  forced  to  do  the  same. 
It  was  a  sad  blow  to  all  the  people  and  a  terrible  one  to 
the  hundreds  who  had  entrusted  their  monej^  to  the 
banker,  many  of  them  losing  all  their  savings.  The  feel- 
ing and  excitement  was  intense  for  weeks.  Public  meet- 
ings were  held,  and  yet  many  had  confidence  Allen  would 
in  tlie  end  come  out  all  right.  He  promprtly  signed  over 
all  his  vast  properties  for  the  benefit  of  his  creditors. 
But  complications,  litigations  and  other  causes  in  the 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  691 

end  absorbed  nearly  all  the  large  assets,  and  the  smaller 
depositors  and  creditors  finally  received  bnt  a  small 
portion  of  their  just  claims.  B.  F.  Allen  himself  saved 
little,  and  in  a  short  time  was  virtually  i"educed  to 
poverty  and  to  add  to  his  misfor-tune  his  beloved  wife,  a 
daughter  of  Capt.  F.  R.  ^A'est,  sickeiied  and  died. 

From  this  time,  on  misfortune  seemed  to  follow  Mr. 
Allen's  path.  He  tried  bravely  time  and  again  to  retrieve 
in  some  measure  his  fallen  fortunes,  but  without  avail. 
His  courage  was  undaunted,  but  luck  was  persistently 
against  him.  He  finally  accepted  a  position  as  special 
agent  of  the  United  States  land  office,  and  being  assigned 
to  California,  faithfully  discharged  the  onerous  duties 
of  this  office  for  a  small  compensation,  and  is  now  living 
in  California,  on  a  fruit  farm  which  he  is  endeavoring 
to  improve  and  make  from  it  a  support  for  his  old  age. 

William  F.  Ayers  was  one  of  the  very  first  settlers  in 
the  town,  having  come  here  with  the  troops.  He  was  a 
tailor  by  trade  and  did  some  work  for  the  soldiers,  as 
well  as  for  the  earliest  settlers.  He  was  the  first  treas- 
urer of  the  county,  having  been  elected  April  G,  1846.  He 
was  one  of  the  original  signers  of  the  agTcement  made 
by  the  holders  of  claims  when  a  Claim  Club  was  organ- 
ized for  mutual  protection  in  April,  1848.  He  made  his 
claim  on,  and  afterwards  secured  title  to  a  valuable  tract 
of  land  on  the  west  side  of  the  Des  Moines  River  above 
the  dam.  He  was  engaged  in  a  number  of  enterprises, 
and  about  1857  built  a  fine  flouring  mill  a  shor-t  distance 
below  the  dam,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river.  A  fev/ 
years  after  its  erection  this  mill  was  totally  destroyed 
by  fire.  Mr.  Ayers  died  a  few  years  thereafter.  His  son, 
Guy  Ayers,  is  and  has  been  for  years  a  well  known  resi- 
dent of  the  East  Side.    Another  son,  David,  was  for  some 


692  ANXAL>^  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

time  the  owner  of  a  dnig  store  in  this  city,  and  years 
ago  removed  to  California,  where  he  has  since  resided. 

To  John  B.  Saylor  belongs  the  credit  of  making  the 
first  chiim  or  settlement  on  the  Des  Moines  River  above 
this  city.  He  came  to  Fort  Des  Moines  in  April,  1845, 
liaving  a  contract  to  snpply  the  troops  w'ith  beef  cattle, 
hay,  etc.  He  had  a  iiermit  to  oi)en  a  farm,  and  selected 
a  splendid  tract  of  land,  npon  part  of  which  the  town 
of  Saylorville  was  in  a  few  3'ears  after  located.  His 
claim  was  a  very  valnable  one,  the  land  being  of  the  best 
qnality,  with  a  beantiful  grove  of  timber  and  good  Avater 
easily  obtained.  He  was  a  brave  and  enterprising  man, 
and  had  a  most  excellent  helpmeet  in  his  wife.  The>- 
cheerfnlly  endnred  all  the  har(lshi])s  and  privations  of 
pioneer  life  ami  hjoked  lioiiefnlly  forward  to  the  tinjc 
wlien  they  wonhl  be  thickly  snrronnded  with  neighbors 
and  friends.  Mrs.  Saylor  I'emained  at  honu-  with  her 
cliildren  dnring  the  fre(]nent  absences,  some  of  these  pro- 
longed into  wi^eks,  of  her  hnsband  on  business.  At  first. 
sli(^  relates,  tln^  W(}l\'es  were  numerous,  and  tliey  would 
sonuMimes  chase  the  house  dog  to  the  door  of  the  caliin 
and  stare  at  her  with  their  fiery  eyt^s  while  she  \\'as  en- 
gaged in  her  household  duties.  Strolling  bands  of  In- 
dians also  often  made  their  ai)]iearauce  at  the  lonely 
cabin,  but  they  generally  behaved  ]iro])erly  and  aroused 
but  little  feai-  and  trouble.  ( >ne  lime  a  ]iarty  of  them 
cauK'  A\iieii  (li-uiik  to  Saylor's  cabin  and  demanded  his 
meat.  He  took  uji  a  club  and  using  it  with  efl'ect  drove 
them    away. 

Sul)se(|iiently,  another  band  of  half-dniuken  Sacs  cauie 
to  the  cabin  when  ilr.  Saylor  A\'as  absent  and  deiiiande:! 
wliisky  of  ilrs.  Saylor,  olT(^ring  to  trade  their  moccasins 
for  the  fa\'ore(l  be\'ei-age.     Th(^  ladv  liardh-  knew  A\hat  to 


zLiYZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  693 

(1(1,  when  her  little  boy  reiiieiiiberiiig  the  action  of  his 
father,  solved  the  problem  bv  seiziu};-  a  bean  pole  and 
lustily  belaborini;-  the  drunken  saYages,  who  hastily  took 
their  departure. 

Mr.  Haylor  was  born  in  Franklin  County,  Indiana,  in 
1802,  and  did  mason  work  and  farming  for  a  number  of 
yeai'S.  He  then  went  to  Indianapolis,  where  he  married  his 
first  wife,  Margaret  S.  Pogue,  in  1820.  She  died  less  than 
tliree  years  after.  He  married  Mrs.  Mary  Saylor,  whose 
nuiiden  name  was  Howard,  in  1831.  !^he  then  had  one 
son  by  a  previous  marriag(_^,  Thomas  J.,  Avho  is  now  the 
first  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county.  Tliey  came  to 
Iowa,  settling  in  Van  Buren  (jmnty  in  1838,  and  removed 
to  Polk  Countj'  in  1844.  Mr.  iSaylor,  from  the  first,  was 
one  of  the  most  prominent  and  useful  citizens  of  the 
county.  He  took  an  active  i)art  in  public  affairs  and 
aided  in  establishing  the  first  Methodist  Church.  He  was 
the  contractor  and  builder  of  the  first  Court  House  of 
the  county.  He  took  a  trip  to  Denver  and  the  mountains 
in  1859  and  was  much  with  the  army  during  the  War  of 
Rebellion.  Pie  died  while  with  the  army  at  Vicksburg, 
July  20,  1803. 

Benjamin  Saylor,  a  brother  of  J.  B.,  came  to  this  county 
a  short  time  after  his  brother  and  settled  at  Saylor  Grove. 
He  was  prominent  in  the  early  history  of  the  county, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  County  Commis- 
sioners, being  elected  in  April,  1840.  He  was  a  most 
excellent  man,  and  always  ready  with  his  aid  to  the  build- 
ing up  of  the  material  and  other  interests  of  his  neigh- 
borhood and  of  the  county  general!}'.  He  aided  in  erect- 
ing the  first  school  house  and  took  a  just  pride  in  his 
work.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Norris  at  an 
early  day.     He  died  several  years  ago. 


694  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Franklin  Nagie  was  from  the  beginning  a  leading  man 
in  Saylor  Township,  and  Squire  Nagle,  as  he  was  gen- 
erally called,  was  well  known  in  town  and  count}'.  He 
was  born  in  Belmont  County,  Ohio,  in  1804,  and  first 
came  to  Iowa  in  1842.  He  lived  in  Van  Buren  County 
until  1846,  when  he  came  to  Polk  County  and  made  a 
claim  on  the  land  he  liyed  upon  and  cultivated  for  so 
many  years.  He  took  an  active  part  in  all  matters  of 
public  interest,  was  an  ardent  Republican  and  for  years 
was  a  regular  attendant  upon  all  caucuses  and  conven- 
tions of  that  party.  Often  somewhat  hasty  in  temper, 
he  was  never  afraid  to  speak  out  his  honest  sentiments 
in  a  rapid  flow  of  words  or  denounce  that  which  he  re- 
garded as  wrong.  At  the  same  time  he  was  one  of  the 
most  liberal  and  generous-hearted  of  men,  ready  at  all 
times  to  help  the  needy  and  succor  the  distressed.  In 
all  this  latter  work  he  was  always  aided  and  encouraged 
by  his  wife,  whom  he  had  married  in  1826.  Her  maiden 
name  was  Rebecca  Jackson,  a  native  of  TN'ashington 
County,  Pennsylvania.  They  had  twelve  children  born 
to  them,  of  whom  three  are  dead.  For  many  years  the 
Nagle  home,  nine  miles  northwest  of  the  city,  was  a  much 
sought-for  resting  place  for  friends  and  travelers,  and 
many  pleasantly  remember  their  visits  to  Bquire  Nagle's 
house  in  years  past.  Squire  Nagle  was  the  first  justice 
of  the  peace  of  the  township,  and  held  other  local  offices, 
though  always  ready  to  help  his  friends  to  place  and 
power.  Within  tlie  past  few  years  both  these  worthy 
pioneers  have  passed  from  earth. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

U    S.   LAND   OFFICE. 

THE  establishment  of  a  United  States  land  office  at 
Des  Moines,  as  was  seen  at  an  early  day  would 
not  only  be  a  gTeat  convenience  to  the  early  set- 
tlers, but  would  also  be  of  large  advantage  to  the  town. 
It  would  bring  many  men  and  much  money  to  them, 
^^•o^ld  extend  the  name  of  the  town  throughout  the  coun- 
try, and  would  be  a  great  help  in  many  ways.  Realizing* 
this  in  the  latter  part  of  the  forties  efforts  were  made 
10  accomplish  this  purpose,  but  without  success  at  that 
time.  There  was  much  rivalry  between  the  young  cities 
of  that  time  for  the  location  of  the  new  office.  Oskaloosa 
and  other  points  were  after  it  and  using  every  effort  to 
secure  the  prize.  Hon.  P.  M.  Casady  was  then  State  Sen- 
ator, and  through  his  efforts  more  than  those  of  anj- 
other  man  was  Fort  Des  Moines  at  last  victorious. 
Through  his  shrewdness  and  popularity  with  members 
of  the  General  Assembly  he  procured  the  adoption  at 
two  sessions  of  a  joint  memorial  asking  the  authorities 
at  Washington  to  establish  a  United  States  land  office 
at  Des  Moines.  This  had  much  weight  and  was  a  hard 
blow  to  the  aspirations  of  rival  towns.  In  1852  Millard 
Fillmore,  a  Whig,  was  President,  and  Senator  Casady  was 
a  Democrat,  but  he  had  the  help  of  leading  Whigs  in 
this  v,ork,  and  finally  in  1852  orders  were  issued  for  the 
establishment  of  a  United  States  land  office  at  Fort  Des 
Moines,  much  to  the  joy  of  the  people  then  living  in  Cen- 
tral Iowa. 

I'his  neAV  land  district  did  not  extend  far  to  the  south. 


696  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

only  the  northern  part  of  Warren  County  being  in  it, 
but  it  extended  east  as  far  as  Grundy  County  and  far 
west,  while  north  it  run  to  the  Minnesota  line,  as  fine 
and  ])roductive  a  body  of  land  with  less  waste  than  per- 
haps fould  be  found  in  any  other  laud  district  in  the 
United  States,  or  any  other  country.  Opening  in  1852 
this  land  office  did  a^  large  business,  especially  during 
the  years  1854-55-56.  Then  came  the  big  rush  for  Iowa 
lands,  and  men  flocked  here  from  all  the  States  of  the 
Union  to  purchase  of  the  government  these  now  valuable 
lands.  Land  agents  soon  became  numerous,  and  when 
rhe  writer  came  here  in  the  spring  of  1855  it  appeared  as 
if  half  the  rooms  on  the  main  street  were  occupied  by 
land  agents,  bankers  and  brokers.  The  hotels  of  that 
clay  were  daily  and  nightly  crowded  by  laud  buyers  and 
s]»eculators.  The  livery  men  did  a  paying  business  in 
those  days,  furnishing  teams  and  carriages  to  land  seekers 
who  scoured  the  country  for  more  than  one  hundred  miles 
around,  principally  north  and  west,  seeking  the  best  lo- 
cations and  making  their  best  selections.  The  land  pur- 
chased from  the  government  then  had  to  be  located  with 
Military  bounty  land  warrants  then  being  largely  issued 
on  account  of  the  recent  war  with  Mexico,  or  paid  for  in 
gold  or  silver.  Warrants  were  eagerly  sought  for,  and 
gold  and  silver  the  main  money  in  circulation.  It  fact, 
at  times,  it  was  difficult  to  excliange  gold  for  current 
paper  money. 

Almost  every  man  in  town  dealt  more  or  less  in  lands 
and  lots,  some  of  them  frequently  buying  and  selling 
;igain  in  a  short  time  at  a  large  advance  in  prices.  Men 
would  also  travel  over  the  country  and  make  what  was 
then  called  "selections"  of  the  best  tracts  of  unentered 
lands,  and  then  sell  the  "numbers"  or  descriptions  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DB.s'  MOINES.  697 

the  tracts,  at  good  figures,  to  those  desiring  to  enter  lauds 
at  the  goverumeut  office.  This  became  qiiite  a  business 
for  a  time,  but  it  was  said  some  sharpers  took  advantage 
of  it  to  sell  "numbers"  when  they  had  never  examined 
the  land  and  knew  nothing  as  to  its  character.  A  large 
business  was  also  done  in  what  were  termed  "Forty  Per 
Tent  Deals."  For  instance,  a  man  knew  of  a  good  quar- 
ter section  of  laud  and  wanted  to  enter  it.  He  would 
go  to  a  banker  or  broker  and  ask  him  to  enter  it.  This 
the  latter  would  do,  locating  a  land  warrant  or  paying 
^1.2r-i  per  acre,  but  entering  in  his  own  name.  Then  the 
banker  or  broker  would  give  the  wotild-be  purchaser  a 
bond  for  a  deed  generally  within  one  year  when  the  said 
purchaser  repaid  the  purchase  money,  -$1.25  per  acre, 
with  forty  per  cent  additional.  This  now  looks  like  a 
heavy  rate  of  interest,  and  was,  but  much  valuable  land 
was  acquired  by  many  persons  in  this  manner,  and  they 
were  very  hicky  deals  for  those  who  paid  the  forty  per 
cent.  And  very  often  the  holder  of  the  bond  assigned 
it  to  another  party  who  cheerfully  paid  him  from  -1100 
to  -If.DOO  for  the  assignment,  and  thus  the  bond  holder 
would  make  a  large  profit  without  having  invested  a 
dollar  of  his  own  money  in  the  purchase.  Surveyors, 
good,  bad  and  indifferent,  were  all  in  demand,  to  accom- 
pany parties  of  land  hunters  and  aid  them  in  the  selec- 
tion of  lands  and  received  high  wages  for  their  services. 

This  rush  of  land  business  continued  until  the  latter 
part  of  ISofi,  when  the  withdrawal  from  market  of  ho 
much  land  on  account  of  the  gTauts  made  by  congress 
for  railroads  in  this  State,  followed  as  it  was  by  the 
financial  troubles  of  1S57,  placed  a  sudden  and  severe 
check  upon  the  land  business,  not  only  in  this  district, 
but  also  throuyliout  the  entire  cfuuitrv.     Hut  during  the 


698  ANNALf<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

years  of  the  rush  nearly  all  the  land  in  the  district  had 
been  entered,  especially  as  regards  those  deemed  then  the- 
best  selections.  As  all  the  money  then  received  in  the 
land  oftice  was  in  gold  and  silver,  and  the  receiver  being- 
required  to  deposit  the  same  in  the  United  States  Sub- 
treasury  at  St.  Louis,  when  the  amount  reached  f25,000, 
he  or  his  agents  and  guards  had  to  make  trips  to  the 
place  of  deposit.  And  as  there  were  no  railroads  in  the 
early  days  of  t^ie  State  these  trips  were  tiresome  and  not 
free  from  daniier  of  robbery.  But  none  of  the  govern- 
ment money  was  lust,  and  when  we  consider  that  in  those 
early  days  there  were  few  safes  of  any  kind  in  the  town, 
that  in  small  frame  and  log  buildings,  in  the  rooms  of 
crowded  hotels,  and  in  other  places  there  were  thousands 
of  dollars  in  gold  and  silver,  bank  notes  and  land  war- 
rants, and  yet  robberies  and  burglaries  were  compara- 
tively unknown,  it  seems  to  the  present  day  observer 
very  singular,  if  not  wonderful. 

The  passage  by  Congress  of  the  homestead  and  timber 
culture  laws,  also  changed  to  a  great  extent  the  business 
in  the  United  States  land  oftice.  There  have  been  oc- 
casional spurts  when  business  at  the  land  office  in  this 
city  has  been  very  brisk,  but  generally  it  has  been  of  a 
quiet  nature,  although  gradually  all  the  land  offices  in 
the  State,  some  eleven  in  number,  have  all  been  consoli- 
dated into  the  Des  Moines  office,  and  here  are  now  gath- 
ered together  all  the  government  land  records  of  the 
State. 

The  honorable  commissioner  of  the  general  land  office 
at  Washington  has  kindly  furnished  the  following  list  of 
all  the  registers  and  receivers  of  the  United  States  land 
office  at  Des  Moines,  with  the  dates  of  their  commissions. 

The  registers  were: 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  699 

George  L.  Nightingale,  commission  September  3,  1S52. 

Robert  L.  Tidricli,  April  20,  1853. 

Thomas  A.  Walker,  May  10,  1851. 

Robert  Brown,  August  17,  1857. 

Isaac  W.  Griffith,  April  16,  1858. 

Stewart  Goodrell,  April  2,  18(31. 

Thomas  Seeley,  February  17,  1864. 

Felix  G.  Clarke,  February  12,  1868. 

William  Porter,  June  30,   1887. 

Robert  L.  Tidrick,  May  19,  1888. 

D.  M.  Fox,  May  27,  1889. 

Nicholas  R.  Kuntz,  March  8,  1892. 

Edward  P.  Evans,  April  12,  1894. 

The  receivers  of  public  moneys  were: 

Eliphalet  Price,  commission  September  3,  1852. 

Thomas  A.  Walker,  April  20,  1853. 

Phineas  M.  Casady,  Mav  10,  1854. 

Henry  B.  Welsh,  Aprifg,  1857. 

Isaac  Cooper,  .June  25,  1857. 

John  G.  Weeks,  April  2,  1861. 

Stewart  Goodrell,  April  1,  1867. 

G.  L.  Godfrev,  April  21,  1869. 

Henry  H.  Griffiths,  October  20,  1876. 

Martin  D.  McHenrv,  June  30,  1885. 

Fred  Babcock,  March  17,  1890. 

William  H.  Turbett,  April  28,  1894. 

PENSION   OFFICE. 

The  United  States  Pension  Agency  was  established  in 
Des  Moines  in  18G5,  and  Peter  Myers  was  the  first  agent. 
There  were  at  that  time  three  agencies  in  the  State,  Des 
Moines,  Dubuque  and  Fairfield.  In  1866  Myers  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Maj.  J.  D.  Thompson,  of  Hardin  County.  In 
1869,  Stewart  Goodrell  was  appointed  agent,  and  served 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  November  11,  1872.  Hon. 
B.  F.  Gue,  who  had  been  several  times  a  member  of  the 
General  Assembly,  and  two  years  Lieutenant  Governor, 
and  then  living  at  Fort  Dodge,  was  appointed  his  suc- 
cessor.    He  served  four  years,  and  during  his  term  the 


700  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

iimiibtT  (if  n.^eiieies  were  iiuicli  decreased,  the  States  of 
Iowa  and  Nebraska  being  made  cue  district,  with  the 
office  at  Des  Moines.  Then  followed  Jacob  Kich,  Col.  (J. 
S.  Lake,  Capt.  Stephen  A.  Marine  and  Maj.  Charles  H. 
Eobinsou,  the  present  iucnmbent.  More  than  eight  mil- 
lion dollars  are  now  paid  out  annually  at  this  agency, 
as  old  soldiers  are  very  numerous  in  both  Iowa  and  Ne- 
braska, many  thousands  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Eastern 
States  having  since  the  war  settled  in  these  two  States. 
Iowa  has  more  old  soldiers  in  proportion  to  populati(m 
than  any  other  State  in  theUuion,  with  the  possible  ex- 
ception of  Kansas. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

FIRST   COUNTY   ORGANIZATION. 

THE  County  of  Polk  Avas  organized  at  au  election  held 
on  April  6,  ISili,  and  on  April  13,  of  tliat  numth 
the  newly  elected  Board  of  Coniniisisoners  met  at 
the  chosen  county  >seat,  Fort  Des  Moines,  for  the  trans- 
action of  business.  The  commissioners  were  Benjamin 
Savior,  William  II.  Meacliam,  Eri  W.  Fonts.  The  latter 
was  not  present  at  the  first,  but  was  on  the  second  day. 
According-  to  the  record  Mr.  Fonts  was  not  present  at 
any  other  meeting  of  the  board,  though  no  cause  is  as- 
signed nor  was  his  seat  declared  vacant.  All  the  county 
business  of  the  term  was  transacted  by  (Aininiissi(mers 
Saylor  and  Meacham,  the  latter  being  chairman.  The 
first  order  was  that  the  temporary  seal  of  the  county 
should  be  the  eagle  side  of  a  half  dollar.  At  this  first 
session  the  bills  of  judges  and  clerks  of  election  were 
allowed,  and  licenses  were  granted  to  W.  W.  C'lapp  and 
to  Addison  Michael  to  keep  .a  grocery — for  the  sale  of 
intoxicating  li(iuors — for  three  months  from  April  7,  181=6, 
for  the  sum  of  $6.25  each.  These  were  the  first  persons 
allow(-d  by  laAv  to  sell  sucli  liquors  in  Des  Monies  or 
Polk  County.  It  will  be  noticed  Avliat  are  now  called 
saloons  or  barrooms  were  then  called  groceries,  and  this 
was  the  name  given  them  by  the  law  of  Iowa  then  in  force. 
During  the  first  year  the  board  was  in  session  only  ten 
days.  In  August  of  that  year  an  entire  new  board  \\'as 
elected:  Thomas  Black,  Edward  Martin  and  James 
i\Iount.  In  August,  1817,  Members  Black  and  Mount  were 
retained  on  the  board  and  Andrew  Gloseclose  took  the 


702  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

place  of  Martin.     The  board  thereafter  was  composed  of 
the  following-  members: 

1848-50— Thomas  Black,  Andrew  Gloseclose,  John  D. 
McGlothliu. 

1850-51— Thomas  Black,  John  D.  McGlothlin,  Josiah 
Hopkins. 

It  will  be  seen  that  Thomas  Black  served  all  except  one 
rear  of  the  entire  existence  of  the  County  Board.  Under 
tlie  new  code  of  1851  these  Connt.v  Boards  were  abolished 
and  what  was  called  the  Connty  Judge  system  was 
adopted.  This  gave  this  judge  the  control  of  all  county 
business  previously  vested  in  the  Board  of  Commisisoners 
and  also  gave  him  jurisdiction  over  all  probate  business. 
This  gave  extensive  powers  to  the  county  judge,  but  at 
the  same  time  much  expedited  all  county  business.  It 
Avas  well  adapted  to  the  new  counties,  aud  for  a  time  was 
very  popular  with  the  people.  But  in  course  of  time,  and 
through  the  ill-advised  action  of  these  judges  iu  some  of 
the  counties  the  people  became  dissatisfied  and  in  18G0 
the  General  Assembly  created  the  Board  of  Supervisors 
to  atteud  to  the  business  of  the  counties.  The  office  of 
judge  was  retained,  shorn  of  much  of  its  former  powers, 
until  1869,  when  it  was  finally  abolished,  and  the  office 
of  countj^  auditor  created. 

The  first  county  judge  of  Polk  County  was  F.  B.  Bur- 
bridge,  who  was  elected  in  August,  1851.  He  died  in 
()ctober,  1851,  and  was  succeeded  by  Byron  Rice,  who 
had  previously  been  elected  prosecuting  attorney.  The 
law  provided  this  officer  should  succeed  in  event  of  a 
vacancy  in  the  office  of  county  judge.  Byron  Rice  im- 
mediately assumed  the  office  upon  the  death  of  Judge 
Burbridge,  and  at  the  next  election  was  duly  chosen  by 
the  people.    Judge  Rice  sers^ed  until  June,  1855,  when  he 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEfi  MOINES.  703 

resigned  to  become  a  member  of  the  banking  firm  of 
Greene,  Weare  &  Rice,  whicli  was  one  of  the  strong  bank- 
ing firms  of  those  days.  Judge  Rice  remained  a  member 
of  this  firm  until  it  retired  from  business  several  j-ears 
later.  He  was  one  of  the  leading  pioneers  and  business 
men  of  the  county  and  city,  and  having  accumulated  a 
fair  amount  of  wealth  has  traveled  extensively,  although 
retaining  his  home  in  the  city,  of  which  he  has  so  long 
been  an  honored  and  respected  citizen. 

At  the  time  of  the  resignation  of  Judge  Rice,  Barlow 
Granger,  so  well  known  to  all  the  older  and  to  a  large 
proportion  of  the  younger  people  of  the  county,  was  pros- 
ecuting attorney.  By  operation  of  law  he  became  county 
judge  and  served  from  June  29  to  Ai;gust  23,  1855.  At 
the  August  election  of  this  year  Thomas  IT.  Napier,  who 
had  previously  been  sheriff,  was  elected  county  judge. 
He  was  re-elected  in  1857,  and  retired  in  1859,  after  serv- 
ing four  years.  Judge  Napier  was  a  man  of  large  propor- 
tions, both  bodily  and  mentally,  and  it  was  his  good  or 
bad  fortune  to  serve  during  a  time  when  the  city  and 
county  were  growing  rapidly,  an  exciting  and  formative 
period,  and  when  matters  of  grave  local  importance  agi- 
tated the  people  and  called  for  ability  and  decision  on  the 
part  of  the  county  judge.  During  his  term  of  office  local 
feeling  ran  its  highest  between  the  East  and  West  Sides, 
the  erection  of  new  Court  House  was  commenced,  bonds 
were  voted  for  the  Court  House,  and  also  to  aid  in  the 
construction  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  (now  the 
Rock  Island)  Railroad  and  other  ciuestions  of  grave  im- 
portance to  city  and  county  came  up  for  a  decision  by 
the  county  judge.  As  was  to  be  expected  under  the  cir- 
cumstances Judge  Napier  came  in  for  much  more  than 
his  fair  share  of  abuse  and  misrepresentation.     At  the 


704  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

same  time  lie  .seldom  lucked  lojal  support  aud  endorse- 
ment from  his  numerous  friends.  He  may  have  made  some 
mistakes — this  was  natural — but  upon  the  whole  his  ad- 
miustration  of  county  affairs  was  wise  aud  judicious. 
Aud  under  the  peculiar  circumstances  he  is  entitled  to 
a  large  amount  of  credit  for  the  same.  This  credit  he 
received  in  after  years.  After  retiring  from  the  judge- 
shi]i  .Judge  Napier  remained  for  a  number  of  years  a 
citizen  of  the  city  and  for  some  time  held  the  office  of 
justice  of  tlie  i>eace  in  Des  Moines.  Ills  son  having  re- 
moved to  Nebraska  the  judge  finally  Aveut  there  a  few 
years  ago.  Thomas  11.  Xajtier  will  long  be  remembered 
as  a  man  taking  deservedly  liigli  rank  in  the  early  set- 
tlement aud  building  up  of  Polk  Countj'.  He  died  in 
1S94. 

.John  n.  McClelland,  of  Des  Moines,  was  elected  in  Oc- 
tober, 1S59,  to  succeed  Judge  Napier  and  held  the  office 
six  years.  During  his  term,  January,  1861,  mau}'  of  the 
responsible  duties  of  the  office  Avere  transferred  to  flu- 
Board  of  County  vSupervisors.  Judge  McClelland  was  an 
Ohio  man,  a  graduate  of  Oberliu  College  and  came  to  Des 
Moines  in  1855,  and  Avas  for  some  3'ear.s  engaged  in  tlic 
mercantile  business  vrith  the  Laird  Brothers.  He  Avas  a 
most  excellent  man,  just  and  honest  in  all  his  dealings, 
public  and  priA'ate,  and  won  for  himself  a  deservedly 
high  reputation  as  a  public  officer.  I\etiring  from  office 
he  was  for  a  time  engaged  in  business,  but  not  long  tliere- 
after  Jiis  health  failed  and  a  fcAV  years  after  he  died, 
dee]i]y  regretted  by  all. 

T\'.  <T.  Bentley  AA'as  tlie  next  county  judge,  lie  had 
been  a  gallant  soldier,  gaining  the  rank  of  colonel,  and 
Jiad  not  been  long  a  resident  of  Des  Moines  Avheu  elected 
to  lliis  office  in  October,  lS(i5.     lb-  serA'ed  h^ss  than  one 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  705 

year,  resigning  September  15,  1866,  and  removing  to  tlie 
City  of  St.  Louis.  M.  W.  Folsom  was  appointed  tiis  suc- 
cessor, serving  only  a  short  time. 

At  tlie  next  election  in  October,  1866,  John  G.  Weeks 
was  elected  county  judge  and  served  as  such  one  year. 
Judge  Weeks  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1855,  and  engaged 
in  business  as  a  land  agent,  and  soon  acquired  a  large 
connection  in  this  line.  He  was  the  pioneer  abstractor 
of  the  county  and  made  the  first  set  of  abstract  books. 
He  was  indefatigable  and  careful  in  his  work,  and  soon 
was  familiar  with  the  title  to  every  tract  of  land  and 
town  lot  in  Polk  County.  His  system  was  adopted  and 
is  still  continued  in  Polk  and  many  other  counties  in  the 
State.  Dr.  Weeks  was  an  active  and  energetic  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  did  much  toward  aiding 
the  spread  of  religion  in  the  city  and  county.  He  was 
also  for  some  years  receiver  of  the  United  States  land 
office  in  this  city.  He  was  a  good  officer,  citizen  and  man. 
He  died  several  years  ago. 

John  B.  Miller  was  the  last  judge  of  the  county.  He  was 
elected  in  1867,  and  ser^-ed  two  years,  when  the  office  was 
finally  abolished,  and  that  of  county  auditor  created. 
Judge  Miller  became  the  first  county  auditor,  being 
elected  in  October,  1869,  and  was  re-elected  in  1871.  He 
came  to  Des  Moines  in  1857,  though  he  had  long  been 
a  resident  of  Iowa,  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness. He  was  a  shrewd  business  man  and  also  a  shrewd 
politician,  for  many  years  wielding  a  wide  inffuence  in 
the  Republican  party.  He  soon  became  familiar  with 
county  business  and  handled  the  same  with  skill  and 
good  judgment.  After  ser^'ing  the  county  for  six  years 
he  retired  to  private  life.  Subsequently,  however,  he  be- 
came an  officer  of  the  United  States  government  and 


706  ANNALf<  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

removed  with  his  family  from  Des  Moines.     His  death 
was  annonuced  a  few  j'ears  ago. 

George  C.  Baiier  was  in  the  offtce  with  Judge  Miller 
for  several  years,  and  in  October,  1873,  was  elected  his 
successor.  He  was  re-elected  in  187.5,  serving  four  years 
as  county  auditor.  He  was  a  faithful  and  popular  officer. 
He  had  been  mostly  reared  in  the  county,  having  lived 
iu  Polk  City  prior  to  moving  to  Des  Moines,  and  being 
only  eleven  years  of  age  when  his  parents  settled  in  this 
county.  He  enlisted  w^heu  only  seventeen  years  of  age 
in  the  Twenty-third  Iowa  Infantrj^  and  served  over  three 
years  in  the  army,  making  a  fine  record  as  a  soldier.  After 
retiring  from  office  he  engaged  in  dealing  iu  liardware, 
etc.,  and  was  successful.  Later  he,  with  others,  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  barbed  wire,  and  the  business  grew 
to  such  large  propoii:ious  the  main  works  were  established 
in  Cliicago.  Successful  in  business  Mr.  Baker  turned  his 
atteuticm  to  submarine  vessels  and  navigation.  He  was 
possessed  of  inventive  genius  and  built  at  his  own  ex- 
pense a  submarine  torpedo  boat,  which  commanded  the 
attention  of  this  and  other  governments.  Unfortunately, 
failiug  health  prevented  the  full  completion  of  his  inven- 
tion, and  death  claimed  him  two  years  ago,  and  this  pre- 
vented the  full  fruition  of  his  inventive  hopes.  George 
C.  Baker  was  one  of  tlie  best  of  men  and  had  hosts  of 
sorrowing  friends  to  mourn  his  untimely  death. 

George  W.  Bristow  was  the  successor  of  Auditor  Baker, 
being  elected  in  October,  1877,  and  re-elected  in  1879, 
serving  four  years.  He  had  been  a  deputy  for  several 
years  and  familiar  with  the  duties  of  the  office,  which  he 
conducted  in  a  satisfactor.y  manner.  Not  long  after  his 
term  of  office  expired  he  removed  Avith  his  family  to  the 
tUate  of  Kansas,  where  he  now  resides. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINEH.  707 

Bruce  E.  Jones  was  elected  auditor  in  1SS3  and  re- 
elected in  1885,  holding  the  office  four  years.  He  also 
had  previously  been  a  deputy,  and  thoroughly  under- 
stood his  office  duties,  which  he  faithfully  discharged. 
He  was  born  in  Indiana,  but  came  with  his  father,  Ben 
T.  Joues,  to  Des  Moines  in  1856,  a  young  lad.  He  is  now 
a  farmer  in  Bloomfleld  Township  and  a  successful  busi- 
ness mau. 

Amos  W.  Braudt  held  the  office  of  auditor  for  the  long- 
est jjeriod,  having  been  first  elected  in  1889,  and  twice 
re-elected.  He  held  the  office  for  seven  years,  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  having  added  one  year  to  his  term,  so  that 
the  auditor  and  treasurer  of  a  county  should  not  be 
elected  the  same  year.  Amos  W.  is  the  son  of  Isaac 
Brandt,  a  well  kuown  early  settler,  who  first  came  to 
Iowa  in  1856  and  settled  in  Des  Moines  in  1858.  Amos 
W.  was  mostly  reared  in  this  city  and  received  his  col- 
legiate education  at  Monmouth  College,  Illinois.  As  a 
]Hiblic  officer  he  was  painstaking  and  thorough  in  his 
work,  and  clever  and  accommodating  to  every  one  that 
had  occasion  to  call  at  the  office.  At  the  close  of  his  long 
term  he  prepared  with  much  labor  a  complete  history 
from  the  official  records  of  the  county,  so  far  as  the  county 
was  officially  concerned,  giving  a  complete  register  of 
all  the  county  officers  from  the  beginning  iip  to  this  year, 
and  other  matters  of  much  general  local  interest.  This 
work  or  report,  of  Auditor  Brandt  has  been  of  great  help 
and  benefit  to  the  writer  of  this  history,  and  he  takes 
this  occasion  to  return  his  gTateful  thanks  for  the  same. 

John  S.  McQuiston  is  the  present  auditor  of  the  county, 
having  been  elected  in  November,  1891,  and  inducted  into 
office  in  January-,  1895.  He  was  a  deputy  under  Auditor 
Brandt,  and  is  thoroughly  posted  in  the  affairs  of  the 
countv  and  of  the  office  of  which  he  is  the  chief. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

FEDERAL,  STATE,   COUNTY   AND   CITY   OFFICIALS. 

THE  following  is  a  list  as  complete  as  could  be  pre- 
pared of  the  names  and  terms  of  citizens  of  Polk 
County  who  have  held  offices  and  appointments 
under  the  Federal,  State,  County  and  City  Governments, 
from  the  earliest  days  up  to  the  present  time  ,not  men- 
tioned in  other  chapters  of  these  annals. 

ROLL   OF   U.   S.   OFFICIALS   FROM   POLK   COUNTY. 
UNITED  STATES   SENATOR. 
George  G.  Wright,  1871  to  1877. 
MINISTERS   AND   CONSULS   TO   FOREIGN   COUNTRIES. 

John  A.  Kasson,  appointed  to  Austria-Hungary,  Vienna, 
1877-80;  appointed  to  Germany,  Berlin,  July  15,  1884; 
special  commissioner  to  Berlin,  concerning  aifairs  in  Sa- 
moan  Island,  March  18,  1889. 

Edwin  H.  Conger,  to  Brazil,  Eio  Janeiro,  September 
27,  1890,  to  September  6,  1893. 

John  S.  Runnells,  consul  to  Tunstall,  England,  March 
1869. 

Andrew  J.  Stevens,  United  States  consul  in  Canada, 
1861-63. 

Major  A.  G.  Studer,  consul  at  Singapore  and  Barmen 
for  more  than  twenty-two  years — 1873-95. 

ASSISTANT   POSTMASTER   GENERAL. 

John  A.  Kasson,  appointed  March  8,  1861,  to  Novem- 
ber, 1862;  also  special  commissioner  to  International 
Postal  Congress  at  Paris,  France,  March  30,  1863. 


AiYD  THE  CdTY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  709 

James  S.  Clarkson,  appointed  and  confirmed  Marcli  11, 
1889,  first  assistant  postmaster  general. 

REPRESENTATIVES   IN  CONGRESS. 

John  A.  Kasson,  elected  1863  to  1865;  re-elected  1865 
to  1867. 

G.  M.  Dodge,  Pottawattamie  County,  elected  1867  to 
x869. 

Frank  W.  Palmer,  elected  1869  to  1871;  re-elected  1871 
to  1873. 

John  A.  Kasson,  elected  1873  to  1875;  re-elected  1875 
to  1877. 

H.  J.  B.  Oummings,  Madison  County,  elected  1877  to 
1879. 

E.  H.  Gillette,  elected  1879  to  1881. 

John  A.  Kasson,  elected  1881  to  1883;  re-elected  1883 
to  1885;  resigned  1884. 

Hiram  Y.  Smith,  elected  to  fill  yacaucy  1881  to  1885. 

Edwin  H.  Conger,  elected  1885  to  1887;  re-elected  1887 
to  1889;  re-elected  1889  to  1891;  resigned  1890. 

E.  R.  Hays,  Marion  County,  elected  to  fill  A^acancy  1890 
to  1891. 

John  A.  T.  Hull,  elected  1891  to  1893;  re-elected  1893 
to  1895;  re-elected  1895  to  1897. 

POSTMASTERS   AT   DES   MOINES,   IOWA. 

Josiah  Smart,  December  13,  1845.  The  postoiiace  was 
in  Agency  House,  about  where  the  Tiittle  stone  packing 
house  now  stands.     Smart  served  seventy-eight  days. 

Thomas  K.  Brooks,  March  2,  1846.  He  removed  the 
postoffice  to  his  own  house,  that  stood  south  of  the  now 
old  Redhead  barn,  and  on  the  south  side  of  now  what  is 
Court  avenue,  and  in  I.  N.  Thomas'  Addition. 

Phineas  M.  Casady,  December  31,  1846.    He  moved  the 


710       ANNALi^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

postoffice  into  one  of  the  militarj'  log  honses  on  'Coon 
Point;  afterwards  removed  the  postoffice  to  his  own  law 
office,  near  where  is  now  Green  &  Son's  foundry,  south 
of  Vine  on  Second  street,  west  side  of  street. 

E.  L.  Tidrick,  October  10,  1848.  Postoffice  remained 
in  Casady's  law  office. 

Hoyt  Sherman,  June  26,  1849.  He  built  a  frame  across 
from  where  Green's  foundry  now  is,  on  Second  street, 
south  of  Yine,  and  moved  postoffice  into  it. 

Wesley  Eedhead,  February  10,  1853.  Remained  at  old 
stand  for  a  while,  afterwards  removing  postoffice  iuto  the 
Sherman  bloclv,  now  on  Court  avenue,  about  1857.  Mr. 
Redhead  seiwed  the  longest  term  of  au3'  postmaster  yet 
appointed,  ending  May  10,  1801. 

John  Teesdale,  May  10,  1801.  Postoffice  remained  in 
the  Sherman  block. 

George  C.  Tichenor,  April  10,  1807.  Remained  in  Sher- 
man block  for  a  while,  and  then  removed  to  a  frame  build- 
ing on  Third  street,  rear  of  the  Sherman  block,  and  in 
1870  the  present  public  building  was  finished,  and  the 
postoffice  Avas  removed  to  it,  and  there  remains  to  this 
date. 

J.  S.  Clarkson,  July  27,  1871. 

John  Beckwith,  March  3,  1879. 

W.  11.  Merritt,  August  12,  1880. 

Isaac  Brandt,  June  2,  1890. 

Edward  H.  Hunter,  July  20,  1894. 

The  postoffice  was  called  'Coon  River  postoffice  till  June 
1,  1840,  and  then  changed  to  Fort  Des  Moines. 

STATE   OFFICERS   FROM   POLK    COUNTY. 
GOVERNOR 
Frank  D.  Jackson,  elected  November  7,  1893. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE>S  2I01XES.  711 

LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR. 

John  A.  T.  Hull,  elected  November  3,  1885. 

AUDITOR  OF   STATE. 

Andrew  J.  Steveus,  elected  August  7,  1854;  resigned 
1855. 

TREASURER   OF   STATE. 

Martin  L.  Morris,  elected  August  2,  1852;  re-elected 
August  7,  1854;  re-elected  August  4,  1856. 

SECRETARY   STATE   BOARD   OF   EDUCATION. 

Josiah  T.  Tubby,  qualified  December  21),  1858. 

REGISTER   OF   STATE    LAND   OFFICE. 

Edwin  Mitchell,  appointed  by  (.Toyernor  aud  qualitied 
October  :31,  1802. 

y     ^       .  ^     STATE    PRINTER. 

Frank  M.  Mills,  airpointed  by  Governor  March  1,  1869; 
elected  January  18,  r^8(;S,  term  to  commence  May  1,  1861). 

R.  P.  Clarkson,  elected  January  24,  1872;  re-elected 
March  18,   1874;  re-elected  January  19,   1876. 

Frank  M.  Mills,  elected  January  30,  1878;  re-elected 
February  18,  1880.^ 

STATt  BINDER. 
/ 
Frank  M.  Mijjj.,    elected  January  26,   1858;  re-elected 

January  25,  1860;  ve-elected  Jansary  27,  1862;  re-elected 

January  16,  1864. 

James  B.  Carter,  ehji^cted  March  :(j^  ^i>°-;66;  re-elected 
January  18,  1868.  I 

Otto  Nelson,  elected  Ja.nuary  188;  re-el(?cted  January, 
1890;  re-elected  January,  18^-2'?^,  it 

Lafe  Young,  elected  January,  18.. . ,  i-ic-elected,  1896. 


712  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

CHIEF    JUSTICE   OF   SUPREME  COURT. 
Chester  0.  Cole,  January  1,  1870. 
Josiah  Given,  January  1,  1895. 

ASSOCIATE   SUPREME   JUDGE. 
Chester  C.  Cole,  appointed  March  1,  1864;  elected  No- 
Tember  8,  1864;  re-elected  October  11,  1870. 

Josiah  Given,  appointed  by  Governor  March  12,  1889; 
elected  to  fill  vacancy  November  5,  1889;  re-elected  1895. 
ATTORNEY-GENERAL. 

Charles  C.  Nourse,  November  6,  1860;  re-elected  Octo- 
ber 14, 1862. 

SUPREME   COURT    REPORTERS. 

Thomas  F.  Withrow,  appointed  in  1860;  reappointed 
1864. 

John  S.  Runnells,  elected  October  13,  1874;  re-elected 
October  8,  1878;  resigned  March,  1882. 

N.  B.  Eaymoud,  elected  November  6,  1 890. 

STATE   SENATORS'! 

First  General  Assembly,  November  30,  1846.  Thomas 
Baker  (Polk,  Marion,  Dallas  and  Jaspe.  Counties).  Elected 
president  of  Senate  1846. 

Second,  December  4,  1848.  Phinea.^,  M.  Casady  (Polk, 
Marion,  Dallas  and  Jasper  Countie.^). 

Third,  December  2,  1850.  '  Phineas  i.i:.  Casady  (Polk 
Marion,  Dallas,  Jasper,  V  -shall,  Story.  Boone,  Warren 
and  Madison  Counties).   .'^' 

Fourth,  December  6,  lj^52.  Ancrew  \.  Hull  (Polk  and 
twenty-three  othei  f;0-'''^nties).  \ 

Fifth,  Deceuber  4,  xS54.  Janrs  C.  Jordan  (Polk  and 
twenty -three  other  cov^L^^jg^,-), 

Sixth,  December  1,  1S"'<.>  James  C.  Jordan  (Polk,  Dal- 
las and  Guthrie  Connti*,;. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  713 

Seventh,  January  11,  1858.  William  P.  Davis  (Polk, 
Dallas  and  Guthrie  Counties). 

Eighth,  January  8,  1860.  William  P.  Davis  (Polk 
County). 

Ninth,  January  13,  1862.     Joshua  H.  Hatch. 

Tenth,  January  11,  1864.    Joshua  H.  Hatch. 

Eleventh,  January  8,  1866.    Jonathan  W.  Cattell. 

Twelfth,  January  13,  1868.     Jonathan  W.  Cattell. 

Thirteenth,  .January  10,  1870.       Benjamin  F.  Allen. 

Fourteenth,  January  8,  1872.     B.  F.  Allen. 

Fifteenth,  January  12,  1874.     Thomas  Mitchell. 

Sixteenth,  January  10,  1876.     Thomas  Mitchell. 

Seventeenth,  January  — ,  1878.     Kobert  C.  Webb. 

Eighteenth,  January  12,  1880.    Robert  C.  Webb. 

Nineteenth,  January  9,  1882^    Hiram  Y.  Smith. 

Twentieth,  January  14,  1884.     Hiram  Y.  Smith. 

Twenty-first,  January,  1886,  C.  H.  Gatch. 

Twenty-second,  January,  1888.    C.  H.  Gatch. 

Twenty-third,  January,  1890.     C.  H.  Gatch. 

Twenty-fourth,  Jauuaiy,  1892.    C.  H.  Gatch. 

Twenty-fifth,  January,  1894.    Thomas  A.  Cheshire. 

Twenty-sixth,  January,  1896.    Thomas  A.  Cheshire. 

HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES. 
POLK    COUNTY    DISTRICT- 

First  General  Assembly,  November  30,  1846,  at  Iowa 
City.     John  N.  Kinsman,  Simon  Reynolds. 

Second,  Iowa  City,  December  4,  1848.  Lysander  W. 
Babbitt,  Manly  GiiTord. 

Third,  Iowa  City,  December  2,  1850.  Lysander  W.  Bab- 
bitt, Edwin  R.  Guiberson. 

Fourth,  Iowa  City,  December  6,  1852.  J.  F.  Rice,  Ben- 
jamin Green,  Joseph  0.  Goodson. 


71  J:  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Fifth,  Io^\'a  City,  December  4,  1854.  Alfred  M.  Lyon, 
Ezra  Yanfosseu. 

Sixth,  Io^\'a  City,  December  1,  1850.  William  P.  Dayis, 
Benjamin  Green. 

Third  Constitutional  Convention,  Iowa  Citj',  January 
19,  1857.     Thomas  Seeley. 

Seventh  General  Assembly,  first  time  at  Des  Moines, 
January  11,  1858.     Thomas  Mitchell. 

Eighth,  January  8,  18()0.     Stewart  Goodrell. 

Ninth,  January  8,   1862.     John  Mitchell. 

Tentli,  January  11,  1801.    Nicholas  Baylies. 

Eleventh,  January  8,  18GG.  Hoyt  Sherman,  George  L. 
Godfrey. 

Twelfth,  January  13,  1868.  John  A.  Kassou,  Joshua 
H.  Hatch. 

Thirteenth,  January  10,  1870.  John  A.  Kassou,  George 
W.  Jones. 

Fourteenth,  January  8,  1872.  John  A.  Kassou,  Gen. 
James  M.  Tuttle. 

Fifteenth,  January  12,  1874.  Isaac  Brandt,  William  G. 
Madden. 

Sixteenth,  January  10,  1876.  Josiah  Giveu,  AYilliam 
G.  Madden. 

Seventeenth,  January,  1878.  Clarence  S.  Wilson,  Jerry 
B.  Tifftn. 

Eighteenth,  January  12,  1880.  James  C.  Jordan,  Josiah 
A.  Ilarvej'. 

Nineteenth,  January  9,  1882.  Thomas  W.  Havens, 
Thomas  E.  Haines. 

Twentieth,  January  U,  1881.  Gen.  James  M.  Tuttle, 
Capt.  C.  L.  Watrous. 

Twenty-tirst,  January,  1886.  James  G.  Berryhill,  Wes- 
ley Redhead. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  2I01XES. 


(15 


Twenty-second,  Jannary,  1888.  James  G.  Berryhill,  A. 
B.  Cnmmins. 

Twenty-third,  January,  1890.  W.  J.  Stewart,  B.  B. 
Lane. 

Twenty-fourth,  January,  1892.    B.  B.  Lane,  X.  E.  Coffin. 

Twenty-fifth,  January,  1894.  Oliver  E.  Doubleday,  (\ 
0.  Dowell. 

Twenty-sixth,  Janiuiry,  189G.  Oliver  E.  Doubleday,  C. 
0.  Dowell. 


MAYORS   OF   TOWN    AND   CITY   OF    DES   MOINES   FROM   OR- 
GANIZATION   IN   1851. 

Thompson  Bird,  1852. 

B.  Luce,  1853. 

L.  P.  Sherman,  1854. 
Barlow  Granger,  1855. 
William  DeFord,  1856. 

C.  W.  Nash,  1857.    Served  to  May  1st. 
W.  H.  McHenry,  1857. 

n.  E.  Lamereaux,  1858. 

K.  L.  Tidrick,  1859. 

P.  H.  W.  Latshaw,  1860. 

Ira  Cook,  1861.     Resigned. 

W.  S.  Barnes,  to  fill  vacancy  of  1861. 

Thomas  Cavanagh,  1862. 

W.  H.  Leas,  1863. 

W.  H.  Leas,  1864. 

G.  W.  Cleveland,  1865. 

a.  W.  Cleveland,  1866. 

G.  W.  Cleveland,  1867. 

S.  F.  Spofford,  1868. 

J.  H.  Hatch,  1869. 

J.  H.  Hatch,  1870. 

Martin  Tnttle,  1871. 

J.  P.  Foster,  1872. 

Giles  H.  Turner,  1873. 

A.  Newton,  1874. 

A.  Newton,  1875. 

G.  H.  Turner,  1876. 

G.  H.  Turner,  1877.     Resigned. 


716  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

George  Sueer,  to  fill  vacancy  1877. 

George  vSneer,  1878-79. 

W.  H.  Merritt,  1880-81. 

P.  V.  Carey,  1882-83. 

P.  V.  Carey,  1884-85. 

•J.  H.  Phillips,  1886-87. 

W.  L.  Carpenter,  1888-89. 

•John  H.  Campbell,  1890-91. 

C.  C.  Lane,  1892-93. 

Isaac  L.  Hillis,  1894-95. 

John  MacVicar,  1896. 

COUNTY   TREASURERS. 

William  F.  Ayers,  elected  April  6,  1846;  served  till  Au- 
gust, 1846.  August  17,  1846,  Addison  Michael  became  in- 
debted to  Polk  County,  Iowa,  by  a  tax  list  of  1846,  page 
104.  October  1,  1847,  Whereas,  full  settlement  has  this 
day  been  made  with  W.  F.  Ayers,  treasurer,  it  is  ordered 
that  a  receipt  be  given  the  said  W.  F.  Ayers  for  all  dues 
against  him  in  favor  of  said  county,  dated  October  7, 1846, 
page  28,  first  book  of  commissioners'  record. 

Addison  Michael,  recorder  and  treasurer,  elected  Au- 
gust, 1846.  He  became  indebted  to  the  county  by  receiv- 
ing for  collection  the  tax  list  of  1846.  Amount,  |375.14; 
date,  October  1,  1846,  page  104,  commissioner's  record. 

James  Campbell,  recorder  and  treasurer,  elected  Au- 
gust 2,  1847;  bond  recorded,  page  89.  In  that  he  was 
elected  August  2,  1847;  approved  August  14,  1847. 

Benjamin  Bryant,  recorder  and  treasurer,  elected  Au- 
gust 6,  1849.  Bond  recorded  on  second  page  following 
proceedings  of  commissioners,  dated  July  14,  1849. 

Samuel  Gray,  recorder  and  treasurer,  elected  August, 
1851.  Entered  upon  his  duties  August  11,  1851,  as  shown 
by  the  county  treasurer's  record  book  of  accounts  for 
1851-.52,  page  12. 


AIS^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  Ill 

Samuel  Gray,  recorder  and  treasurer,  re-elected  August 
1,  1853.  As  shown  hj  official  count,  record  in  book  con- 
taining official  count  from  1852  to  and  including  that  of 
1864.  Also  said  book  contains  proceedings  of  commis- 
sioners and  county  judge  from  April  10,  1848,  to  and  in- 
cluding December  31,  1851. 

Samuel  M.  Dyer,  recorder  and  treasurer,  elected  August 
6,  1855;  re-elected  August  3,  1857. 

Jeremiah  B.  Tiffin,  recorder  and  treasurer,  elected 
October  11,  1859;  re-elected  October  8,  1861;  re-elected 
October  13,  1863. 

The  office  of  recorder  separated  from  the  treasurer's 
office  because  the  population  of  the  county  exceeded  10,000, 
in  that  case  a  separate  person  shall  be  elected  recorder. 
Code,  section  336,  page  90. 

COUNTY  TREASURERS. 

J.  B.  Tiffin,  re-elected  October  10,  1865;  resigned  Oc- 
tober 14,  1867. 

Charles  G.  Lewis,  appointed  October  14,  1867;  elected 
October  8,  1867;  re-elected  October  12,  1869. 

Frank  E.  Laird,  elected  October  10,  1871. 

William  Lowry,  elected  October  14,  1873;  re-elected 
October  12,  1875;  re-elected  October  9,  1877. 

Richard  K.  Miller,  elected  October  14,  1879;  re-elected 
October  11,  1881. 

Chester  B.  Worthington,  elected  October  9,  1883;  re- 
elected November  3,  1885. 

Frank  A.  Baylies,  elected  November  8,  1887;  re-elected 
November  5,  1889. 

Charles  H.  Dilworth,  elected  November  3,  1891;  re- 
elected November  7,  1893. 


718  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

SHERIFFS. 

Thomas  Mitchell,  organizing  sheriff.  Allowed  |50  for 
said  services,  October  7,  1846. 

Thomas  Mitchell,  elected  April  6,  1846.  Allowed  |8 
•Jnue  2,  1846,  for  summoning  grand  jury  for  Aj)ril  term, 
1846;  page  7.  Allowed  .f25  as  sheriff  at  April  term,  1847, 
Served  to  August,  1847. 

George  A.  Michael,  elected  August,  1847.  Allowed  for 
posting  up  notices,  delivering  poll  books,  'etc.,  since  the 
loth  day  of  August,  1847,  to  August  15,  1848,  the  sum  of 
|50  on  July  6,  1848;  page  12.  Served  to  August,  1849; 
two  years.  Allowed  for  summoning  grand  jury  for  May 
term  of  District  Court,  1849,  |4.50,  July  12,  1849.  Served 
two  years,  to  August,  1849. 

Thomas  H.  Napier,  elected  August,  1849.  Ordered, 
that  "he"  be  allowed  as  sheriff  in  the  above  cause  $1.40 
dated  November  20,  1849.  Ordered,  that  "he"  be  allowed 
for  distributing  poll  books  at  the  April  and  August  elec- 
tions, the  sum  of  $40  September  22,  1851.  Served  two 
years. 

Alfred  M.  Lyon,  elected  August,  1851.  Ordered,  that 
"he"  be  allowed  for  services  as  sheriff  the  sum  of  $34.72 
November  0,  1851.  Ordered,  that  "he,"  sheriff,  be  allowed 
from  August  15,  1852  to  8th  day  of  August,  1853,  the  sum 
of  |54.     Dated  August  15, 1853 ;  page  114. 

William  H.  McHenry,  elected  August  1,  1853. 

Daniel  B.  Spaulding,  elected  August  6,  1855;  re-elected 
August  3,  1857. 

John  Hays,  elected  October  11,  1859. 

Isaac  W.  Griffith,  elected,  October  8,  1861. 

Horace  M.  Bush,  elected  October  13,  1863. 

Cdl.  Nathaniel  McCalla,  elected  October  10,  1865. 

P.  H.  \an  Slyke,  elected  October  8,  1867;  re-elected 
'October  12,  1869. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  719 

Daniel  M.  Bringolf,  elected  October  10,  1871;  re-elected 
October  11,  1873. 

George  Lendriim,  elected  October  12,  1875;  re-elected 
October  9,  1877. 

A.  D.  Littleton,  elected  October  14,  1879 ;  re-elected  Oc- 
tober 11,  1881. 

Joshua  0.  Painter,  elected  October  9,  1883;  re-elected 
November  3,  1885. 

C.  C.  Loomis,  elected  November  8,  1887;  re-elected  No- 
vember 5,  1889. 

Joseph  D.  McGarrangh,  elected  November  3,  1891 ;  re- 
elected November  7,  1893. 

James  E.  Stout,  elected  November,  1895. 

PROSECUTING    ATTORNEY. 

Thomas  Baker.  See  Court  Journal  No.  1,  page  1  aud 
others  following.  Thomas  Baker,  district  attorney  lor 
Eleventh  District,  Territorj^  of  Iowa,  October  7,  1846. 
Ordered,  that  Thomas  Baker  be  allowed  .1f200  for  seiwices 
as  prosecuting  attornej',  A.  D.  1846,  etc.,  page  27,  County 
Commissioners'  record;  and  served  till  April  election,  1847. 

Lorenzo  D.  Winchester,  elected  April,  1847.  Files  bond 
dated  April  10,  1847,  and  recorded  on  page  51,  County 
Commissioners'  record. 

Thomas  Baker,  elected  Augiist  2,  A.  D.  1847.  Files 
bond  dated  September  13,  1847,  page  87,  and  elected 
August  2, 1847,  as  per  Campbell's  bond,  page  89,  resigned. 

Louis  Whitteu,  elected  to  fill  vacancy,  April  2,  1849. 
Bond  dated  April  14,  1849.  In  that  he  was  elected  prose- 
cuting attorney  to  fill  vacancy  August  2,  1849,  occasioned 
by  the  resignation  of  Thomas  Baker. 

John  M.  PerTy,  elected  August  6,  A.  D.  1849.  Bond 
dated  August  13,  1849.    In  that  he  was  elected  August  6, 


720  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

1849,  said  bond  recorded  on  second  page,  following  the 
proceedings  of  County  Commissioners  of  July  14,  1849. 

Byron  Rice,  elected  August  5,  A.  D.  1850.  Bond  dated 
August  16,  1850.  See  bond  of  A.  Emillius  T.  Reynolds, 
following  each  recorded  on  page  following  proceedings 
of  County  Commissioners  of  July  25,  1850.  Resigned  and 
became  county  judge.  November  25,  1851,  ordered,  that 
B.  Rice  be  allowed  as  prosecuting  attorney  from  July  1, 
to  November  11,  1851,  .f72.69. 

R.  L.  Tidrick,  appointed  to  till  vacancy  November  11, 
1851.  Page  32,  county  judge  record  of  1852  and  1859. 
May  17,  1852,  ordered  that  R.  L.  Tidricii  be  allowed  for 
services  as  prosecuting  attornej^,  November  11,  1851,  to 
April  15,  1852,  156  days,  the  sum  of  |94. 

J.  M.  Perry,  elected  April  5,  1852;  re-elected  August 
2,  1852. 

W.  W.  Williamson,  elected  April  4,  1853. 

Barlow  Granger,  elected  August,  1854. 

J.  H.  Gray,  elected  August,  1856. 

DISTRICT    ATTORNEY. 

P.  Gad  Bryan,  Warren  County,  elected  October  12,  1858. 

John  Leonard,  Madison  County,  elected  October  14, 
1862;  resigned  January  23,  1864. 

Benjamin  F.  Murray,  Madison  County,  appointed  Jan- 
uary 23,  1864. 

Hugh  W.  Maxwell,  Warren  County,  elected  November 
8,  1864;  resigned  July  3,  1866. 

Samuel  D.  Nichols,  Guthrie  County,  appointed  July  5, 
1866;  re-elected  October  9,  1866. 

Edgar  T.  Ensign,  Polk  County,  appointed  Januarj-  19, 
1870. 

C.  H.  Gatch,  Polk  County,  elected  October  11,  1870; 
resigned  September,  1871. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  JilUJXES.  721 

Julius  B.  Bissell,  Polk  Conutv,  appointed  i^epteinber 
2G,  1S71. 

Josiali  GiA-en,  Polk  (.'oinity,  elected  October  10,  1S71. 
Hiram  Y.  i^mitli,  Polk  Comity,  elected  October  '^2,  1874. 
William  Connor,  Polk  Oonntv,  elected  October  S,  1S78. 
A.  AA'.  AA'ilkinsou,  Madison  County,  elected  November 

7,  1SS2. 

COUNTY    ATTORNEY. 

William  W.  Phillips,  elected  November  2,  ISSG. 

J.  K.  Ma  comber,  elected  November  G,  1S88. 

William  A.  Spurrier,  elected  November  4,  1890;  re- 
elected November  8,  1892;  resi^-ned  March  12,  1894. 

John  J.  Davis,  appointed  to  fill  vacancy  Marcdi  12,  1894. 
Elected  to  All  vacancy  November  0,  1894. 

James  A.  Howe,  elected  November  G,  1894. 

RECORDER   OF    DEEDS. 

Thomas  McMullin,  elected  April  G,  1S4G.  By  all  hearsay 
this  is  the  fact,  and  further  he  siiius  as  recorder  of  Polk 
County,  the  town  plat  of  the  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines, 
dated  and  filed  July  8,  184G,  at  3  p.  m. 

John  Myers,  elected  either  August,  184G,  or  April,  1847. 
He  signs  land  book  "C,"  page  81,  dated  April  2.j,  1847, 
recorder's  office,  as  county  recorder;  also  same  book,  page 
15,  July  23,  1847.  Augiist  14,  1847,  James  (Jampbell  gave 
bond  in  that  he  was  elected  recorder  and  treasurer  in  and 
for  Polk  County  for  the  term  of  two  years,  from  August  2, 
1847,  page  89,  first  commissioner's  record,  and  so  con- 
tinues for  a  time  of  some  eighteen  years.  That  the  same 
l)erson  was  elected  recorder  and  treasurer  until  J.  B. 
Tiffin's  time  as  treasurer,  who  served  as  recorder  and 
treasurer  till  January'  18Go. 

46 


722  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Kecorder  elected  and  the  office  separated  from  the 
county  treasurer's  office  in  accordance  with  section  330, 
page  00,  Code,  the  county  exceeding  10,000  population. 

John  J.  Jack,  elected  Noyember  8,  1804. 

I.  X.  Thomas,  elected  October  9,  1806. 

I.  X.  Thomas,  elected  November  3,  18G8. 

I.  X.  Thomas,  elected  October  11,  1870. 

James  C.  Bead,  elected  November  5,  1872. 

James  C.  Read,  elected  October  13, 1874. 

James  C.  Read,  elected  November  7,  1870. 

George  H.  Gardner,  elected  October  8,  1878. 

John  J.  Payne,  elected  November  2,  1880. 

John  J.  Payne,  elected  November  7,  1882. 

D.  C.  Bishard,  elected  November  0,  1884. 

D.  C.  Bishard,  elected  Noveiubei"  2,  1886. 
George  C.  Sims,  elected  November  0,  1888. 
George  C.  Sims,  elected  November  4,  1890. 

J.  Add  Hepburn,  elected  November  4,  1892.  Died  May 
3,  1893. 

Amos  W.  Brandt,  county  auditor,  ex-officio  recorder. 
May  4,  1893,  till  12  "m.,"  May  10,  1893,  chapter  49,  page 
74,  of  Twenty-third  General  Assembly. 

Annie  E.  Hepburn,  appointed  May  10,  1893.  Elected 
to  fill  vacancy  November  7,  1893;  re-elected  November, 
0,  1894. 

COUNTY   SUPERINTENDENTS   OF    COMMON    SCHOOLS. 

Samuel  Bell,  elected  April  5,  1858. 

Charles  C.  Dawson,  elected  October  11,  1859;  resigned 
June  0, 1801. 

W.  H.  Dickerson,  appointed  to  vacancy  June  6,  1801. 

E.  D.  Haws,  elected  October  8,  1861. 
S.  Barrows,  elected  October  13, 1863. 
Leonard  Brown,  elected  October  10,  1805. 


AXD  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  723 

C.  A.  Mosier,  elected  October  8, 1867. 

J.  A.  Nash,  elected  October  12,  1869;  resigned  October 
10,  1871. 

D.  G.  Perkins,  elected  October  14,  1873. 
Robert  S.  Hughs,  elected  October  12, 1875. 

James  H.  Koons,  elected  October  9,  1877;  resigned  Octo- 
ber 11, 1879. 

D.  A.  Kent,  elected  October  11,  1881;  resigned  October 
9, 1883. 

Charles  F.  Saylor,  elected  November  3,  1885;  re-elected 
November  8, 1887;  re-elected  November  5,  1889. 

W.  A.  McCord,  elected  November  3,  1891;  re-elected  No- 
vember 7,  1893 ;  re-elected  November,  1895. 

COUNTY   SURVEYORS. 

A.  D.  Jones,  elected  April  6, 1846;  resigned  September  28, 
1846,  and  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  District  Court,  vice 
Perry  L.  Crossman. 

John  McClain  was  appointed  to  fill  vacancy,  and  was 
elected  April,  1847. 

James  Laverty,  elected  August,  1849,  and  served  two 
years. 

John  McClain,  re-elected  in  1851  and  re-elected  August  1, 
1853. 

John  H.  Miller,  elected  August  6,  1855. 

John  C.  Booth,  elected  August  3,  1857. 

N.  R.  Kuntz,  elected  October  11, 1859. 

B.  Callan,  elected  October  8, 1861. 

J.  P.  Foster,  elected  October  13,  1863 ;  resigned  April  4, 
1865. 

J.  B.  Bausman,  appointed  April  4, 1865. 

J.  B.  Bausman,  elected  October  10, 1865;  resigned  March 
19, 1867;  re-elected  October  8,  1867. 


724  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Dr.  Joel  E.  Hendrix,  appointed  Mai-ch  19, 18G7;  resigned 
October  14,  ISGT. 

J.  B.  Bailsman,  appointed  October  11, 1867. 

P.  B.  Keed,  elected  October  12, 18G9. 

Frank  Pelton,  elected  October  10,  1871;  re-elected  Octo- 
ber— ,  1873;  re-elected  October  12, 1875;  re-elected  October 
9,  1877;  re-elected  October  11,  1879;  re-elected  October  11, 
1881. 

M.  R.  Laird,  elected  October  9, 1883 ;  re-elected  November 
3,  1885;  re-elected  November  8,  1887;  re-elected  November 
5,  1889. 

G.  B.  Wicks,  Jr.,  elected  November  3,  1891;  re-elected 
November  7, 1893;  re-elected  May  25, 1891. 

Warren  Dickenson,  appointed  May  25, 1891. 

George  F.  Lambert,  elected  to  till  vacancy,  Novendier  (], 
1894. 

COUNTY   CORONERS. 

James  Phillips,  elected  April  G,  184G,  and  had  no  snc- 
cessor  nntil  1853. 

"Walter  Oyler,  elected  August  1,  1853;  re-elected  August 
G,  1855. 

Or.  W.  Conner,  elected  August  3, 1857. 

James  Stanton,  elected  October  11, 1859. 

Thomas  Elliott,  elected  October  8,  18G1;  resigned  June 
3,  18G3. 

Madison  Young,  appointed  to  vacancy  June  3,  1SG3. 

J.  M.  Ileichueker,  elected  October  13,  18G3. 

Wm.  Tate,  elected  October  10,  18G5. 

Offlce  being  vacant  for  some  cause  in  1SG7. 

H.  M.  Busli,  appointed  to  vacancy  January  8, 18G7. 

Madison  Young,  elected  October  8,  18G7;  failed  to 
C|ualify. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0INES.  725 

A.  IL  Botkin,  appointed  t(i  vacaucy  January  11,  18(38. 

A.  G.  Field,  elected  October  12,  1869. 

A.  M.  Overman,  elected  October  10,  1871;  re-elected  Oc- 
tober 11,  1873. 

Isaac  AV.  Oriffith,  elected  October  12,  1875;  re-elected 
October  1),  1877;  re-elected  October  11,  1879;  re-elected 
October  11,  1881;  re-elected  October  9,  1883;  re-elected 
jSrovember3, 1885;  re-elected  November  8, 1887;  re-elected 
November  5, 1889;  re-elected  November  3, 1891. 

Louis  Graessly,  elected  November  7,  1893. 

Ii.  V.  Ankeny,  elected  November,  1895. 

COUNTY     INSPECTORS    AND    SEALERS    OF    WEIGHTS    AND 

MEASURES. 

I'liillip  Nan,  appointed  December  30, 1874,  and  held  office 
until  1892. 

Alex.  Graham,  appointed  January  4, 1892. 
John  H.  Rambo,  appointed  June  5,  1894. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

SUNDAY   SCHOOLS. 

AS  THE  Sunday  school  is  one  of  the  most  important 
factors  in  the  present  high  state  of  civilization  of 
our  county,  it  is  eminently  fitting  and  proper  that 
it  should  be  represented  in  its  histon'.  It  is  apparent 
to  everjr  observer  that  the  futiire  well  being  of  our  State 
and  Nation  largely  depends  on  the  physical,  intellectual 
moral  and  spiritual  development  of  our  citizens,  and  that 
to  a  large  extent  the  destiny  of  the  world  rests  in  the 
hands  of  the  Sunday  school  teacher. 

With  the  first  settlements  in  our  county  as  in  other  new 
communities,  the  Sunday  school,  the  forerunner  of  the 
church,  was  contemporaneous,  and  since  the  pioneer 
preacher  could  in  manj'  places  only  make  his  appoint- 
ments once  a  quarter  the  main  work  of  evangelization 
was  left  to  the  Sunday  school.  This  great  work  has  been 
in  operation  in  Polk  County  fifty  years  without  a  writ- 
ten history. 

In  the  spring  of  1845,  Eev.  Ezra  Rathbuu  and  B.  F. 
Hoxie  started  a  little  union  Sunday  school  of  seven  chil- 
dren and  a  few  older  persons  in  the  soldiers  quarters  at 
the  Raccoon  Forks  of  the  Des  Moines  River.  Melissa 
Hoxie  and  Mary  D.  Rathbuu,  now  Mrs.  Rees,  were  the 
teachei*s.  As  the  Sunday  school  went  on  Mr.  J.  J.  Cole 
was  selected  as  the  first  regular  suiDerintendent.  Under 
the  watch,  care  and  effort  of  these  faithful  workers  the 
little  school  grew,  and  the  following  spring  became  a 
Methodist  school,  and  from  this  a  Mr.  Russell  organized 
the  first  M.  E.  Church  in  our  county.     The  second  Sun- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES.  Til 

day  school  in  our  coiintj'  was  organized  at  Cory's  Grove 
in  the  winter  of  1848  by  a  Mr.  Smith,  missionary  of  the 
American  Sunday  Scliool  Union,  and  I.  W.  Cory  was  se- 
lected as  superintendent. 

The  missionary  was  a  Methodist,  so  at  once  took  up  a 
collection,  and  T\T.th  the  money  raised,  bought  a  library 
of  the  Union,  which  was  shipped  from  Philadelphia  to 
Keokuk,  and  hauled  from  there  by  wagon  by  George 
Hopkins,  as  he  hauled  goods  for  W.  W.  Moore.  He  took 
the  library  to  his  place  at  Hopkins'  Groye  aboye  Polk 
City,  then  I.  M.  T.  Cory,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  this 
account,  carried  the  library  sixteen  miles  across  the 
prairie  on  horseback  to  Coiy's  Groye.  Mr.  Cory  still  has 
some  of  the  books.  This  was  the  first  Sunday  school 
library  brought  to  Polk  County;  the  second  was  presented 
to  the  little  school  at  Des  Moines  above  referred  to,  by 
Charles  C.  Van,  about  1851. 

In  1850,  the  first  Court  House  was  built  at  Des  Moines 
and  soon  after  its  completion  another  union  Sunday  school 
was  organized,  the  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  being  the 
most  prominent.  Eey.  Thompson  Bird  had  for  a  couple 
of  years  been  preaching  the  gospel  in  the  homes  of  his 
people  and  in  his  own  home,  and  when  this  public  build- 
ing was  completed  his  people  joined  with  those  led  by 
Dr.  Nash,  who  came  to  Des  Moines  near  this  time,  and 
together  they  cared  for  the  work,  and  the  school  proved 
a  decided  success  at  Des  Moines. 

The  Fourth  of  July,  1851,  was  not  only  a  patriotic  day 
in  National  rejoicing,  but  was  utilized  in  a  patriotic  way 
to  celebrate  the  Sunday  school  work  so  well  begun.  In 
the  spring  of  1853  a  Sunday  school  was  organized  at 
Sayloryille,  with  Mr.  Burley  as  superintendent,  and  on 
the  Fourth  of  July  they  had  a  Sunday  school  celebration. 


728  .L.Yy.4LN  OF  FOLK  COiXTY 

Their  band  on  that  occasion  consisted  of  an  accordeon 
and  was  played  by  John  kSheral,  who  led  the  procession. 
The  school  marched  around  to  a  long-  table  spread  with 
luxuries.  The  scenes  and  experiences  of  that  day  are  still 
yirid  in  the  minds  of  Kittie  and  Margaret  Brooks,  now 
Mrs.  Haylor  and  Mrs.  Bondurant. 

About  this  time  Mr.  D.  C.  Martz,  a  preacher  and  a 
chair  maker,  started  a  Sunday  school  in  a  log  school  house 
at  Polk  City.  A  school  was  also  started  at  Trullinger's 
Grove  very  early,  and  Moses  McCleary  Avas  superinten- 
dent. The  exact  dates  of  these  two  we  have  been  unable 
to  secure. 

Prior  to  ISGO  churches  had  been  organized  at  Hopkins' 
Grove,  Mitchellville,  Avon,  Saylonille,  two  at  Polk  City, 
and  about  ten  in  Des  Moines.  And  judging  from  the 
usual  result,  it  is  quite  probable  that  many  of  these  were 
the  direct  outgrowth  of  the  Sunday  school,  and  perhaps 
all.  There  were  in  our  county  at  the  beginning  of  the 
sixties  about  eighteen  schools.  They  grew  in  number  and 
the  increasing  demand  for  more  and  better  teachers  was 
apparent.  Hence,  about  1867,  the  Sunday  schools  of  the 
county  were  organized  into  an  organization  known  as 
the  Polk  County  Sunday  School  Association.  Its  aim 
was  organization,  education,  evangelization,  organization 
of  new  schools,  education  and  training  of  teachers  for 
better  work  and  for  the  evangelization  of  the  masses. 

The  early  records  of  the  association  have  been  lost. 
Mr.  James  Lee  was  the  first  president  and  went  out  a 
great  deal  in  convention  work.  The  summer  of  1SG8  a 
convention  of  great  interest  was  held  at  Penu's  Grove 
in  Washington  Township.  Mr.  Lee  took  Rev.  Mr.  Reed, 
J.  P.  Foster  and  Charles  Gray  with  him  and  drove  from 
Des  Moines  twenty-eight  miles,  attended  an  all-day  meet- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOIXES.  729 

ing  and  drove  back  after  5  o'clock  in  the  evening.  This 
meeting  was  hing  remembered,  and  has  been  often  spoken 
of  by  the  workers  in  bite  years. 

A  conuty  convention  of  interest  was  lield  in  the  okl 
Fifth  Street  M.  E.  Chnrch  tliat  stood  where  the  Iowa  Loan 
and  Trnst  Company  building  now  stands.  Rev.  John  T<:>dd 
did  a  good  deal  of  missionary  work  throughout  our  county 
during  the  sixties  and  seventies. 

In  1871,  Mr.  N.  B.  Collins  came  to  Des  Moines  and  sodu 
after  took  \ip  the  county  association  work,  and  notwith- 
standing he  was  a  business  man,  lie  spent  much  time  and 
money  in  carrying  forward  the  work.  In  1S7G,  a  county 
convention  was  held  in  Moore's  Opera  House.  In  1885, 
we  had  eighty-five  Sunday  schools  in  the  county.  Mr.  L. 
J.  Kasson  went  as  a  delegate  to  the  State  convention 
at  NeAvton,  and  being  very  much  stirred  and  interested 
in  State  and  count}^  association  work,  became  secretary 
of  our  county. 

In  1S87,  the  State  convention  was  held  in  Des  Moines. 
Mr.  Collins  was  still  president  and  Mr.  Kasson  secretary 
of  the  association.  The  county  then  had  a  population  of 
53,000  and  eighty-five  Sunday  schcxjls,  a  Sunday  school 
for  every  six  hundred  and  twentj'-three  people.  The 
workers  recognizing  the  fact  that  the  growth  of  the 
Sunday  school  was  not  keeping  pace  with  the  increase 
of  the  population,  decided  that  something  must  be  done. 
Believing  that  their  cause  was  worthy  of  their  best 
thought  and  business-like  attention,  and  in  answer  to  a 
request  by  the  secretary,  the  American  Sundaj'  School 
Union  sent  Mr.  Stevenson,  assistant  superintendent  of 
the  Northwest  district,  to  Polk  County  to  secure  funds 
for  the  support  of  a  Sunday  school  missionary,  a  man  to 
give  all  his  time  to  the  Sunday-  school  work  of  the  county. 


730  axxal;^  of  polk  couxty 

During  the  first  year  of  this  worli,  a  great  Sunday  school 
reviyal  swept  over  our  county,  and  tliere  was  an  increase 
of  forty  schools.  The  next  year  these  forty  were  kept 
alive  and  fifteen  more  added,  and  from  year  to  year  our 
County  Sunday  School  Association  work  has  gone  steadily 
forward  till  now  we  have  one  hundred  and  sixty  schools. 
The  census  of  '95  gives  Polk  County  a  population  of 
73,000,  giving  us  one  for  every  four  hundred  and  fifty-six. 
About  eighty  of  these  are  in  the  city  and  about  eighty 
outside  the  city,  and  at  this  time  our  Sundaj'  school  pop- 
ulation is  1G,000. 

The  Sunday  schools  of  almost  every  township  are  organ- 
ized into  associations,  auxiliary  to  the  couutj'  association, 
and  about  twenty  to  twenty-five  county  and  township 
conventions  and  institutes  are  being  held  every  year. 
Normal  classes  for  better  preparation  of  teachers  and 
officers  for  their  work  are  conducted  in  various  parts  of 
the  county.  Perhaps  the  most  prominent  and  successful 
is  a  class  conducted  each  year  by  Rev.  and  Mrs.  E.  W. 
Curtis,  of  the  East  Side  United  Brethren  Cliurch.  In 
1894  they  graduated  a  class  of  fifteen  and  last  year,  1895, 
they  had  a  class  of  thirty  young  people.  They  use  the 
Union  Bible  normal  course. 

Our  last  county  convention  was  held  at  Grimes,  Octo- 
ber 23  and  24,  1895,  and  was  of  great  interest.  We  now 
have  a  countj'  association  with  a  substantial  list  of  Sun- 
day school  workers  and  officers.  The  present  officers  are: 
President,  Amos  W.  Brandt;  A'ice  presidents,  E.  H.  Long- 
worth,  of  Polk  City;  Hon.  W.  J.  Stewart,  Grimes;  G.  A. 
Longdon,  of  Bloomfield  Township;  Mrs.  L.  O.  Shaffer, 
Altoona;  secretary  and  treasurer.  Miss  Ida  Denny,  Des 
Moines;  statistical  secretary,  Ira  C.  Kling,  Des  Moines; 
county  missionary,  C.  C.  Wallace,  Des  Moines.     Added 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  731 

members  of  executive  committee — L.  J.  Kasson,  James 
Lee,  C.  E.  Hunn  and  W.  H.  Peuu. 

In  most  of  the  thirty  years  of  State  association  -n'ork, 
Polk  Countj'  has  furnished  an  official  member.  At  pres- 
ent we  furnish  a  rice  president  and  member  of  executiye 
committee.  Tlie  State  convention  of  1S9G  was  held  in  Des 
Moines  June  18-21. 

At  the  fifth  international  convention  at  Chicago  in  ISST 
we  were  represented  by  Maj.  A.  W.  Clancy  and  Eev.  R. 
A.  Thompson.  At  Pittsburg  in  1890  we  sent  and  paid 
the  expenses  of  our  county  secretary,  Mrs.  R.  B.  Maltbie. 
At  the  international  and  world's  conventions  at  St.  Louis 
in  1893  we  were  represented  by  Miss  Ida  Denny,  Asa 
Turner  and  C.  C.  Wallace.  For  the  late  international 
convention  at  Boston  in  189G,  the  State  association  ap- 
pointed seven  to  go  from  our  county. 

Polk  County  has  some  eminent  Bible  teachers  among 
her  Sunday  school  workers,  among  whom  are  Rev.  Dr. 
H.  W.  Tilden,  Mrs.  A.  L.  Frisbie,  W.  W.  Ainsworth.  The 
doctor  conducts  a  Bible  study,  using  the  international 
lessons  every  Monday  evening  at  the  First  Baptist  Church. 
Mrs.  Frisbie  leads  a  teachers'  meeting  on  Wednesday 
evening  at  Plymouth  Congregational  Church.  Mr.  Ains- 
worth is  teacher  of  a  class  of  one  hundred  young  men  in 
the  First  M.  E.  Sunday  school.  These  have  each  their  par- 
ticular distinctions:  Wonderful  in  research;  a  practical 
teacher;  an  original  and  unique  questioner.  Others  are 
worthy  of  mention,  but  these  have  been  popular  in  teach- 
ing the  lesson  before  our  county  convention. 

Mission  work  is  well  represented  in  our  county  and  city. 
About  twenty  Sunday  schools  are  held  in  school  houses 
where  they  do  have  their  preaching,  and  about  fifteen  mis- 


732  AXXALS  OF  POLK  ('OCXTY 

sions  are  mentioned  in  the  city,  among  wliicli  are:  Mann's 
Mission,  started  by  L.  M.  Mann  in  1888;  Epwortli  Mis- 
sion, started  by  Tlieo.  F.  Getcliel  in  Grant  Clnb  rooms 
in  1889;  Calyary  Mission,  started  by  C.  E.  Eisser  in  1890, 
and  Bnnbeani  Mission,  started  by  Franlv  Cromer  in  1893. 
1893. 

A  house  to  house  yisitation  of  the  families  of  our 
county  was  made  October  10  and  11,  1891,  in  the  inter- 
est of  tlie  Sunday  school,  and  all  were  inyited  to  attend. 
About  1,000  yisitors  took  part  in  the  canyass;  in  the  i*ural 
districts  each  pair  of  yisitors  canyassed  a  school  district, 
in  the  towns  and  city  subdivision  of  districts  were  made. 
About  tifty  counties  in  onr  State  made  this  canvass,  all 
the  supplies  being  sent  out  from  Des  Moines.  The  can- 
vass was  a  decided  success  and  was  repeated  October  9 
and  10,  189.5. 

A  great  Sunday  School  convention  was  held  in  Des 
Moines,  commencing  on  Tuesday,  June  9,  1896,  and  contin- 
uing four  days.  It  was  attended  by  many  of  the  most 
prominent  Sunday  School  workers  of  the  country.  The 
meeting  was  held  in  the  Tabernacle  and  at  times  the  large 
building  was  tilled  with  eager  participants  and  listeners. 
On  Tuesday,  the  first  day  of  the  convention,  a  parade  was 
made  by  the  Sunday  School  scholars  and  the  teachers  of 
the  C(junty.  It  was  estimated  there  were  10,000  in  the 
procession,  which  in  length  extended  one  mile  or  more. 
It  was  the  greatest  sight  of  the  kind  ever  known  in  Des 
Moines.  Along  the  streets  wei*e  crowds  of  people  witness- 
ing the  parade.  When  they  all  rendezvoused  at  the  Court 
House  the  square  was  densely  packed  with  people  and  it 
is  estimated  there  were  more  than  30,000  men,  women  and 
children  gathered  in  and  around  the  square.  It  was  a 
great  Sunday  School  reunion. 


CHAPTER  XL 

CHURCHES. 

IN  1S50  all  lo^va  e(>mj)t)sed  one  Methodist  aiiunal  confer- 
ence, and  Polk  Cdnnty  and  the  surronndiug  countvy  be- 
longed to  the  loAva  Citv  District.  Fort  Des  Moines 
by  this  time  had  become  able  to  sustain  a  church  and  a 
resident  minister.  South  and  southwest  was  the  Three 
Rivers  MissiDU,  extending  through  Madison,  Warren  and 
a  jiart  of  Polk  ("ounties.  Many  of  the  ai)poiutnieuts  took 
their  names  fr(un  the  names  of  the  owners  of  the  Iiouses 
in  which  services  were  to  be  held.  They  were  at  that 
time  Linden's,  Laverty's,  Allcock's,  Smith's,  Fleming's, 
Winterset,  Indianola  and  Lynn  Grove.  Rev.  Audrew  Cole- 
man Avas  presiding  elder  of  the  district  and  George  W. 
Teas  in  charge  of  the  mission.  In  September,  1850,  Rev. 
David  Worthiugton  was  appointed  presiding  elder  and 
Rev.  X.  P.  Fink  placed  in  charge  of  the  mission. 

At  the  session  of  the  Iowa  conference  in  18-31  a  new 
district  was  formed  called  Fort  Des  Moines  District,  and 
Rev.  James  Holden  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the 
same. 

The  first  Methodist  Church  organized  in  Polk  County 
was  in  Des  Moines  and  is  now  known  as  the  First  Metli- 
odist  Church.  It  was  organized  in  184G  in  one  of  tlie  old 
fort  buildings,then  occupied  as  a  home  by  Benjamin  T. 
Iloxie,  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  settlers.  The  members 
of  this  organization  or  (dass  were:  Joseph  Soleubarger, 
Sarah  Solenbarger,  Benjamin  T.  IToxie,  Abner  Ifathbun, 
Betsy  Rathbun,  Ezra  Rathbun,  Jonathan  Rathbnu,  Wil- 
liam II.  Meacham  and  wife.    As  will  be  S(^en  four  out  of 


Tdi  AXNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  nine  original  members  were  members  of  oue  family, 
tlie  Eathbuus.  Mr.  Solenbarger  was  choseu  as  the  first 
class  leader.  Services'  were  at  first  held  in  the  houses 
of  the  members  and  subsequently  in  the  Court  House.  But 
as  the  society  grew  it  was  determined  to  erect  a  church 
building  for  their  use.  Lot  No.  3  in  block  21,  on  Fiftli 
street,  between  ( 'our-t.  avenue  and  Walnut,  was  purchased 
of  the  County  Board,  and  subsequently  the  lot  was  by 
the  latter  given  to  the  church,  provided  the  latter  "should, 
witliin  two  years  from  the  first  day  of  January',  1848, 
build  on  the  said  town  lot  a  meeting  house  of  the  follow- 
ing descriptions:  The  house  shall  be  a  frame  or  brick, 
and  the  size  of  the  same  shall  not  be  less  than  21x30  feet, 
so  constructed  and  completed  as  to  render  it  both  suitable 
and  convenient  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  shall  be  de- 
signed." 

These  terms  were  fully  complied  with  in  less  than  the 
limit  of  time  given.  A  frame  church  building  of  good 
size  for  those  days  was  erected,  all  the  settlers  inside 
and  outside  of  the  church  contributing  to  the  same.  In 
1856-7  this  frame  was  replaced  by  a  substantial  brick 
building,  the  largest  and  best  then  in  the  new  city,  and 
was  used  for  church  purposes  and  other  gatherings  for 
a  number  of  years.  About  1886  the  property  was  sold 
to  the  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Company,  who  in  1887-88 
tore  down  the  church  building,  and  upon  its  site  erected 
the  present  six-story  office  building,  the  pioneer  of  the 
other  lofty  business  edifices  which  have  followed.  The 
church  then  erected  the  large  and  handsome  building 
at  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  Pleasant  streets,  where  they 
have  since  held  their  meetings.  This  parent  church  has 
also  generously  aided  in  the  establishment  of  and  the 
erection  of  buildings  for  other  churches  of  that  denom- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  735 

iuation  now  flourishiug  in  the  citv  and  county.  There 
are  now  four  annual  conferences  in  Iowa,  Des  Moines 
conference  embracing  nearly  the  entire  southwest  cjuar- 
ter  of  the  State. 

While  the  Methodists  may  have  had  the  first  start  in 
the  town  and  county,  members  of  other  denominations 
soon  followed  with  church  organizations  of  their  own.  In 
fact  in  those  days  church  matters  and  doctrines  were 
more  discussed  and  commented  upon  than  during  the 
later  years.  Then  in  the  stores,  groceries  and  other  places 
of  resort,  an<l  iu  their  homes,  doctrinal  points  and  the 
relative  merits  of  the  different  churches  were  discussed 
with  much  vigor  and  earnestness.  These  arguments  or 
discussions  often  became  decidedly  heated,  and  in  a  few 
instances  led  to  fights  among  the  more  fiery  members 
of  the  church  militant  and  also  with  some  of  the  scoffers. 
Heated  religious  discussions  were  not  unknown  in  those 
days  even  in  the  bar-rooms  or  in  the  "groceries,"  as  they 
were  termed.  These,  to  a  large  extent,  usurped  the  place 
of  the  political  party  and  local  discussions  of  the  present 
day,  and  every  preacher,  if  he  had  opponents,  also  always 
had  ready  and  zealous  defenders.  The  decadence  of  this 
eagerness  for  religious  discussion  has  been  noted  and 
often  commented  upon  by  those  of  the  early  settlers  now 
living. 

Preachers  of  various  denominations  arriving  in  the 
town,  desirous  of  holding  meetings  of  those  of  their 
faith,  and  the  then  new  Court  Hguse  being  for  a  time 
almost  the  only  place  in  which  such  meetings  could  be 
conveniently  held,  led  to  more  or  less  conflict  over  its  oc- 
cupancy. This  is  apparent  from  the  action  of  the  County 
Board,  which  it  seems  was  forced  to  take  some  action 
in  the  matter,  and  in  1851  adopted  the  following  reso- 


736  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COIXTT 

Intion  or  order,  conclndiufi'  ■with  a  threat  of  furthei"  action 
upon  their  part  if  tlie  ehishiug  brethren  did  not  reach  an 
agreement  among  themselves: 

"(Jrdered,  That  the  ("onrt  House  in  this  county  be  and 
the  same  is  free  to  all  denominations,  on  the  t>abbath 
of  each  week,  for  the  ]niri)ose  of  public  worship,  provided 
they  can  agree  as  to  the  time  of  holding  their  meetings. 
If  not,  the  Board  at  its  next  regular  session  will  take 
the  subject  under  further  consideration."  As  there  is 
no  record  of  the  Board  having  taken  "further  consider- 
ation," the  presumi)tion  is  an  amicable  arrangement  was 
made  by  the  parties  interested,  and  the  court  room  was 
used  alternatively  by  the  different  denominations. 

In  1855,  Rev.  E.  M.  H.  Fleming  commenced  preaching 
in  what  was  called  the  Lyon  school  house  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  and  it  was  stated  that  at  one  time  Mrs. 
A.  Y.  Hull,  mother  of  the  present  member  of  Congress 
from  this  district,  was  the  only  Methodist  in  the  town 
living  upon  that  side  of  the  river.  The  first  Saturday  and 
Sunday  of  Decembei',  1855,  a  Methodist  class  was  formed, 
consisting  "f  llmmas,  Maria  and  Aquilla  Hoffman,  Mrs. 
A.  Y.  Hull,  Jacob  and  Lavina  Butts,  George  C.  and  Mary 
J.  Jeffries,  Sarah  X.  Lyon,  Samuel  Kelley,  B.  Christman, 
Allen  and  Mar-tha  Spitzer.  This  new  churcli  grew  rap- 
idly receiving  many  new  members  from  immigration  and 
conversion.  In  1857  a  frame  building  was  erected  and 
named  Wesley  Chapel.  A  few  years  later  a  parsonage 
was  added.  A  Sunday  school  was  started  as  soon  as  the 
chapel  was  erected,  and  grew  in  time  to  be  one  of  the 
largest  in  the  city.  In  1863  an  addition  was  made  to  the 
nortli  end  of  the  building,  which  gave  it  a  cruciform 
shape.  This  church  has  been  a  very  successful  one.  As 
early  as  1869  a  swarm  left  it  to  form  another  church  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXEf<.  737 

erect  a  building  furtlier  east  for  tlie  aceommodatiou  of 
manj-  members  wlio  had  settle<l  in  that  portion  of  the 
fity.  This  was  named  Asburv  Chapel.  A  few  years  later 
the  old  Wesley  Chapel  was  abandoned  for  a  large  and 
commodious  brick  building  at  present  occupied  by  this 
large  and  prosperous  church,  which  has  done  so  much  for 
the  cause  of  religion  and  good  morals  among  the  pe(^ple 
of  the  East  Side.  Among  the  many  who  aided  in  tliis 
good  work  was  the  late  Judge  M.  D.  McHenry,  who  for 
siune  thirty-eight  years  was  a  devoted  member  of  this 
church. 

THE  PRESBYTERIAN. 

In  a  former  history  of  the  county  it  is  truly  written, 
"The  minister  who  in  early  days  exercised  the  most  influ- 
ence upon  the  settlers  of  Des  Moines,  and  who,  perhaps 
more  than  any  other  one  stamped  his  own  individuality 
upon  the  community,  was  the  Rev.  Thomi^son  Bird,  the 
first  Presbyterian  minister,  who  located  in  Des  Moines 
in  1847.  He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  culture 
and  ability,  and  after  having  been  constantly  identified 
with  the  religious  and  educational  interests  of  the  place 
for  nearly  thirty  years,  departed  to  his  heavenly  reward, 
leaving  behind  him  a  record  of  spotless  purity,  and  a 
name  of  undying  fame."  The  writer  knew  this  best  of 
ministers  and  men  for  a  number  of  years,  and  no  eulogy 
can  surpass  his  merits.  Thompson  Bird  Avas  born  in 
North  Carolina  in  1804  and  graduated  at  the  noted  Uni- 
versity of  that  State  in  1827,  and  at  the  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminar}'  some  years  afterwards.  Sprung  from 
a  race  of  stiirdy  North  Carolina  Presbyterians,  tracing 
back  to  a  Scotch-Irish  ancestr\',  who  had  fought  for  the 
independence  of  their  countrj^  from  foreign  rule,  he  in- 


738  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

herited  the  best  qualities  of  these  remarkable  people. 
Though  bom  in  a  then  slave  State,  like  many  others  of 
his  nativitT,  he  was  strongly  anti-slavery  in  sentiment, 
and  yet,  knowing  how  slaA^ery^  came  and  what  it  was, 
had  no  words  or  thoughts  of  bitterness  or  malice  towards 
those  who  were  so  unfortunate  as  toi  be  the  owner  of 
slaves.  This  was  the  nature  of  the  man.  Cool,  clear- 
headed, determined  when  determination  was  necessary, 
fixed  in  his  religious  opinions  and  convictions,  he  was 
at  the  same  time  gentle,  considerate  and  eminently  fair- 
minded.  He  was  never  intolerant  or  dictatorial.  He  com- 
manded the  respect  and  won  the  love  of  the  men,  women 
and  children  around  him.  Eev.  Mr.  Bird  preached  at 
Thornton,  Indiana,  from  1840  to  1847.  In  this  latter  year 
he  came  to  Iowa,  spending  a  few  months  at  Ked  Rock, 
In  Marion  County,  and  being  appointed  hj  the  Presby- 
ter\'  missionary  for  Polk  and  other  counties  came  to  Fort 
Des  Moines. 

Mr.  Bird  organized  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Des 
Moines  in  1848,  and  immediately  went  to  work  urgiug 
on  the  erection  of  a  suitable  house  of  worship.  A  lot 
was  secured  on  Fourth  street,  next  south  of  where  the 
Kirkwood  House  now  stands.  The  church  as  it  was  first 
organized  in  June,  1848,  consisted  of  but  six  women  and 
one  man.  Meetings  were  first  held  in  one  of  the  former 
goverumeut  cabins,  but  in  cold  weather  in  one  of  the  dwell- 
ing houses,  and  when  the  Court  House  was  built  this 
was  utilized  for  a  time.  The  question  was:  How  can 
a  church  building  be  erected?  A  building  committee  was 
appointed,  consisting  of  R.  W.  Sypher,  Barlow  Granger, 
J.  E.  Jewett,  J.  D.  Davis  and  Rev.  Mr.  Bird,  and  the  bur- 
den of  the  work  naturally  fell  Tipnn  the  latter.  For  six 
years  he  labored,  gathering  a  little  at  a  time.     He  gave 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  739 

of  his  own  meager  salary  and  his  noble  wife  gare  of  her 
earnings  as  a  teacher.  At  last  in  June,  1853,  it  could  be 
occupied  for  service,  though  not  fully  completed.  Then 
a  bell  was  to  be  had  and  there  w^as  little  money  with 
which  to  procure  it.  Eev.  Mr.  Bird  hit  upon  a  i^lan.  He 
had  beeu  a  collector  of  autographs  of  distinguished  men, 
and  had  quite  a  yaluable  collection.  The  noted  Dr. 
Sprague,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  was  also  a  collector  of  auto- 
graphs. He  wrote  to  Dr.  Spragiie,  offering  him  his  col- 
lection if  he  would  arrange  it  so  the  church  could  obtain 
the  bell  desired.  The  doctor  heartily  agreed  to  this  and 
in  a  short  time  thereafter  the  bell,  said  to  be  the  best  in 
tone  ever  heard  in  the  city,  was  sending  over  the  then 
town  its  call  to  preachings  and  prayer  meetings.  This 
bell  was  destroyed  when  the  church  building  burned  on 
November  1,  1869.  The  church  had  by  1855  increased 
considerably  in  numbers  and  the  wealth  of  its  members, 
and  during  the  following  ten  years  this  rapid  increase 
continued. 

For  years  Rev.  Mr.  Bird  continued  pastor  of  the  church 
he  had  founded,  loved  and  respected  by  all,  until  a  stroke 
of  paralysis  forced  him  to  cease  his  labors  as  a  minister. 
He  resigned  as  jjastor,  but  continued  as  mucli  as  possible 
godly  work  until  his  physical  powers  were  exhausted. 
He  passed  to  his  eternal  rest  January  4,  1866,  mourned 
by  the  entire  city. 

Prior  to  the  destruction  by  fire  of  the  church  building 
the  society  had  purchased  a  fine  plat  of  ground  at  the 
intersection  of  High  and  Eighth  streets,  and  upon  this  a 
large  and  costly  brick  and  stone  building  was  subse- 
quently erected,  the  corner  stone  of  the  same  being  laid 
with  ai)i)r(ipriate  ceremonies  September  4,  1867.  Under 
a  rather  raidd  succession  of  ministers  this  church,  known 


740  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

as  the  Central  Presbyterian  Olinrcli  of  Des  Moines,  has 
steadil}"  and  rapidly  grown  until  it  has  become  not  only 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  prosi>erous  in  tlie  city,  but 
also  ranks  among  the  first  in  Iowa.  The  building  has 
from  time  to  time  been  improved  and  beautified,  and  its 
members  have  aided  liberally  iu  the  propogation  of  the 
gospel  and  the  building  of  other  churches  of  that  denom- 
ination in  the  city  and  county.  The  present  pastor  of 
the  church  is  Rev.  A.  B.  Marshall,  and  the  membei-ship 
is  in  the  neighborhood  of  one  thousand,  while  upon  its 
rolls  have  been  placed  the  names  of  more  tliau  two  thou- 
sand persons,  many  of  whom  have  died  or  removed  from 
the  city  or  to  sister  churches. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  (old  school)  of  Des 
Moines  was  organized  in  June,  1848,  by  Samuel  Cowles. 
The  first  meeting  was  held  iu  a  log  building  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  owned  by  John  Dean,  and  formerly  oc- 
cupied as  a  trader's  store.  There  were  thirteen  persons 
present.  Mr.  Cowles  was  succeeded  by  Kev.  G.  W.  Swan 
in  1851,  and  he  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Lippencott  in  1853.  No- 
vember 28,  1854,  the  society  became  an  incorporated  body 
under  the  laws  of  the  State,  with  W.  H.  Leas,  Moses 
Sheets  and  Abram  Dean  as  trustees,  when  preliminary 
steps  were  taken  to  erect  a  house  of  worship,  a  lot  on 
Locust  street,  between  Seventh  and  Eighth,  subsequently 
being  purchased.  In  October,  1856,  Rev.  R.  T.  Drake  was 
installed  as  the  first  settled  pastor  of  the  church,  and  in 
tliat  and  the  following  yesir  the  church  building,  a  sub- 
stantial brick  edifice  was  completed  and  dedicated.  Some- 
time after  Rev.  Mr.  Drake  resigned,  and  in  succeeding 
years  was  followed  by  Revs.  Mr.  Cook,  Hughes  and  others. 
While  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  W.  J.  Gill,  in  1874, 
this  society  united  Avith  the  Ontral  Presbyterian  Church, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  741 

Rev.  Mr.  Gill  becoming  the  pastor  of  the  united  cliurches. 
The  building  was  then  sold  to  the  Christian  Church,  and 
was  used  by  them  until  their  elegant  and  spacious  new 
building  was  erected.  It  was  then  again  sold  to  private 
parties,  and  is  at  the  present  time  used  and  occupied  by 
the  Des  Moines  Marble  Works. 

Here  we  insert  the  oiHcial  history  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  kindly  prepared  for  this  work 
by  the  present  pastor  and  Tac.  Hussey. 

Two  Presbyterian  Churches  were  organized  in  Des 
Moines  on  Sabbath,  the  fourth  day  of  January,  A.  D. 
1848.  One  of  them  was  of  the  old  school,  and  was  called 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  and 
the  other  was  of  the  new  school,  and  was  called  the  Cen- 
tral Presb;\i:erian  Church  of  Fort  Des  Moines. 

THE  CENTRAL  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  one  of  the  block  houses 
which  stood  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Eaccoon  River 
near  its  junction  with  the  Des  Moines,  by  the  Rev.  Thomp- 
son Bird,  who  had  been  directed  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Des  Moines  (X.  S.),  at  its  session  held  October,  1847,  at 
i'ellow  Springs,  to  make  Fort  Des  Moines  one  of  his 
preaching  places,  and  who  on  the  first  Sabbath  of  Jan- 
uar\',  1848,  held  the  first  service  at  the  place  indicated. 
Six  persons  united  together  in  the  membership  of  the 
church  at  the  time  of  its  organization,  viz. :  Samuel  Kel- 
logg Kirkpatrick  and  his  wife,  Mar^'  Kellogg  Kirkpatrick, 
Ruth  Jane  Shell,  Frances  Guerrant,  Herman  Yates  and 
Anna  P.  Bird,  the  vnte  of  the  minister  in  charge.  Mrs. 
Bird  is  the  onlj'  one  of  the  founders  of  the  church  now 
living. 

The  services  of  this  church  were  held  in  the  cabins  of 


742  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  early  settlers  until  the  first  of  January,  1850,  and  after 
that  for  three  years  or  more  in  the  Court  House,  the  first 
public  building  erected  in  the  county. 

In  the  summer  of  1853  this  congregation  erected  its 
first  house  of  worship.  It  was  a  frame  structure,  26x40 
feet  in  size.  The  site  of  that  building  is  on  the  west  side 
of  Fourth  street,  just  south  of  the  Kirkwood.  It  is  now 
occupied  by  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  ComjDauy.  Four 
years  later  that  building  was  enlarged  to  nearly  double 
its  original  capacity,  and  on  November  1,  1869,  it  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  together  with  many  of  the  records  and 
books  of  the  church. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  commodious  edifice  on  the 
nor-theastern  comer  of  Eighth  and  High  streets,  in  wliich 
the  congregation  now  worships,  was  laid  September  5, 
1867,  and  the  completed  building  was  dedicated  with 
appropriate  services  January  2,  1870. 

The  Rev.  Thompson  Bird,  under  whose  ministrations 
the  church  organized,  served  it  as  stated  from  the  time 
of  its  organization  until  December  2.3,  1863,  on  which 
day  he  was  regularly  installed  as  its  pastor.  On  the  10th 
day  of  February,  1866,  his  health  having  failed,  at  his 
own  request  this  relationship  was  dissolved.  He  was 
never  again  able  to  engage  in  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
and  died  on  the  4th  of  January,  1869,  in  the  65th  year  of 
his  age.  During  his  connection  with  this  church  one 
hundred  and  sixty-two  persons  were  added  to  its  mem- 
bership. 

He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Wetmore,  who 
served  the  church  as  stated  supply  until  December  31, 
1866.  The  Rev.  Thomas  O.  Rice  was  the  next  pastor  of 
the  church,  filling  the  ofiice  from  Api-il  17,  1807,  to  1871. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  743 

His  successor  was  the  Eev.  M.  L.  P.  Hill,  who  was  in- 
stalled as  pastor  in  1872,  and  remained  with  the  congre- 
gation until  1875. 

FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

In  the  meantime  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  had 
also  made  good  progress.  It  was  organized  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river  in  the  house  of  John  Dean.  The  Rev. 
Salmon  Cowles  presided  and  the  following  named  per- 
sons were  enrolled  as  members,  viz.:  John  Dean,  Mrs. 
Nancy  Dean,  Miss  Hannah  Dean,  Mrs.  Anna  Dean,  Abra- 
ham Dean,  Miss  Sarah  Frederick,  James  G.  Finch,  Mrs. 
Sarah  J.  Finch,  William  Garrett,  Mrs.  Mary  Garrett, 
Miss  Margaret  A.  Garrett,  Mrs.  Eleanor  B.  Garrett,  Mrs. 
Esther  Myers. 

At  the  same  meeting  William  Garrett  was  chosen  to 
till  the  office  of  ruling  elder. 

The  services  of  this  church  were  held  for  a  time  in  East 
Des  Moines,  and  afterwards  in  a  house  of  worship  which 
the  congregation  erected  on  the  north  side  of  Locust 
street,  between  Seventh  and  Eighth  streets. 

It  was  serwed  for  nine  years  by  supplies  appointed  by 
the  Presbytery.  Its  first  pastor  was  the  Eev.  R.  T.  Drake, 
who  was  installed  June  11,  1857,  and  relieved  April  12, 
1860.  Other  temporary  supplies  ensned,  and  then  Rev. 
D.  L.  Hughes  served  as  pastor  from  1861  to  1866. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  A.  Dinsmore,  who  was 
installed  as  pastor  on  the  16th  of  June,  1867,  and  was 
releasefl  because  of  failing  health  on  the  25th  of  April, 
1872. 

The  Rev.  William  John  Gill  was  next  called  to  the  pas- 
torate, and  was  formally  installed  June  18,  1872.  Dur- 
ing the  third  year  of  his  pastorate  the  First  Church  and 
the  Central  Church  were  consolidated.     The  union  was 


744  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

effected  on  the  15th  daj'  of  November,  ISTo,  and  the  con- 
solidated chnrch  was  called  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Des  Moines.  Subsequently  it  was  named  the  Central 
Presbyterian  Church. 

The  property  which  had  belonged  to  the  First  Church 
was  sold  soon  after  the  consolidation  and  the  united  con- 
gregations thenceforth  worshiped  in  the  building  on  High 
street,  which  had  been  provided  by  the  Central  Church, 
and  the  united  church  was  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
Rev.  William  J.  Gill  (the  pastor  of  the  First  Church  at 
the  time  of  the  union)  iintil  1878. 

lie  was  followed  by  the  Kev.  Samuel  H.  Thompson, 
who  was  pastor  of  the  church  from  1879  until  1880.  A 
call  was  then  extended  to  the  Kev.  John  B.  Stewart,  D.  D., 
wlio  began  to  preach  for  the  congregation  on  the  first 
Sabbath  of  January,  1881,  and  although  never  installed 
as  pastor  of  the  church,  he  continued  to  fill  the  pulpit 
very  acceptably  until  June  8,  1887,  at  which  time,  hav- 
ing gone  to  California  becaiise  of  failing  health,  he  re- 
turned the  call  which  had  been  extended  to  him  to  the 
congregation. 

The  next  pastor  was  the  Kev.  Samuel  E.  Wishard,  D.  D., 
who  was  with  the  congregation  from  November,  1887,  to 
Apiil,  1890.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Kev.  Howard 
Aguew  Johnson,  D.  I).,  who  served  as  i)astor  from  Octo- 
ber, 1890,  until  November,  1893. 

The  present  incumbent  is  the  Kev.  A.  B.  Marshall,  I). 
D.,  who  was  installed  in  June,  1894.  The  church  now  has 
840  members. 

THE  BAPTIST. 

"\Mien  the  great  West  beyond  the  Mississippi  Kiver 
was  opened  for  settlement,  throngs  of  settlers  were  at- 
tracted by  the  beauty  of  the  country  and  the  fertility 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  BEH  MOINES.  745 

of  the  hind  opened  for  settlement.  As  the  country  gained 
in  population  the  various  denominations  looked  to  the 
new  Territories  of  the  West  as  most  promising  fields  for 
missionary  labor.  Among  the  settlers  Avere  many  who 
were  earnest  and  devout  Christians,  and  who  had  been 
active  members  of  the  Evangelical  Church.  These  men 
and  women  felt  the  need  of  union  and  organization,  and 
as  soon  as  possible  sent  requests  to  missionary  societies 
in  the  East  to  aid  them  in  the  work. 

In  Des  Moines  at  a  very  early  date  in  its  settlement 
members  of  religious  denominations  banded  together, 
made  some  effort  at  organization,  established  prayer 
meetings  and  Sunday  schools  as  preliminary  steps  to 
church  organizations.  The  Baptists,  though  not  the  first, 
were  not  far  behind  in  the  good  work.  The  first  stei)s 
were  taken  in  the  year  1850,  when  a  meeting  of  a  few 
Baptists  of  the  village  was  held  at  the  home  of  J.  M. 
Reicheneker,  November  19,  when  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  adopted: 

"  Resolved,  That  measures  be  taken  to  secure  the  or- 
ganization of  a  Baptist  Church  in  this  town. 

"  Resolved,  That  Brethren  William  McKay,  Granville 
Berkley  and  John  M.  Reicheneker  be  a  committee  to  con- 
sult with  Rev.  B.  F.  Beabrook,  the  State  missionary  agent, 
and  if  possible  obtain  his  aid  in  the  formation  of  a  church 
and  securing  a  pastor." 

The  committee  received  an  answer  from  Mr.  Beabrook 
saying  that  a  clergyman  would  be  sent  to  the  applicants 
to  settle  with  them  and  organize  a  church.  January  3, 
1851,  Rev.  John  A.  Xash,  a  graduate  of  Hamilton  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  Hamilton,  Xew  York,  arrived  in  Des 
Moines.  January  6,  1851,  a  meeting  was  called  at  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  to  meet  and  form  the  ac- 


746  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

quaiutance  of  the  newly  arrh^ed  minister.  On  the  18th 
of  Jannary,  at  the  same  place,  another  meeting  was  held, 
John  A.  Nash,  moderator,  and  J.  M.  Reicheneker,  clerk. 
The  following  named  persons  held  letters  of  dismission 
from  various  Baptist  Churches,  namely:  Rev.  John  A. 
Nash  and  wife,  William  McKay,  GiTinville  Berkley,  H. 
Everly,  Charles  A.  McKay,  Arozina  Perkins,  Margaret 
Jjuce  and  J.  M.  Reicheneker  and  wife.  By  formal  resolu- 
tions they  organized  themselves  into  a  church  body  under 
the  title  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  and 
proceeded  to  the  election  of  church  officers.  Deacons — 
Henry  Everlj^,  William  McKay,  Granville  Berkley;  clerk, 
J.  M.  Reicheneker.  A  declaration  of  faith  Avas  also  unani- 
mously adopted.  At  a  meeting  at  the  Court  House  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1851,  Thomas  Roberts,  John  Hays,  Mary  Ann 
Marvin,  Sarah  Saylor  and  Margaretta  Luce  became  ad- 
ditional members. 

February  15,  the  following  persons  were  elected  trus- 
tees, to  be  known  as  the  officers  of  the  church,  namely: 
P.  M.  Casady,  H.  H.  Saylor,  B.  F.  Allen,  G.  Berkley,  and 
William  McKay.  At  this  meeting  John  A.  Nash  was 
elcted  pastor,  J.  M.  Reicheneker  clerk  and  John  Hays 
treasurer.  Soon  after  the  installation  of  Mr.  Nash  as  pas- 
tor his  wife  died,  the  first  death  to  occur  in  the  member- 
ship of  the  little  church. 

With  the  proverbial  hospitalitj^  of  the  West  the  newly 
organized  church  was  tendered  by  other  denominations 
the  use  of  their  respective  church  edifices,  and  the  officials 
also  offered  the  Court  House  for  the  Sunday  services  until 
■such  time  as  the  church  should  be  able  to  erect  a  house 
of  their  own. 

In  1852  the  church  having  received  some  accessions 
to  its  membership,  it  was  resolved  to  erect  a  house  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  747 

-v\'orsliip  on  the  lot  given  to  the  church  by  the  commis- 
sioners of  Polk  Conntv,  situated  on  Mulberiy  street,  be- 
tween Fifth  and  Sixth  streets,  opposite  the  Coiirt  House. 
The  building  committee  were  John  A.  Nash,  W.  A.  Gal- 
braith,  J.  M.  Griffiths  and  John  L.  Smith. 

The  building  advanced  slowly  on  account  of  diffici;lty 
in  raising  money  and  procuring  brick  and  suitable  lum- 
ber. It  was  finally  enclosed  and  occupied,  the  first  seats 
being"  made  of  plank  without  backs.  Pine  lumber  for 
seats  was  finally  obtained  through  the  exertions  of  W. 
A.  Galbraith  and  J.  M.  Griffiths,  and  hauled  from  Bur- 
lington by  John  L.  Smith  and  John  Hays. 

The  society  continued  to  worship  in  this  building  (which 
still  stands  surrounded  by  larger  ones)  until  1865,  when, 
having  largely  increased  in  numbers  it  w^as  resolved  to 
erect  a  more  commodious  edifice.  About  this  time  Rev. 
John  A.  Nash,  who,  through  all  vicissitudes,  had  remained 
the  pastor,  resigned,  in  order  to  devote  his  time  to  the 
upbuilding  of  the  Des  Moines  University,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  L.  W.  Hayhurst,  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
Cliurch  at  Burlington.  The  old  house  of  worship  was  sold 
and  a  new  site  selected  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Eighth 
and  Locust  streets.  In  1866  the  new  church  was  so  far 
finished  that  the  basement  was  occupied  for  worship.  Rev. 
L.  W.  Hayhurst  remained  pastor  four  j-ears  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  J.  Y.  Schofield,  of  St.  Louis.  Under  his 
pastorate  the  church  building  w^as  finished  and  dedicated 
to  divine  service.  After  two  years  pastorate  work  Dr. 
Schofield  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  John  R. 
Murphj^,  of  Salem,  New  Jersey,  who  labored  siiccessfully 
and  acceptablj-  for  nine  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  L. 
W.  Woodruff,  of  Michigan,  and  he  in  tw^o  years  by  C.  M. 
Brink,  of  New  York.     Mr.  Brink  remained  pastor  four 


748  ANXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

jeni-ii  and  then  resigned  to  take  a  position  in  Brown  Uni- 
versity, Eliode  Island.  Mr.  Brink  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
H.  i^.  kStetson,  of  Logansport,  Indiana.  Dr.  Stetson 
resigned  the  pastorate  to  accept  the  presidency  of  Des 
Moines  College,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

The  present  pastor.  Dr.  H.  W.  Tilden,  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  in  1891.  Dr.  Tilden  has  labored  earnestly  and 
successfully  to  build  up  the  church,  and  stands  deservedly 
high  with  his  people  and  the  community  as  a  clear  thinker 
and  eloquent  ami  effective  speaker. 

Soon  after  Dr.  Tilden's  coming  the  church  began  to 
consider  the  advisability  of  removal  from  the  building  on 
Eighth  and  Locust  and  the  erection  of  one  more  com- 
mensurate with  their  needs  and  nearer  to  the  center  of 
population.  A  site  was  finally  selected  and  purchased 
on  Eighth  and  High  streets.  In  the  meantime  the  build- 
ing on  Eighth  and  Locust  Avas  abandoned,  the  society 
first  holding  services  at  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  and  subse- 
quently in  the  High  School  building.  The  church  prop- 
erty on  Eighth  and  Locust  streets  was  sold,  and  with 
the  proceeds  of  the  sale  and  a  general  subscription  by 
the  members  the  statel^^  and  beautiful  church  on  Eighth 
and  High  has  been  erected  in  all  its  fair  proportions  and 
architectural  beauty. 

As  was  confidently  expected,  the  work  has  been  pushed 
steadily  forward  to  completion,  and  that  at  no  distant 
date  it  will  be  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1895,  new  articles  of  ineoii)oration  were  adopted 
under  the  title  of  "The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Des 
Moines."  This  change  had  been  thought  necessary  be- 
cause of  repeated  colonizations.  In  1868  the  Baptists  of 
East  Des  Moines  felt  able  to  establish  a  new  church,  and 
witli  the  approval  and  aid  of  all  a  new  and  prosperous 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINE^S.  749 

church  was  founded  under  the  name  of  the  East  Des 
Moines  Baptist  Church,  and  still  another,  the  Forest  Ave- 
nue Baptist  Church.  These  offshoots  of  the  parent  church 
are  all  flourishing-  and  rapidly  increasing  in  membership. 
Under  Dr.  Tilden's  lead  a  commodious  building  has  been 
erected  in  South  Des  Moines  as  a  Mission  Church,  and 
regular  religious  services  and  a  Sabbath  school  are  main- 
tained in  it.  Thus,  from  very  small  beginnings  we  have 
seen  four  prosperous  churches  arise  so  that  in  division 
there  has  been  ultimate  strength. 

Bev.  J.  A.  Nash,  while  pastor  of  his  church,  also,  in  con- 
nection with  Mrs.  Nash,  taught  a  school  for  several  years, 
which  is  gratefully  remembered  by  those  now  living  Avho 
enjoyed  the  teachings  of  these  estimable  pioneers.  He 
from  the  start  took  a  great  interest  in  education,  and  for 
many  years  his  leading  desire  was  to  establish  a  leading 
college  under  the  control  of  his  church,  in  Des  Moines. 
To  this  he  devoted  years  of  arduous  and  i^oorly  remunera- 
ted toil,  working  persistently  and  freely  devoting  of  his 
time  aud  scanty  means  to  this  desire<l  end.  No  discour- 
agements or  difficulties  could  dishearten  him.  At  last, 
liis  college  was  founded,  and  after  many  struggles,  he  lived 
to  see  it  started  upon  the  up  grade  of  prosperity,  with 
himself  as  president.  To  advance  its  interests  he  was 
willing  to  take  any  position,  high  or  low,  or  make  any 
desired  sacrifice.  He  lived  to  see  the  Des  Moines  Uni- 
versity take  its  proper  place  among  the  leading  educa- 
tional institutions  of  the  state.  He  was  then  content. 
His  life  work  had  been  accomplished.  For  years  no  meet- 
ing of  the  early  settlers  was  complete  without  the  presence 
of  Bev.  and  Mrs.  Nash,  and  time  and  time  again  he  was 
called  upon  to  minister  at  the  open  graves  of  his  old  time 
friends  and  associates,  as  they  passed  away.     At  last  the 


750  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

call  came  for  him  and  he  answered  it  with  the  trust  and 
faith  of  a  true  christian,  who  had  fought  the  good  fight 
even  to  the  end.  He  died  in  1890,  and  his  funeral  was  one 
of  the  most  largely  attended  ever  held  in  Des  Moines.  All 
the  people  seemed  tO'  vie  with  each  other  in  showing  their 
sorrow  at  his  death  and  loving  respect  for  his  memory. 
His  widow,  Mary  Hepburn-Nash,  died  in  1893,  from  the 
effects  of  a  fall  received  a  short  time  previous,  and  fol- 
lo^ed  her  beloved  husband  to  eternal  rest.  She  was  one 
of  the  best  of  christian  women,  bright,  cheerful  and  full 
of  sympathy  for  all,  winning  affection  and  respect  from  all 
n-ith  whom  she  came  in  contact.  No  more  worthy  couple 
than  Eev.  and  Mrs.  Nash  ever  lived  in  and  blessed  Des 
Moines. 

CATHOLIC   CHURCH. 

At  tlie  first  settlement  of  the  county  a  few  members  of 
the  Catholic  Church  were  to  be  found  among  the  new  set- 
tlers. In  fact  there  is  little  doubt  that  at  a  very  early  day, 
long  anterior  to  any  white  settlements,  zealous  and  fear- 
less Catholic  missionary  priests  had  carried  the  cross 
among  the  wild  tribes  of  Indians  then  roaming  over  this 
beautiful  coamtry.  Flistory  tells  us  they  were  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  Elver,  and  this  being  true  it  is 
highly  probable  they  did  not  fail  to  f  urtlier  ascend  the  river 
to  the  Raccoon  Fork,  which  for  so  long  a  time  was  a  favor- 
ite resort  of  the  Indians  roaming  over  the  country  now 
called  Iowa.  It  is  not  unlikeh'  the  first  white  man  who 
gazed  upon  the  site  of  Des  Moines  was  a  Catholic  and  a 
priest  of  that  church.  Be  this  as  it  may,  many  Catholics 
were  among  the  early  settlers,  and  they  occasionallj' 
received  religious  instructions  from  visiting  ])riests. 
However,  it  was  not  until  1854  that  a  regular  parish  was 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  l)E^  2I0IXES.  751 

established.  In  that  year  Thomas  G.  Given  conveyed  to 
Bishop  Loras,  of  Dubu(iue,  the  title  to  two  lots  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  Locust  and  Sixth  streets,  and  Rev, 
G.  A.  Plathe  came  to  take  charge  as  parish  priest.  Under 
his  ministration  in  1855-G  a  small  building  was  erected 
upon  one  of  these  lots,  and  this  was  the  first  Cath(dic 
church  of  Des  Moines.  P'rom  the  first  the  church  rapidly 
grew  in  numbers  and  in  1858  more  room  Avas  added  to  the 
building.  Father  Plathe  was  one  of  the  best  of  men,  and 
labored  hard  to  build  up  his  church  and  guide  and  help 
its  members.  His  health  failing,  he  was  finally  compelled 
to  return  to  Dubuque,  giving  up  his  work  here.  Not  long 
afterwards  he  died,  sincerely  mourned  by  all  who  knew 
his  personal  and  religious  worth. 

He  was  succeeded  in  18G0  by  John  F.  Brazill,  who  during 
his  many  years  of  active  Avork  in  the  community  wielded 
an  influence  for  good  second  to  no  man  in  the  city  or 
county.  He  was  able,  energetic,  and  far-sighted.  He  built 
up  his  church  and  its  schools,  looked  after  the  spiritual 
and  moral  interests  of  his  parishioners,  and  aided  in  many 
Avays  in  improving  and  building  up  the  city  of  Des  Moines. 
He  was  quick  in  his  judgment,  firm  in  his  pui*poses  and 
untiring  in  his  labors.  He  saw  at  once  in  coming  here 
the  necessity  for  a  new  church  building  and  went  to  Avork 
making  preparations  for  building  the  same.  A  large 
brick  and  stone  building  was  commenced  in  the  spring  of 
18G3  and  completed  in  the  fall  of  ISGl.  This  was  used 
continually  for  services  until  1891,  when  the  ncAV  and  mag- 
nificent stone  church  on  the  corner  of  High  street  and 
Sixth  aA'anue  was  completed.  Father  BrazilFs  keen  fore- 
sight realized  at  that  earh'  dav  the  future  groAvth  and 
importance  of  Des  Moines.  Hence  at  an  early  period  he 
secured  the  ground  where  the  massive  Equitable  building 


752  AXXALH  OF  POLK  COJNTY 

now  stands  for  a  priest's  home,  and  later  on  iiiirchase<i 
the  large  gronnds  at  the  corner  of  (Jrand  and  Sixth 
avennes,  where  now  stands  the  (.'athoilc  school  honse  and 
the  ^^ister•s'  Home.  Yet  later  on  he  pnrchased  tlie  large 
]ilat  of  gronnd  upon  which  the  new  church  was  built  after 
liis  death.  He  made  other  purchases  showing  his  almost 
infallible  judgment,  all  of  which  aided  in  the  advance- 
ments of  the  interests  of  the  church  and  people  to  whom 
he  devoted  his  life.  The  churches,  schools,  seminaries,  hos- 
l)itals  and  other  good  works  founded  or  fostered  by  liim 
should  kee])  his  memory  for  ever  green  among  those  who 
come  after  this  good  and  great  man.  He  died  in  1885, 
before  he  had  fully  passed  the  prime  of  life  and  Avheu  he 
could  have  reasonably  looked  forward  to  years  more  of 
ssefulness,  deeply  mourned  and  regretted  by  many  thous- 
ands outside  as  well  as  inside  the  church  for  which  he 
had  i^erformed  so  much  of  intelligent  and  successful  labor. 

Following  the  death  of  Father  Brazill  the  bishop  ap- 
pointed Rev.  M.  Flavin  to  the  charge  of  the  parish.  He 
has  proven  himself  eminently  qualified  to  fill  tins  onerous 
and  responsible  position  as  the  spiritual  head  of  this  large 
and  growing  ])arish,  now  the  largest  in  numbers  in  the 
state,  with  perhaps  one  exception.  Father  Flavin  at  once 
sought  to  carr_y  out  the  wise  plans  of  his  j^retlecessor,  and 
commenced  making  ari-angements  for  the  erection  of  a 
church  edifice  which  would  be  an  honor  to  the  parish  and 
to  the  church  and  afford  proper  facilities  for  religious  ser- 
vices of  a  congregation  now  numbering  thousands.  Tlie 
magnificent  new  St.  Ambrose  Church,  on  the  corner  of 
High  and  Sixth  avenue,  was  erected  in  1889-90,  and  ded- 
icated in  1891.  The  building  is  of  stone,  eighty  and  one 
hundred  feet  in  width,  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  feet  in 
lengtl),  eighty  feet  in  height,  with  a  spire  reaching  one 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXE:^.  753 

lumdred  and  fortT-five  feet.  Outside  it  presents  a  fine 
apxiearauce,  while  inside  no  labor  or  expense  has  been 
spared  to  make  it  a  beautiful  and  fitting  house  of  worship 
for  the  thousands  A\'ho  regularly  attend  the  services  of 
the  church.  The  total  cost  of  the  church  was  a  little  less 
than  $100,000.  In  the  parish  are  some  five  liundred 
Catholic  families,  and  in  addition  are  many  othei'  Catho- 
lics, and  many  who  come  and  go,  making,  however,  a  per- 
manent congregation  of  about  three  thousand  souls. 
Hence  it  will  be  seen  Father  Flavin  and  his  assistants  have 
little  idle  time  upon  their  hands,  and  are  kept  Ijusily 
engaged  in  their  labors  among  tlie  people. 

On  July  2,  1882,  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Nugent  was  appointed 
to  the  East  Side  charge  by  the  Riglit  Rev.  Bishop  iMcMul- 
len,  the  first  bishop  of  Davenport.  For  sometime  service 
was  held  in  the  temporary  building  on  the  corner  of  Sev- 
enth and  Court  avenue.  This  site  was  finally  abandoned 
for  the  more  elevated  and  desirable  location  on  the  corner 
of  Tenth  and  Walnut.  On  the  site  a  large  and  commodi- 
ous structure  Avas  erected  and  formally  opened  for  use  on 
the  twentieth  of  December  1892.  The  old  site  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Seventh  and  Court  avenue  is  now  the  location  of  the 
East  Side  parochial  school.  Down  to  July,  1882,  the  East 
Side  had  been  a  part  of  St.  Ambrose  parish,  but  was  then 
made  a  separate  charge,  called  the  East  Side  parish,  and 
the  church  was  called  tlie  Church  of  Visitation. 

The  Clerman  Catholic  Cliurch  of  St.  Mary's  was  oi'gan- 
ized  in  18G9,  and  Father  A.  X.  Sassell  was  made  pastor. 
Under  his  direction  a  frame  building  on  Second  street 
was  remodeled  and  made  into  a  chiirch  and  parsonage,  and 
services  were  regularly  held.  The  congregation  increas- 
ing in  numbers,  in  1872  a  start  was  made  towards  the 
erection  of  the  present  handsome  and  large  clnircli.  Sec- 


754  AWALS  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

oud  and  Ci-dcker  streets.  In  1874  the  fonndatious  of  the 
new  liiiihling'  were  built  and  in  the  folloAving'  year  the 
main  buihling  was  er&cted.  The  first  services  therein  were 
held  on  Easter  ^uudaj',  1876.  Father  Wassell,  the  worthy 
priest  who  had  been  with  the  ehiireh  from  the  beginning, 
and  who  had  done  so  much  for  it,  died  in  1883.  He  was 
succeeded  by  the  j^resent  pastor.  Father  W.  Schmidt,  Avho 
has  labored  faithfully  in  the  building  up  of  the  cliurch. 
which  now  has  in  its  fold  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  Catholic  families,  or  more  than  si.\  hundred  souls.  A 
parochial  school  was  started  by  Father  Sassell  in  1871,  and 
placed  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Francis.  The  attend- 
ance is  now  oyer  one  hundred  pupils,  with  five  Sisters  as 
teachers.  The  St.  Francis  Society,  attached  to  the  church, 
was  organized  in  1871,  and  has  been  A-ery  successful.  For 
over  twenty-one  years  L.  11.  Kurtz  has  been  its  president, 
and  much  credit  is  due  him  for  the  success  of  the  society. 

PROTESTANT    EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

The  Parish  of  Saint  I'aul's,  Des  Moines,  Avas  organized 
October  15,  1851,  by  Kev.  EdAvard  AA\  Peet,  of  Rahway, 
NeAV  Jersey.  The  meeting  at  which  this  organization  Avas 
affected  Avas  held  in  the  hfiuse  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Morris,  situated 
on  the  east  side  of  Third  street,  just  south  of  Walnut  street, 
and  the  same  house  afterAvards  occupied  by  Col.  Hooker 
and  family  for  many  years. 

There  AAcre  present  the  folloAving  named  gentlemen: 
Mr.  Larned  Case,  Judge  Byron  Pice,  Dr.  J.  W.  Morris,  D. 
O.  Finch,  Madison  Young,  AA'illiam  F.  Ayers,  Hoyt  Sher- 
man, John  D.  McCall  and  John  F.  HoAve.  These  nine  gen- 
tlemen agreed  to  act  as  vestrymen;  Larned  Case  and 
Madison  Young  were  elected  wardens,  and  they  proceeded 
at  once  to  extend  a  call  to  Rev.  E.  W.  Peet  to  become  rec- 


A^^D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  755 

tor  of  the  new  parish,  and  upon  his  signifying  that  he 
would  accept  the  call,  he  was  nnanimously  elected  rector. 
The  first  Episcopal  services  were  held  on  that  same  day  in 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  the  use  of  which  was  tendered 
to  Mr.  Peet  by  its  pastor,  the  Rev.  Thompson  Bird,  a  man 
venerated,  respected  and  loved  to  this  day  by  the  older 
citizens  of  the  then  little  village  of  Fort  Des  Moines.  Mr. 
Peet  returned  to  Xew  Jersey  to  make  arrangements  to 
remove  permanently  to  his  new  field  of  labor,  and  did  so  in 
March,  1S55,  and  at  once  began  his  work  as  rector  of  the 
parisji.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the  old  court  house  on 
the  site  of  the  present  union  depot. 

In  July  of  this  year  (1855)  a  lot  was  purchased  on  Sev- 
enth street,  just  north  of  Walnut  street,  and  in  1856  the 
congregation  commenced  the  erection  of  their  first  church 
building.  It  was  onh*  a  small  frame  structure  costing 
about  |4,500.  The  first  seiwice  in  this  building  was  on 
Christmas  day,  1856.  The  building  was  not  completed, 
seats  in,  etc.,  until  some  months  later. 

Additions  were  made  to  the  original  building  from  time 
to  time  and  occupied  by  the  congregation  until  some  time 
early  in  1884  when  the  property  was  sold.  Of  the  members 
of  the  original  vestry,  only  Byron  Rice  and  Hojt  Sherman 
are  now  living  in  this  city.  In  September,  1855,  Mr.  Ira 
Cook  was  elected  vestrjTnan  in  place  of  Mr.  McCall,  and 
Mr.  Slierman  and  Mr.  Cook  are  members  of  the  present 
vestry.  Early  in  the  year  1884  was  commenced  the  erec- 
tion of  the  new  stone  church  on  the  corner  of  Ninth  ami 
High  streets  under  the  supervision  of  Messrs.  Foster  & 
Liebbe,  architects,  from  plans  made  by  them.  It  Avas  so 
far  completed  as  to  be  occupied  in  i)art  in  the  spring  of 
1885,  when  the  old  building  on  Seventh  street  was  deserted. 

The  succession  of  rectors  has  been  as  follows:     Rev.  E. 


756  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

W.  Peet,  Rev.  Frederick  Brooks,  Rev.  J.  E.  Ryan,  Rev. 
Echvard  J.  Saunders  Reed,  Rev.  P.  B.  Morgan,  Rev.  J.  S. 
Jeneks,  Rev.  W.  II.  Van  Antwerp,  Rev.  Samnel  X.  Watson, 
Rev.  J.  J.  Wilkins,  and  Rev.  J.  Everist  Catliell,  the  present 
rector. 

Of  the  little  band  of  commnnicants,  nine  in  nnmlier,  who 
celebrated  the  first  communion  April  8,  18.55,  not  one  Is 
to-dnv  living  except  Mrs.  Daniel  O.  Finch,  who  now  resides 
in  Seattle,  state  of  Washington.  Tlie  present  member- 
ship is  between  500  and  600.  The  church  and  grounds  are 
estimated  to  be  worth  .f  50,000. 

PLYMOUTH    CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH. 

The  Plymouth  Congregational  Church  of  Des  Moines, 
Iowa,  was  organized  December  6,  1857,  and  the  following 
persons  entered  into  covenant  at  that  time:  George  S. 
Greene,  Irene  E.  Greene,  Edward  W.  Barnuni,  Mary  E. 
Barnum,  Henry  A.  Bigelow,  Joseph  T.  Cook,  Martha  A. 
Cook,  Le'vi  Richardson,  Jane  B.  Richardson,  Jemima  Love- 
joy.  Rev.  Joseph  T.  Cook  was  installed  over  the  church 
as  its  pastor  March  10, 1858.  Mr.  Cook  resigned  his  charge 
and  was  dismissed  February  23,  1859.  The  church  was 
Avithout  a  stated  preacher  from  the  dismission  of  Mr.  Cook 
until  October  1,  1859,  when  Mr.  J.  M.  Chamberlain,  of 
West  Brookfleld,  Mass.,  Andover  Class  of  18.58,  com- 
menced his  labors  as  stated  supply.  He  was  ordained 
at  Des  Moines,  December  14,  1859,  and  installed  as  pastor 
of  Plymouth  Church,  December  19,  1860.  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain resigned  his  charge  and  was  dismissed  iu  October, 

1865.  The  cliurch  was  without  a  pastor  until  September, 

1866,  when  Rev.  Henry  vS.  De  Forrest  accepted  a  call  to 
the  ]iastorate.     His  ministry  continued  until  June,  1870, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  2I0IXES.  757 

wlieu  the  pulpit  again  became  vacant.    The  present  pas- 
tor, Key.  A.  L.  Frisbie  was  installed  in  NoA'^embei',  1871. 

The  first  meetings  of  this  church  were  held  in  the  briclc 
building  erected  by  Capt.  F.  E.  West,  on  the  corner  of 
Court  avenue  and  Fourth  street.  It  was  then  occupied  by 
B.  F.  Allen's  bank  and  the  State  Journal  office,  and  is 
imw  kniiAvn  as  tlie  Register  building.  t^ubsequeutly, 
meetings  were  held  in  Sherman  hall.  In  the  summer  of 
1858,  during  the  ministry  of  Eev.  Mr.  Cook,  a  small  house, 
26x12,  was  erected  on  a  part  of  the  lot  where  the  United 
States  building  now  stands.  This  was  upon  leased  land, 
and  during  the  ministry  of  Eev.  Mr.  Chamberlain  this 
building  was  rem(j\'ed  to  tlie  now  present  site  of  the 
chur<-li,  fin  the  corner  of  Locust  and  Seventh  streets. 
This  frame  building  was  repaired  and  enlarged  from  time 
to  time  until  in  the  fall  of  1876,  when  it  gave  way  to  the 
present  handsome  brick  gothic  church  which  was  erected 
that  year,  under  the  supervision  of  Eev.  Mr  Frisbie  and 
the  building  committee,  J.  P.  Foster,  John  Browne,  J.  E. 
Rollins,  C.  H.  Atkins  and  J.  H.  Merrill.  S.  A.  Eobertson 
did  the  masonry  and  Mr.  Stickney  the  carpenter  work. 
The  total  cost  was  nearly  |10,000.  The  new  church  build- 
ing Avas  dedicated  on  January  11,  1877,  the  sermon  being 
delivered  by  the  pastor,  Eev.  Dr.  Frisbie,  and  prayer  by 
President  Magoun,  of  Iowa  College.  The  church  mem- 
bership is  now  one  of  the  largest  iu  the  city  and  the 
church  leads  in  all  good  works.  Eev.  Dr.  Frisbie  has  now 
served  this  church  continuously  for  more  than  twenty- 
four  years,  longer  than  any  other  minister  iu  the  history 
of  the  city,  and  while  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties,  is  popular  alilie  with  members  and  those  outside 
the  church. 

The  present  pastf)rate  began  in  1871,  and  is  now  en- 


758  LYXILN  OF  FOLK  CoryTY 

tered  on  its  twenty-fifth  year  ynth  nubroken  haiiuonj^ 
between  pastor  and  people,  and  with  nniformly  pdeasaut 
relations  of  fellowship  and  co-operation  with  the  churches 
round  about. 

The  growth  of  the  chiu-ch  has  been  even  and  steady. 
It  is  said  of  Des  Moines  that  it  "has  never  had  a  boom  nor 
a  backset."  This  has  been  somewhat  true  of  Plymouth 
Church.  There  have  been  occasions  of  revival  interest 
when  additions  were  somewhat  more  numerous  than  at 
other  times,  but  as  a.  rule  the  growth  has  been  by  the 
frequent  coming  of  members,  a  few  at  a  time,  rather 
than  in  large  numbers.  The  present  membership  is  six 
hundred  and  twenty-five. 

In  December,  1882,  the  church  celebrated  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  its  organization,  in  the  midst  of  a 
driving  snow  storm,  suggestive  of  the  landing  of  the  Pil- 
grims. The  occasion  Avas  noteworthy  for  the  good  wurk 
brought  to  it  in  papers  read  by  several  of  the  members, 
discussing  the  principles  and  history  of  the  (Congrega- 
tional bodj'  Former  pastors  and  their  ministerial 
friends,  absent  members  and  pereons  Avho  had  once  been 
members,  but  liad  remove<l  their  connection,  and  repre- 
sentatives of  several  of  the  other  denominations  of  the 
city,  sent  most  cordial  and  interesting  letters  or  were  pres- 
ent to  speak  their  word  of  cordial  greeting. 

Tlie  historian  of  the  eliurch,  in  presenting  the  history 
of  the  building  of  the  liouse  of  worsliip,  which  was  tlien 
nearly  new,  closed  the  record  by  saying,  "Now,  we  oAve 
no  man  a  dollar."  It  has  been  one  of  the  traits  of  Ply- 
mouth Church  to  keep  to  that  rule.  No  more  marked  or 
enjoyable  occasion  has  been  shared  by  the  Plymouth  ]teo- 
ple  than  the  observation  of  that  anniversary. 

In   188()   tlie   cliurch    invited   tlie   American    l>oard    of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEti  MOINES.  759 

Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  the  oldest  society 
for  foreign  worlv  in  the  United  States,  to  hold  its  annual 
meeting  in  Des  Monies.  Then  it  Avas  that  the  yalne  of 
good  friends  was  shown,  and  the  generosity  of  the  city 
was  made  conspicuous  in  all  the  denominations,  and  with 
those  of  no  denomination,  in  welcoming  and  entertaining 
for  the  three  days  of  a  great  popular  assembly  of  more 
than  a  tliousand  people.  It  was  one  of  the  marked  meet- 
ings of  the  board,  and  was  long  talked  of  in  Des  Moines 
as  a  great  specimen  of  intellectual  wrestling  and  of  dig- 
nified bearing  under  irritating  circumstances.  The  pas- 
tor has  never  ceased  to  be  thankful  that  he  was  able,  at 
that  time,  to  introduce  grand  Mark  Hopkins  to  the  Des 
Moines  people.    One  look  into  his  face  was  a  benediction. 

In  1888  the  church,  with  the  kindly  aid  of  her  daugh- 
ters, tlie  Park  and  Pilgrim  Churches,  with  cases  of  in- 
dividual entertainment  outside,  provided  for  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  planting  of  Congregationalism  in  Iowa, 
which  was  in  the  founding  of  the  church  in  Denmark, 
Lee  County,  in  1838.  This  occasion  was  one  of  marked 
interest  to  the  (J'ongregational  XJeople  of  the  State,  and 
was  honored  by  the  presence  of  manj'  of  the  workers  of 
the  early  days  who  had  met  the  stern  tasks  of  pioneer 
life  with  lieroic  spirit  and  had  grown  gray  in  the  ex- 
tended service. 

The  church  building  was  enlarged  in  1883  by  the  intro- 
duction of  balconies  across  the  transepts  and  aisle,  and 
was  handsomely  decorated  at  the  same  time.  Its  seat- 
ing capacity  is  about  900. 

It  maintains  a  good  Sunday  school,  enrolling  something 
over  four  hundred  scholars.  It  assists  in  conducting  half 
a  dozen  schools  at  points  outside.  It  has  given  liberally 
to  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.    It  furnished  regular  and  efficient  help 


760  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

iu  the  ^^•(Jrk  of  tlie  Sunbeam  Mission.  Its  societies  within 
itself,  as  tlio  vSenior  ami  .Junior  Chvistian  Endeavor  So- 
cieties, are  the  most  useful  factors  of  its  life.  So  are  the 
Woman's  Missiouarj'  Society,  the  Plymouth  Rock  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  the  Plymouth  branch  of  the  King's 
Daughters. 

The  Ladies'  Social  Societj^  is  one  of  the  most  helpful 
departments  of  the  church  in  its  relation  to  the  social 
life  of  the  people.  Through  their  winter  gatherings  for 
acquaintance  and  sociability,  much  is  done  to  bring  the 
people  into  and  hold  them  in  the  bonds  of  enduring  friend- 
liness. The  church  has  not  been  unmindful  of  the  re- 
sposibilities  to  the  outside  world.  It  does  not  mean 
to  allow  the  doctrine  of  stewardship  to  become  a  worn  out 
tradition.  The  average  of  contributions  to  various  causes 
of  benevolence  at  home  and  abroad  for  seven  years  has 
been  over  .f  7,000  per  year. 

The  church  is  today  iu  a  healthy,  harmonious  condi- 
tion. 3Ir.  P.  H.  Metcalf,  who  now  (October,  1S95,)  is 
going  on  with  his  work  of  pastor's  assistant  and  later 
of  assistant  pastor,  brings  to  Plymouth  the  charm  of  his 
voice  and  the  winning  influence  of  his  consecrated  life, 
a  continual  encouragement  and  a  helpful  leader  to  the 
,young  and  an  inspiration  to  all. 

Plymouth  hopes  to  bear  a  Morthj^  part  in  all  that  Chris- 
tian w(U'k  which  can  bless  and  elevate  our  citizenship 
and  help  on  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord  in  Des  Moines. 

North  Park  Church  is  the  outgrowth  of  a  Mission  Sun- 
day School,  established  by  Plymouth  Church  in  a  chapel 
built  in  the  fall  and  winter  of  188.3-81,  largely  by  the 
efforts  of  Dr.  Frisbie  and  his  Plymouth  friends,  and  lo- 
cated lui  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  North  streets.     ITere 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  701 

in  MarcL,  1884,  a  ^Sunday  school  was  organized,  with  Mr. 
D.  O.  Eshbangh  as  superintendent. 

A  little  later  a  union  school,  which  had  met  in  Forest 
Home  scliool  house,  accepted  au  invitation  to  join  the 
North  Park  school,  which  was  then  reorganized,  with  R. 
A.  Rollinson  as  superintendent. 

For  a  time  Rev.  Albert  Ethridge,  then  in  business  in 
the  city,  preached  in  the  afternoon,  and  gathered  the 
nucleus  of  an  organization.  In  July,  1884,  Rev.  B.  St. 
John  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  after  six  months 
comitleted  the  organization  with  twenty  members,  on 
January  5,  1885. 

Increased  attendance  at  the  Sunday  school,  and  the 
rapid  growth  of  population  in  North  Des  Moines  soon 
made  it  necessary  to  enlarge  the  building  or  remove  to 
a  new  location,  and  in  1887  a  lot  was  bought  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Sixth  and  Forest  avenues. 

Here  in  the  fall  of  1888  a  neat  building  was  dedicated, 
costing,  with  subsequent  improvements,  about  .flO,000. 
From  the  first  the  church  has  grown  steadily  in  member- 
ship and  influence,  whicli  is  largely  composed  of  young 
people.  The  present  number  of  members  is  abimt  two 
humlred. 

The  church  has  had  but  one  regular  pastor  in  twelve 
years  of  its  history,  Rev.  B.  St.  John,  a  graduate  of  Iowa 
College,  in  1870,  Grinnell,  and  New  Haven  Theological 
Seminary  in  1880.  He  enjoys  the  honor  of  holding  the 
second  longest  pastorate  in  the  city. 

GERMAN  LUTHERANS. 

In  1858,  Eev.  John  List  came  to  Des  Moines,  and  in 
1859  having  obtained  authority,  he  organized  the  first 


762  AXXAIjt<  OF  I 'OLE  COiyTY 

German  Evangelical  Lntheran  Cliurcli  in  Des  Moines. 
This  chnrclj,  not  permitting  its  members  to  belong  to  any 
secret  society,  j^revented  many  Germans  from  becoming 
members,  and  the  church  here  Avas  organized  with  a  mem- 
bership of  only  four  wives  and  their  cliildreu,  four  widoAvs 
and  eight  single  persons.  Meetings  were  at  first  held  on 
lower  Walnut,  but  in  a  year  or  two  a  church  was  built 
on  the  west  side  of  Locust  street,  between  First  and  Sec- 
ond. A  school  for  children  was  also  established  in  the 
same  building,  and  the  church  and  school  have  been 
maintained  successfully  up  to  the  present  time. 

ENGLISH  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

About  1S5G  the  nucleus  of  what  afterwards  became  the 
English  laitherau  Church,  was  founded  by  Dr.  F.  C. 
Grimmell,  one  of  the  early  pioneers  and  largest  property 
holders  in  the  town,  who  took-  active  interest  in  thef(Miuda- 
tion  of  this  church  society,  and  after  as  well  as  before  his 
death  his  widow  aided  greatl.y,  by  steady  work  and  liberal 
gifts,  in  its  advancement.  Meetings  were  first  held  in  the 
public  school  building  on  the  corner  of  Locust  and  Ninth 
stre(4s,  lleA'.  1).  AA'eisei-  for  sonu^  time  olticiating  as  ])ast(ir. 
It  was  not,  however,  until  180.5  a  permanent  organization 
was  ])erfected  hy  Rev.  Morris  Ofiticer,  then  superintendent 
of  church  missions.  In  November,  of  this  year,  Eev.  A. 
M.  Geiger  Avas  called  as  pastor  and  the  church  Avas  estab- 
lished with  tAventy-tAvo  members.  In  1807  a  (diurcli  build- 
ing Avas  erected  on  AA^est  Grand  avenue  and  Seventh 
street,  which  Avas  dedicated  January  3,  1SG9.  Several 
ministers  folloAved,  Avhen  came  lley.  Dr.  Henry,  an  able 
and  ]Mipular  minister,  Avho  Avas  the  beloved  pastor  of  the 
church  for  some  ten  years  or  more.  Tender  his  pastorate 
the  church  membership  Avas  largely  increased,  and  a  few 


AXD  TEE  CITY  OF  Z)7?>S'  MOiyES.  T(>3 

jear.s  ago  the  old  church  building  and  lot  was  sold  to  Dr. 
M.  B.  Turner,  who  erected  a  large  brick  block  upon  its  site. 
A  new  and  more  suitable  large  brick  church  and  pai'sou- 
age  was  built  at  the  corner  of  Chestnut  and  Sixth  avenue, 
and  is  now  occupied  by  this  prosperous  church.  Eev.  Dr. 
Henry,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  congregation  and  his 
many  friends  outside  the  church,  resigned  late  in  189J:. 
Some  months  after  the  present  minister,  Eev.  Wirt,  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church,  and  has  proven  himself  to  be  a 
worthy  successor  to  Eev.  Dr.  Henry. 

CHRISTIAN  CHURCH, 

The  Centra]  Church  of  Christ,  Des  Moines,  was  organized 
the  last  Sunday  in  September,  ISfiO,  being  therefore  the 
parent  churcli  of  that  religious  body  in  the  city.  Its  char- 
ter membership  consisted  of  seventeen,  six  of  whom,  Mes- 
dames  Eachel  Bell,  Catherine  Smith,  Euth  L.  VanCleave, 
J.  K.  Gilcrest  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  L.  Scott,  are  still 
devoted  members  of  the  church.  Prior  to  the  organiza- 
tion, occasional  services  were  held  by  Elders  P.  T.  Eussell, 
G.  T.  Carpenter  and  James  P.  Eoach,  who  were  among  the 
pioneer  preachers  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  The  fii'st  regu- 
lar pastor  of  this  church  was  James  E.  Gaston,  who  was 
called  at  a  salary  of  .f  fiOO.OO  per  year,  and  entered  upon  his 
<luties  May  15, 1805.  The  first  meeting  of  the  congregation 
Avas  held  in  a  little  brick  building  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Des  Moines  Eiver,  just  north  of  Market  street  railroad 
bridge,  which  is  still  standing.  The  lower  part  of  the 
building  was  used  as  a  pork  packing  house.  The  room 
utilized  for  service  was  reached  by  an  outside  stairway. 
Tlie  little  congregation  afterwards  met  in  a  hall  in  Avhat 
was  then  known  as  the  Jones  House,  corner  Fourth  and 
Locust  streets,  East  Side.     The  present  court  house  being 


7(il  .IXX.lL.s'  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

completed  in  18G3,  tlie  Cmuity  coiiimissionei's  offered  for 
sale  the  old  eonrt  house  and  jail,  a  small  brick  building  that 
stood  where  the  ^Vabash  depot  now  stands.  It  was  pur- 
chased by  this  church  for  |800. 

August  2,  1864,  it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  building. 
The  strength  of  the  congregation  had  been  very  greatlj' 
augmented  by  the  accession  of  such  men  as  D.  R.  Ewang, 
^"^^  11.  &  -T.  K.  riilcrest,  who  are  still  among  the  leading 
business  ni:  h  nf  the  cit}'  and  staunch  supporters  of  this 
movenu'nt.  [).  U.  Ewing,  W.  H.  Gilcrest,  James  L.  Scott 
and  ('has.  Xichohis  were  appointed  the  building  com- 
mittee. 

The  last  meeting  held  at  tlie  court  house  was  April  1, 
186.5,  the  demolition  commencing  the  next  day.  While  the 
new  church  was  in  process  of  erection,  services  were  held 
in  Gilcrest's  ware  room  wdiieh  stood  where  the  Monitor 
House  now  stands,  corner  Third  and  Vine,  also  in  the  new 
court  house,  and  in  Gilcrest's  block  on  Court  avenue, 
between  Second  and  Third  streets.  The  new  chui'ch  was 
finally  finished  and  occupied  in  1866,  and  dedicated  July  1, 
of  that  year.  This  building  was  occupied  by  the  church 
and  was  considered  a  very  good  structure  until  the  fall 
of  IST.").  The  Rock  Island  railroad  was  built  through  the 
city  on  A'ine  street  Imt  a  lialf  a  block  from  the  church  and 
that  with  accompanying  changes  soon  compelled  the  con- 
gregation to  seek  a,  new  location.  The  trend  of  the  city's 
population  was  to  the  northwest.  In  the  meantime  the 
strength  of  the  churcli  had  been  greatl,y  increased  by  the 
addition  to  its  membership  of  such  business  men  as  Cory- 
don  E.  Fuller,  John  j\f .  Owens,  II.  A.  Coffin,  Geo.  A.  Jewett, 
Captain  M.  T.  Russell,  A.  Swift  and  others.  In  the  fall 
of  1875  the  old  school  Presbyterian  churcli  uniting  with  the 
Central  Presbyterian,  opfered  its  old  church  property  on 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  765 

Locust  street  for  sale.  It  was  purchased  at  once  by  the 
Church  of  Christ  for  |5,500.00.  A  sjmdicate  of  members 
of  the  church  took  tlie  ohl  buikling  on  Cherry  street  and 
purchased  for  the  congregation  the  new  one  on  Locust. 
In  18S1  an  addition  to  tlie  church  was  built  providing 
class  rooms,  parlors,  etc.,  costing  more  than  .'if.3,000.00. 

A  mission  Sunday  scliool  was  started  in  East  Des 
Moines  in  1887  with  Geo.  .V.  Jewett  as  suY)eriutendeiit, 
assisted  by  A.  Swift,  Mrs.  Julia  Gilcrest  and  J.  F.  X.  Drake. 
and  culminated  in  the  erection  of  a  neat  chapel  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Twelfth  and  Des  Moines  streets,  and  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  congregation  there  with  fifty-eight  charter  mem- 
bers. This  church  has  now  GOO  members.  In  18S1  Drake 
University  was  founded  and  buildings  were  erected  on 
its  grounds  northwest  of  the  city  which  was  platted  "Uni- 
versit.y  Place."  Members  of  the  Central  Church  were  lead- 
ers in  that  work.  This  soon  became  the  center  of  numerous 
disciple  homes.  The  people  residing  there  became  mem- 
bers of  the  Central  Church  and  soon  had  to  be  X)rovided 
for.  Prof.  D.  U.  Dnngan,  then  dean  of  the  Bible  depart- 
ment of  the  University,  was  emplo3'ed  as  associate  pastor, 
preaching  in  the  University  chapel  every  Sunday  evening. 
In  1886  a  separate  organization  was  affected  at  Universitj- 
Place,  with  387  charter  members.  This  greatly  deiileted 
the  strength  of  the  mother  churcli  but  the  ranks  were  soon 
tilled  ui>  and  more  room  was  needed.  The  first  pastor  of 
the  Central,  James  E.  Gaston,  was  succeeded  in  the  spring 
tif  1867  by  A.  I.  Hobbs,  wlio  served  the  churcli  with  con- 
spicuous success  until  June  11,  1871.  His  successor  was 
John  EucoU,  whose  pastorate  was  but  six  months  in  dura- 
tion. He  was  followed  by  John  C.  Hay,  who  was  ]iastor 
from  May  4,  1873  to  June  17,  1875.  J.  W.  Monsor,  of  Mis- 
souri, was  pastor  of  the  church  for  the  year  folhjwing.     In 


HJ6  AXXM.K  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

June,  187G,  D.  R.  Lucas  was  called  to  the  pastorate  and  for 
live  years  he  led  this  people  into  larger  things.  B.  J.  Rad- 
ford, (if  lllindis,  Avas  c;illed  to  the  ])ast(n'ate  August  14, 
ISSI,  an<l  resigned  Angust  1,  1883.  A.  P.  Cobb  foilowed 
liis  in  a  pastorate  of  one  year.  December  1,  1885,  H.  O. 
Breeden,  the  present  incumbent,  Avas  installed  as  pastor 
which  position  he  still  tills.  His  administration  has  been 
an  aggressive  one  from  tlie  first.  After  the  organization 
of  the  University  church  in  188(),  the  cliurch  secured  the 
services  of  a  distinguished  evangelist,  Prof.  W.  F.  Black, 
who  held  special  meetings  for  a  period  of  nine  weeks  and 
added  240  to  the  membership  of  the  church.  Immediately 
after  this  meeting  agitation  was  begun  looking  to  a  neAV 
edifice.  The  congregation  had  outgrown  its  accommoda- 
tions, notwithstanding  tlie  depletion  of  its  membersliip  by 
the  org'anization  of  two  separate  congregations.  In  May, 
1889,  the  elegant  building  site  at  the  corner  of  Ninth  and 
Pleasant  streets,  which  had  been  occupied  as  a  residence 
by  L.  P.  Sherman  for  a  number  of  years,  was  purchased 
for  the  sum  of  -111,000.00.  This  was  the  most  eligible  site 
in  tli(»  city  large  enough  to  meet  the  demands  of  a  new 
church,  it  being  ninety-one  feet  on  Pleasant  by  two  hund- 
red and  ten  on  Ninth  street.  A  building  comnuttee  was 
chosen  consisting  of  D.  R.  Ewing,  IT.  O.  Breeden,  J.  M. 
Shuck,  Geo.  A.  Jewett,  John  M.  Owens  and  II.  D.  Shackle 
ford.  D.  1\.  Ewing  was  elected  superintendent  of  the  con- 
struction. Mr.  Ewing  init  a  year  and  a  half  of  constant 
thought  aiul  toil  into  this  edifice  and  it  is  to-day  a  monu- 
ment to  his  genius,  skill  and  devotion.  Ground  was 
broken  June,  188i),  and  the  building  completed  and  dedi- 
cated October  10,  1800.  The  structure  is  nnissive  and 
magnificent,  built  of  Lake  Superior  brown  stone,  finished 
ill  clK-n-y,  conlaining  twenty-seven  rooms  and  capable  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOIXES.  767 

accommodatiui;'  1,500  people.  Tlie  entire  cost  of  the  build- 
ing, grounds,  organ,  fnrinsliings,  etc.,  was  close  to  $100,- 
000.00.  In  the  winter  follftwing  its  dedication  the  services 
of  U]idike  and  Easton,  eA'angelists,  were  secured  for  a  ser- 
ies of  special  meetings.  These  continue<l  for  six  weeks 
and  resulted  in  the  a<ldition  of  550  to  the  membership  of 
the  church.  Tliis  is  said  to  be  the  largest  ingathering  evvv 
known  to  a  single  church  in  the  Avest  and  probably  the 
largest  in  the  United  l^^tates  among  the  Disciples  of  (_,'hrist. 
Since  then  two  other  fine  meetings  have  been  held  by  this 
congregation;  (Uie  in  1895  in  which  the  pastor  was  assist e<l 
by  J.  S.  Myers,  of  Sedalia,  Missouri,  resulting  in  219  acces- 
sions to  the  church,  and  the  other  this  year  in  which  the 
pastor  was  assisted  by  J.  IT.  O.  Smith,  of  Chicago,  continu- 
ing but  three  weeks,  resulting  in  the  addition  of  135  to  the 
membershi}).  Geo.  A.  Jewett  has  served  this  church  as 
clerk  continuously  for  twenty-eight  years. 

The  Central  Church  is  semi-institutional  in  its  character, 
pays  special  attention  to  the  humanitarian  side  of  Chris- 
tianity. In  addition  to  its  regular  spiritual  work,  it  has 
its  Christomathian  Literary  Society  for  the  development 
of  the  literary  talent  among  its  young  people;  its  free 
night  school  for  the  education  of  boys  and  girls  who  are 
denied  the  privilege  of  city  schools  by  being  compelled 
to  work  through  the  day;  its  Day  Nursery  in  charge  of  the 
King's  Daughters,  where  the  babies  of  poor  mothers  may 
be  cared  for  during  the  da,y  while  they  go  out  to  work;  and 
other  similar  departments  of  activity.  The  church  also 
suiqiorts  a  missionary  pastor  in  T(dvi(»,  Japan,  and  is 
known  far  ami  wide  as  the  leading  church  among  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  its  contributions  to  nussions. 

It  now  has  a  resident  membership  of  1,330.  Its  pastor. 
Dr.  Breoden,  miw  in  the  eleventh  year  of  his  pastorate,  has 


768  AXXAL^  OF  POLK  COl'XTY 

l)een  granted  a  leare  of  absence  for  six  niontlis  to  visit 
EgYi^t,  tlie  Holy  Land  and  Enroi)e.  Tliis  trip  will  be  taken 
by  him  with  his  family  in  the  near  future. 

University  Place  Church  of  Christ,  corner  Twenty-fifth 
street  and  University  avenue,  was  organized  June  24th, 
1888,  with  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and  fifty.  Pres- 
ident Dungan,  of  the  Bible  T'ollege,  was  chfisen  pastor. 
Chancellor  G.  T.  Cai-penter,  C.  H.  Mershon,  F.  M.  Kirk- 
ham,  N.  Dunshee  and  D.  R.  Duugan  were  elected  elders; 
Delos  Cutler,  A.  (3.  Peynolds,  S.  C.  vSlaytor,  R.  T.  Lord, 
William  Iloff,  G.  W.  Roach  and  J.  F.  Stradley,  deacons; 
Mesdames  C.  E.  Garton,  Mattie  Reynolds,  M.  A.  Dungan, 
H.  T.  Carpeutei*,  M.  Cutler,  E.  J.  Lord  and  Almira  Mc- 
Fai'land,  deaconesses.  Five  trustees,  A.  G.  Downing,  E. 
D.  Smith,  IS.  A.  Saum,  G.  W.  Hickman  and  Delos  Cutler 
\\'ere  also  appointed. 

Regular  services  wei-e  held  in  the  college  chapel  during 
the  first  two  years  of  the  church's  life.  September  22, 
iss!).  Elder  H.  B.  Da^is  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  In  his 
short  ministry  of  six  months,  the  present  church  house 
\Aitli  the  largest  auditorium  for  religious  services,  in  the 
city,  except  Cah^ary  Tabernacle,  was  completed  at  an 
expense  of  .f40,000.  March  30,  1890,  State  Evangelist  J. 
B.  A'awter  was  selected  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the 
resignation  of  Elder  Davis.  Failing  health  forced  him  to 
retire  from  the  ministry  at  the  end  of  twelve  months  and 
Pastor  E.  M.  Todd  was  chosen  his  successor,  April  12, 

1801.  His  relations  as  ]iastor  were  severed  December  1, 

1802,  and  in  March,  1803,  Pastor  I.  N.  McCash  was  given 
an  unanimous  call  to  this  college  pulpit,  which  relation, 
with  utmost  felicity  and  mutuality,  still  exists. 

Numerically  the  congregation  has  increased  gradually 
from  the  time  of  the  organization.     Three  great  meetings, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  M()IXEl<:.  769 

held  by  Prof.  Black,  J.  Y.  Updyke,  and  I.  N.  McC'asb,  added 
328  persons  to  the  membership.  The  most  rajjid  growth  of 
all  its  history,  however,  has  been  made  under  the  minis- 
trations of  the  present  pastor.  There  having-  been  added 
(>87,  of  this  number,  217  were  conversions;  loss  by  deatli, 
removal  and  witlidrawal,  212,  leaving-  the  t<Kal  member- 
sliip  1221. 

The  church  is  now  located  at  the  educational  center  of 
the  Christian  church  in  Iowa  and  has  on  its  roll  the  pres- 
ident and  professors  of  Drake  University,  with  a  student 
<-onstituency  that  includes  all  holding  religious  aftiliations. 
Its  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  numbers  205  active  and  associate  mem- 
bers. The  activity  of  the  church  is  expressed  in  its  sup- 
port of  one  missionary  in  Japan,  two  missions  and  the  lead- 
ers for  three  others  in  the  city,  besides  cash  contributions 
to  the  general  field  of  |1,230  per  annum.  The  poor  and 
all  charitable  interests  of  the  community  have  constant 
care  and  substantial  aid.  All  the  societies  for  services 
and  spiritual  enlargement  are  found  in  University  Place 
church,  and  vigorously  pushing  the  lines  along  which  they 
were  formed  to  move.  All  its  regular  services  are 
thronged,  eager  listeners  and  devout  followers  of  Christ. 

The  East  Side  German  Methodist  Church  was  organized 
in  1887.  The  following  pastors  have  served  the  church: 
J.  II.  Dorbecker,  P.  C.  Phillips,  J.  P.  AYilhelm,  J.  F. 
Froeschle,  G.  S.  Boeder.  The  church  is  located  at  the  cor- 
ner of  East  Seventh  and  Scott  streets. 

The  East  Des  Moines  Baptist  Cluircli  was  organized 
March  14,  1892,  wdth  J.  A.  Nash  as  pastor,  John  M.  Ives 
as  church  clerk,  E.  S.  Smith  as  treasurer,  Henry  Perrior 
and  E.  S.  Smith  as  deacons.  Henry  Perrior,  J.  R.  Thouuis, 
E.  S.  Smith,  P.  D.  Booth  and  A.  Abernethy  were  the  trus- 
tees.      These  with  thirty-seven  members  composed  the 


770  AjS'NAL)^  of  polk  COUNTY 

cliui'ch.  Tlie  pastors  of  the  cluirch  have  been  as  foHows: 
J.  A.  Xash  1872  to  1873;  G.  W.  Smith,  1873  to  1876;  W. 
H.  Hildreth,  1870  to  1877;  W.  A.  Cain,  1877  to  1880;  D.  D. 
Proper,  1880  to  1881;  T.  J.  Keith,  1881  to  1887;  E.  P.  Bart- 
lett,  1887  to  1891;  A.  H.  Ballard,  1895  and  is  now  the  efli- 
cient  pastor.  The  present  membership  is  219.  The  dea- 
cons are  W.  II.  Hendricks,  G.  W.  Baker,  Thomas  O'Dea, 
S.  B.  Garton.  Church  clerk,  J.  T.  D.  Fulmer;  clinrdi 
treasurer,  A.  C.  Hanger.  The  Sabbath  School  officers  are: 
Superintendent,  A.  C.  Hanger;  Assistant  Superintendent, 
O.  L.  Chambers;  Secretary,  Chas.  Frisler;  Treasurer, 
George  L.  Garton. 

THE  HEBREWS. 

The  first  steps  towards  the  organization  of  the  IlebreAvs 
of  Des  Moines  as  a  religious  body,  were  taken  when  the 
purchase  of  a  cemetery  became  necessary.  Accordingly 
the  "Emanuel  Cemetery  Association"  was  formed  and 
incorporated  July  22,  1870,  with  the  following  gentle- 
men as  officers:  J.  Kuhn,  president;  D.  Goldman,  vice 
president;  J.  Mandelbaum,  treasurer;  M.  Strauss,  secre- 
tary. The  association  purchased  a  plat  of  ground  ad- 
joining the  city  cemetery,  which  it  has  utilized  ever  since 
as  a  burial  ground.  In  1876  the  "Emanuel  Cemetery 
Association"  transferred  its  deed  of  sale  to  B'ne  Yes- 
hurun  Congregation,  and  ceased  to  exist  as  a  distinct 
organization. 

On  Sunday  afternoon,  September  5,  1873,  at  the  home 
of  Mr.  D.  Goldman,  a  number  of  gentlemen  convened, 
and  the  congregation  "B'ne  Yeshurun"  was  duly  organ- 
ized. There  were  eighteen  charter  members :  Mr.  Joseph 
Kuhn,  president;  Mr.  J.  Mandelbaum,  vice  president; 
Mr.  L.  I.  Redstone,  secretary;  Mr.  Gus  Jacobs,  treasurer. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  771 

Trustees — Messrs.  D.  Goldman,  N.  L.  Goldstone,  Alex. 
Lederer.  Members — S.  Joseph,  M.  Eiegelman,  H.  Riegel- 
man,  L.  Hirsch,  J.  Wolf,  M.  Shloss,  I.  Hyman,  M.  Strauss, 
L.  Samisli  and  L.  Doctor.  "B'ne  Yeshurun"  was  not 
legally  incorporated  until  September  3,  1878. 

During  its  existence  as  such  the  congregation  has  had 
three  different  places  of  worship.  From  the  time  of  its 
organization  for  six  years,  services  were  held  in  a  hall  in 
Mr.  J.  Kuhn's  building  on  Court  avenue,  between  Second 
and  Third  streets.  In  1879,  the  building  at  the  corner  of 
Seventh  and  Mulberry  streets  was  purchased  by  the  con- 
gregation. It  was  originally  built  as  a  church  and  then 
converted  into  a  private  dwelling,  when  it  was  again 
altered  so  as  to  ser-ve  the  purposes  of  a  Jewish  Synagogue. 
This  site  was  retained  as  a  house  of  worship  until  the  year 
188G,  when  the  lot  at  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Pleasant 
streets  was  purchased.  In  the  following  year,  the  erec- 
tion of  a  temple  on  this  site  was  completed.  In  due  time 
this  temple,  where  the  services  are  now  conducted,  was 
dedicated. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  as  presidents  of 
the  congregation:  J.  Kuhn,  M.  Eiegelman,  J.  Mandel- 
banm,  A.  Lederer,  I.  Kuhn,  D.  Goldman,  L.  Sheuerman, 
M.  Younker,  A.  Sheuerman,  M.  Strauss.  The  officers  at 
present  are  A.  Sheuerman,  president;  I.  Lang,  vice  pres- 
ident; S.  Joseph,  secretary;  A.  Lederer,  treasurer;  D. 
Goldman,  H.  Eiegelman,  M.  Schloss,  trustees;  L.  Sheuer- 
man, M.  Samish,  D.  Simon,  Sabbath  school  board. 

B'ne  Yeshurun's  pulpit  has  been  occupied  by  several 
rabbis.  Mr.  Shauer  was  the  spiritual  guide  of  the  con- 
gregation for  four  years  (1874-1878).  Mr.  Pollack  was  the 
rabbi  for  one  year.  The  pulpit  was  next  held  by  Eev. 
Mr.  Dushner,  who  severed  his  connection  with  the  con- 


772  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

gregation  in  1881,  when  Key.  Dr.  David  Dayidson  was 
called  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  1885  Mr.  Davidson  was 
given  a  professorship  at  the  Hebrew  Union  College,  the 
Theological  Seminary  in  Cincinnati,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Freu- 
denthal  was  his  successor.  He  had  charge  of  the  con- 
gregation until  he  accepted  a  call  from  Trinidad,  Colo., 
in  1889.  Eev.  Dr.  Ignatz  Mueller  was  then  called  and 
ably  served  B'ne  Yeshurun  until  December,  1891,  when  he 
found  a  larger  field  at  Louisville,  Ky.  Dr.  Mueller's  suc- 
cessor, the  present  incumbent,  is  Rabbi  S.  G.  Bottigheimer, 
who  assumed  charge  of  the  congregation  September  1, 
of  the  last  year.  The  congregation  has  steadily 
grown,  and  now  has  fifty  members  besides  a  number  of 
regular  pew  holders. 

A  flourishing  Sabbath  school  is  conducted  under  the 
auspices  of  the  congregation.  There  are  about  sixty 
pupils  in  attendance,  divided  into  four  classes.  Instruc- 
tion is  given  in  Jewish  history,  religion  and  Hebrew. 
The  teachers  are  the  Misses  Danenbaum,  Gutman  and 
Goldman,  and  Messrs.  Sam  Strauss,  Stern  and  Rabbi  Bot- 
tigheimer, superintendent, 

THE  UNITARIAN  CHURCH. 
BY  HON    B.   F.  GUE. 

On  the  first  day  of  June,  1877,  Rev.  J.  R.  Effinger  came 
to  Des  Moines  to  confer  with  the  Libei-als  in  relation  to 
organizing  a  Unitarian  Society.  He  visited  the  families 
of  those  who  had  formerly  been  identified  with  the  Uni- 
versalist  Church  of  this  city,  but  Avho  for  several  years 
hafl  been  unable  to  sustain  regular  services.  The  con- 
ference resulte<l  in  a  meeting  of  about  thirty  persons 
in  a  hall  in  the  business  part  of  the  city  on  the  next  Sun- 
day, which  was  the  third  day  of  June.     Then  and  there 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0TNES.  773 

was  preached  the  first  Uuitarian  sermon  ever  heard  in 
Des  Moines.  It  was  an  able  discourse,  delivered  with  an 
eloquence  and  earnestness  that  carried  conviction  to  the 
iniuds  of  the  listening  audience.  The  broad  and  rational 
faith,  new  to  most  of  us,  made  a  dee})  impression.  It  was 
to  mauv  the  first  revelation  of  what  Uuitarianism  stood 
for. 

At  the  close  of  the  services  Mr.  Efflnger,  who  was  a 
most  genial  man,  made  the  personal  acquaiutiince  of  the 
members  of  his  audience,  and  was  cordially  invited  to 
A'isit  us  again.  He  returned  during  the  summer  several 
times,  preaching  the  new  faith,  until  on  the  fourth  of 
August,  nine  persons  subscribed  to  tlie  folloAviug  bond 
of  union: 

"Recognizing  tlie  fatherliood  of  God,  and  the  brother- 
hood of  mankind,  accepting  Jesus  as  a  teacher;  seeking 
tlie  sjiirit  of  trutli  as  the  guide  of  our  lives,  and  in  the 
hope  of  immortal  life,  we  associate  ourselves  together  to 
maintain  i)ublic  worship,  and  promote  the  Avelfare  of 
numkind." 

Tlie  following  are  tlie  names  of  those  who  on  the  fourth 
day  of  August,  1S7T,  enrolled  themselves  as  members 
of  tlie  first  Uuitarian  Gliurcli  of  Des  Moines: 

George  White,  Mrs.  F.  E.  S.  White,  B.  F.  Gue,  Eliza- 
betli  Parker  Gue,  William  If.  Fleming,  A.  A.  Brown,  Mrs. 
A.  A.  BroAvu.  Augustus  i-^mith,  C.  A.  Culver,  Mrs.  D.  L. 
Culver,  Clmrles  G.  WoodAvorth. 

I^iervices  were  continued  at  stated  times  during  the 
year.  The  following  additional  members  inscribed  their 
names  to  the  bond  of  union  during  the  first  year: 

Mrs.  Charles  Deming,  Mrs.  S.  B.  Maxwell,  Dr.  O.  A. 
Hunter,  Eliza  H.  Hunter,  Joel  P.  Davis,  Mrs.  L.  M.  Davis, 


774  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Arthur  L.  Davis,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Moore,  Diana  Swift,  Mrs. 
C.  A.  Ingham  of  Algona,  James  H.  Detrick,  J.  S.  Notting- 
ham, E.  A.  Ayers,  Eugenia  Ayers,  May  Bemis. 

We  had  now  twenty-six  earnest  and  faithful  members, 
and  felt  that  Unitarianism  had  secured  a  permanent  foot- 
hold in  the  Capital  City.  After  two  years  of  excellent 
work  among  us,  Mr.  Efflnger  was  called  to  the  old  Uni- 
tarian Church  of  Bloomington,  Illinois.  Early  in  1880 
Rev.  S.  S.  Hunting,  of  Davenport,  was  sent  by  the  Amer- 
ican Unitarian  Association  to  look  after  the  interests 
of  our  new  church.  On  the  27th  of  September  he  was  in- 
stalled as  its  pastor.  A  Sabbath  school  had  been  organ- 
ized soon  after  the  church  was  established,  social  gather- 
ings were  held  at  regular  periods  and  early  in  1889  Unity 
Church  was  organized.  The  first  year  the  little  church 
was  only  able  to  raise  .f.322.7S,  of  which  |270.45  was  paid 
to  the  pastor.  At  the  close  of  the  fifth  year  the  member- 
ship was  forty-six,  and  the  ubscriptions  amounted  to 
1703.65,  of  which  .f4S2.1.5  was  paid  to  the  pastor. 

Up  to  this  time  services  had  been  held  in  halls,  and  the 
subject  of  building  a  church  began  to  be  discussed.  Mrs. 
George  G.  Wright  generously  donated  a  lot  to  the  society 
in  1881,  and  it  was  now  possible  to  have  a  church  home. 
Our  pastor,  Mr.  Hunting,  began  Avith  all  of  his  energy 
to  work  up  a  fund  for  the  erection  of  a  church,  and 
securing  generous  aid  from  the  building  fund  of  the 
American  Unitarian  Association,  the  church  was  built 
at  a  cost  of  about  -18,000. 

On  the  30th  of  December,  1881,  the  new  church  was  ded- 
icated in  the  presence  of  a  large  assembly,  Eev.  Oscar 
White,  of  Iowa.  City,  officiating  in  the  pulpit.  A  debt 
of  gratitude  will  forever  stand  to  the  credit  of  I\(w.  S. 
S.  Hunting  and  his  wife  for  their  generous  aid   during 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  775 

the  hard  struggle  it  cost  to  build  and  pay  for  our  church. 
They  were  not  only  continuous  and  invaluable  workers, 
but  also  most  liberal  contributors. 

In  September,  1886,  Ida  C.  Hultin,  then  of  Algona,  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church,  remaining  in  charge  for  about 
five  years.  As  a  pviblic  speaker  she  possessed  rare  gifts 
of  eloquence,  and  her  preaching  attracted  large  audiences 
from  those  who  were  not  usually  church-goers.  Her  fame 
as  an  orator  reached  outside  of  the  State.  She  is  now 
minister  of  the  Unitarian  Church  at  Moline,  Illinois. 

In  Septembr,  1891,  Leon  A.  Harvey,  a  recent  graduate 
of  Harvard  Divinity  School,  who  was  in  charge  of  a  Uni- 
tarian Church  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  accepted  a  call  from 
our  society,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  work.  His  serv- 
ices have  been  highly  appreciated,  resulting  in  a  steady 
growth  of  our  society  and  a  general  strengthening  of  Uni- 
tarianism  among  the  thoughtful  people  of  our  city.  His 
scholarly  discourses  attract  cultured  people  and  impress 
upon  the  community  the  con-^action  that  Unitarianism 
stands  for  the  best  thoughts  of  the  age  in  religious  in- 
vestigations. 

Under  his  pastorate  our  church  has  won  a  high  place 
among  the  religioiis  organizations  at  the  State  capital. 
Its  leadership  in  reforms,  culture  and  literary  entertain- 
ment is  undisputed,  attracting  the  attention  and  co-op- 
eration of  the  best  minds  in  the  community.  In  this  di- 
rection the  progress  has  been  marked  and  beneficial  dur- 
ing the  past  year.  Unitarianism  has  become  better  un- 
derstood and  its  influence  in  all  good  works  is  an  impor- 
tant factor  towards  success. 

Among  tlie  auxiliaries  of  our  church  the  Woman's  Unity 
Club  is  the  most  influential  and  prosperous.  It  ranks  as 
one  of  the  foremost  literarv  and  educational  organizations 


776       ANNALS'  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  the  city.  Tlie  Unitarian  Club,  the  Social  and  Indnstrial 
Club,  and  the  Sunday  school  are  doing-  good  work  in  their 
various  fields  of  effort,  and  are  sustained  by  many  faithful 
and  earnest  workers. 

Wliile  our  society  is  neither  large  in  numbers  nor  strong 
financially,  it  has  always  been  fortunate  in  the  high  char- 
acter and  superb  loyalty  of  its  members.  They  stand 
for  the  utmost  freedom  of  opinion  and  expression  on  all 
subjects,  and  a  living  protest  against  bigotrj^  and  super- 
stition. It  may  be  safely  asserted  that  the  influence  of 
the  Unitarian  Churcli  of  Des  Moines  has  been  a  powerful 
factor  in  spreading  a  spirit  of  liberalism  among  other 
churches  of  the  city.  Under  its  rational  teachings,  belief 
in  the  supernatural  is  losing  its  hold  upon  thinking  peo- 
ple, and  religions  reformation  is  steadily  crowding  ob- 
solete creeds  and  irrational  dogmas  into  the  background. 

THE  SEVENTH  DAY  ADVENTISTS. 

Prior  to  ISSII  but  sliglit  efforts  liad  bcnm  made  by  the 
Seventh  Day  Adventists  to  establisli  themselves  in  tlie  city 
of  Des  Moines.  Yet  for  some  years  there  had  been  a  snnill 
com]iany  of  believers  in  tliat  faith  wlin  reguhirly  lield  Sab- 
bath Scliocd  and  prayer  meeting.  At  a  session  of  the  con- 
ference held  in  connection  with  a  cam]i  meeting,  in  (lov- 
ernor's  Square,  in  June,  ISSO,  it  was  decided  to'  establish 
their  work  In  this  city.  Kecognizing  Des  Moines  as  the 
chief  city  of  the  stat(%  and  tliat  it  Avould  exert  a  good  influ- 
ence to  have  the  work  well  represented  lier(%  and  also  that 
it  A\'as  the  most  c(_>nvenient  ])oint  in  tlie  state,  it  was  decided 
to  nio\e  the  (lenoniinati(_)nal  head(iuarters  f(.)r  Iowa  to  this 
place,  and  au  ap]iro]»riation  of  .flO,0()(l  was  unanimously 
voted  for  the  jnircliase  of  a  lot  and  the  (^rection  of  a  build- 
ing.    A  committee  of  s«M'en  men  was  a]i]»ointed  and  given 


A.VZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOINES.  Ill 

authority  to  act.  AMtli  the  usual  activity  of  this  people, 
the  coiuinittee  acted  so  promptly  that  their  present  location 
had  been  secured  before  the  people  had  time  to  ^iet  home 
froiu  the  conference  session.  The  ])roperty,  when  pur- 
chased, already  contained  a  bnildin<j;'  suitable  for  a  "(^Con- 
ference Home,"  with  room  for  a  commodious  church  build- 
ing' on  the  same  j^rounds.  Plans  for  the  latter  were  pro- 
cured at  once,  and  tlie  work  was  pushed  rapidly  towards 
completion.  Previous  to  this  teuiporary  headcpuirters 
had  been  rented  on  Sycamore  street,  now  (h-and  avenue, 
and  an  active  propaganda  was  conducted  to  spread  a 
knowledge  of  their  principles.  This  latter  work  was  under 
the  care  of  Elder  A.  (i.  Daniells,  who  is  now  president  of 
the  Australian  conference.  At  the  same  time  Elder  J.  H. 
Morrison,  president  of  the  conference,  assisted  by  Elder 
Mc(.'ay,  conducted  two  series  of  meetings,  one  on  each 
side  of  the  river.  As  a  result  of  these  efforts  quite  a  num- 
ber accepted  the  faith. 

Tlie  building  as  it  now  stands,  on  the  corner  of  Tw(dfth 
and  I>es  Moines  streets,  was  completed  and  ready  for 
occupancy  during  that  siune  fall,  and  Avas  dedicated  tlie 
following  December.  Prosperity  attended  the  work  from 
the  beginning  and,  although  there  have  been  many  re- 
mo\'als,  the  present  membershi])  is  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four.  The  conference  head(]uarters  are  lo(.'ated 
here,  the  address  being  (iO;^  East  Twelfth  street.  The 
president  of  the  conference  is  Elder  I^ldward  (l.  (.)lson,  the 
se(;retary  of  the  Tract  Society,  Miss  Ji^ssie  A'.  Bos(nvorth. 
This  ])eople  differ  from  others  lu'ofessing  the  luime  of 
Christ,  in  that  they  believe  it  to  be  their  duty  to  proclaim 
the  speedy  second  advent  of  our  Lord,  althoaigh  they  have 
no  set  date  for  that  event.  They  also  believe  that  the  soul 
with  the  body,  the  whole  man  together,  waits  for  the  res- 


778  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

urection  and  judgment  of  the  last  day,  and  that  the  end 
of  the  wicked  is  destruction.  They  further  believe  that, 
while  there  was  a  change  in  the  ceremonial  instittitions, 
that  which  was  typical  and  shadowy  giving  place  to  that 
which  was  real,  the  decalogue,  the  fundamental  law  of 
God's  government  is  like  its  author,  unchangeable.  There- 
fore it  means  what  it  did  when  for  hundreds  of  years  it  Avas 
explained  and  emphasized  by  the  Lord  through  his  pro- 
jiliets.  In  harmony  with  this  they  observe  the  seventh 
day  (Saturday)  and  not  Sunday  as  the  Sabbath.  They 
are  active  in  propogating  their  faith,  and  Avin  the  esteem 
of  their  neighbors  by  their  faithfulness  and  consistency. 

THE  UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

The  First  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Des  Moines 
was  organized  October  1.5,  1S5S,  bv  the  Associated  Ke- 
formed  Synod  of  Xortli  America. 

Its  beginning  was  small,  both  as  to  niunbers  and  wealth. 
There  were  but  five  persons  in  the  organizatio]i,  of  whom 
only  one  is  now  a  member  of  the  cougregatic.m. 

Genera]  Samu(4  K.  ('urtis  donated  the  congregation  a 
lot  on  East  Second  street,  between  AValnut  and  Court  av- 
enue, which  at  that  time  Avas  considered  a  very  good  loca- 
tion, l>eing  convenient  toboth  East  and  West  Des  Moines. 
A  small,  but  neat,  fiame  church  AA'as  built  during  tlie  year 
lS.~>t-),  and  was  occu]»ied  by  the  congregation  as  a  ])lnce  of 
Avorship  for  tAventy  years.  Kca'.  -lohn  IT.  Young,  altliough 
not  installed,  Avas  recognized  as  tlie  first  jia^^tor  nnd  con- 
tinued so  until  180-1,  Avh(Mi  tlie  society  find  no  settled 
pastor  for  four  years.  In  18(1S  ReA'.  IJ.  Turnbull  became 
the  ])astoi-,  iind  rcmnincd  Avitl)  us)  nlxmt  three  yetirs. 
After  ;ibou1    one  year's   vacancy  Itev.   J.    I'.   Cowan  AViis 


AlSfD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  779 

called,  accepted,  and  took  charge  of  the  cougi-e<iation  as 
pastor  in  1873.  He, was  with  it  until  April,  1S7S,  when  lie 
was  comi^elled  to  resign  on  account  of  ill  health.  It  was 
Avith  much  regret  that  the  congregation  parted  "s^'ith  Mr. 
Cowan,  as  his  labors  had  been  greatly  blessed,  and  he,  as 
also  his  amiable  wife,  had  won  the  affections  of  the  people. 

After  a  few  months'  vacancy,  Eev.  T.  J.  Kennedy,  D.  D., 
accejoted  a  call  and  became  pastor.  Dr.  Kenendy  was  a 
very  able  minister  and  an  earnest  worker. 

The  building-  project,  wliich  was  started  in  1877,  vas 
made  a  certainty  by  the  generous  action  of  the  general 
assembly  of  1878,  Avhich  donated  the  sum  of  3f 5,000.  The 
congregation  raised  •'jf.5,700,  and  with  this  |10,700  the  new 
church  at  the  corner  of  West  Seventh  and  Grand  avenue 
was  built  and  dedicated  in  December,  1870. 

Dr.  Kennedy  continued  as  pastor  until  Api-il,  1883,  when 
he  was  released  by  the  presbytery.  After  a  short  vacancy 
the  congregation  called  Eev.  T.  A.  Shaw,  who  began  his 
duties  as  pastor  in  April,  1881. 

During  Mr.  Shaw's  pastorate  an  unfortunate  difficulty 
arose  in  the  congregation  regarding  the  matter  of  pew 
renting,  Avhich  resulted  in  the  withdrawal  of  a  p(jrtion  of 
the  members,  who  organized  and  constituted  tlie  vSeeond 
United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Des  ]»Ioines.  Eev.  Mr. 
Shaw  resigned,  and  after  a  few  montlis'  vacancy  Ee\-.  W.  T. 
McCounell  became  the  pastor.  The  encroachments  of 
business,  the  noisy  streets  and  the  bad  accoustics  of  the 
<dd  church  compelled  a  change  of  location..  They  had 
occupied  the  building  about  eighteen  years.  It  T^'as 
decided,  therefore,  to  sell  the  property.  Several  good 
(iffers  to  trade  or  buy  were  considered,  and  the  offer  of  Dr. 
Xysewander  to  purchase  for  cash  was  finally  accepted. 
The  ciuestion  of  a  new  location  was  carefully  considered 


780  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

by  tlie  coutiTegation  and  the  sununit  of  the, hill  at  the 
intersectiou  of  Ninth  and  School  sti-eets  was  agreed  upon. 
A  building  committee  was  appointed  with  instructions 
to  erect  a  house  of  worship,  and  Avorlv  was  soon  com- 
menced. The  new  church  structure  is  54  x  92  feet  and 
has  a  main  auditorium  54  x  54  feet,  the  seating  capacity 
of  the  floor  and  gallery  being  500.  The  interior  is  beauti- 
fully frescoed  and  the  tinish  is  all  in  natural  oak.  To  the 
rear  of  the  main  room  there  is  a,  Sunday  schoid  room 
ys  X  54  feet  in  size,  the  center  of  the  space  being  arranged 
for  lecture  room  pur])oses,  ^^'ith  class  rooms,  pastor's 
study  and  ladies'  jiarlor  surrounding  it.  Under  the  Sun- 
day school  rooms  there  are  rooms  for  social  service,  iuclud- 
ing  parlor,  dining  room  and  kitchen  with  sanitary  closets 
connected.  The  erection  was  under  the  careful  sujjer- 
vision  of  a  building  committee,  of  whi(di  Mr.  A.  H.  Walker 
was  president;  Alex  (Irahani,  secretary;  Samuel  Martin, 
treasurer,  and  David  Hillis  and  A.  t\.  Gibson  additional 
members.  The  work  of  the  contractors  has  been  well 
done,  the  brick  work  by  Mr.  John  O.  Mardis,  the  plastering 
by  Mr.  Sutton,  painting  by  Mi-.  E.  (\  .Toselyn  and  tin  work 
by  Mr.  Ooniparet.  The  beantiful  cathedral  glass  was 
furnished  by  J.  1!.  Alhvard. 

The  ]tastor  of  (lie  Uuited  I'resbyteriau  Churcli  is  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  most  earnest  and  conscientious  workers 
among  the  ministers  (,f  the  city.  lie  is  highly  esteemed 
as  a  citizen  and  in  his  (•ongregati((n.  T>uring  his  ministry, 
of  about  six  years,  the  church  has  doubled  in  memberslii]). 
In  the  new  location,  with  the  increased  facilities  for 
effective  Avork,  there  is  promise  of  substantial  and  health- 
ful growth.  The  ])astor's  home  is  in  a  house  (dose  by  the 
new  church. 

In  (dosing  tliis  acconnt  of  the  early  and  later  churches 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  781 

of  the  oit}'  and  county  truth  compels  us  to  say  that  much  of 
its  incomplete  character  is  due  to  the  many  difficulties 
met  in  procuring  the  necessary  data  from  which  to  write. 
While  some  of  the  ministers  and  officers  were  prompt  and 
kind'  we  are  sony  to  say  too  many  of  them  were  slow  and 
careless  in  resi^ouding  to  our  many  calls  for  needed  infor- 
mation. Several  times  our  patience  and  forbearance  were 
sorely  tried,  and  Ave  were  tempted  to  strain  if  not  break 
one  or  more  of  the  commandments.  And  in  fact  this  ac- 
count of  the  churches,  incomplete  as  it  may  be,  caused  us 
more  trouble  and  vexation  than  any  other  portion  of  the 
Annals. 

In  this  work  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  give  an 
extended  notice  of  each  church.  The  last  city  directory 
published  gives  a  list  of  some  eighty  churches  in  Des 
Moines,  without  taking  note  of  the  many  others  in  thi^ 
county.  The  churches  in  the  city  of  Des  Moines  are  di- 
vided as  follows:  Seventh  Day  Adventists  1,  Baptist  5, 
Christian  5,  Congr^egational  3,  Evangelical  2,  Friends  3, 
Hebrew  2,  Holiness  2,  Lutheran  5,  Methodist  Episcopal  18, 
Methodist  Protestant  1,  Methodist  Primitive  2,  Methodist 
Wesleyan  1,  Mormon  1,  Presbj'terian  7,  Presbyterian  Uni- 
ted 3,  Protestant  Episcopal  2,  Roman  Catholic  3,  United 
Brethren  2,  Unitarian  1,  Missions  7,  (]^hristian  Scientists 
1,  Emmanuel  Reformed  Episcopal  1,  Moriah  1,  New  Jeru- 
salem 1. 

In  addition  there  is  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, with  a  present  membership  of  over  three  hundred, 
which  has  been  in  successful  operation  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  a  few  years  ago  erected  and  now  owns  a  large 
and  handsome  brick  building  on  the  corner  of  Grand 
avenue  and  Four-th  street.  Within  the  past  year  or  two 
a  Young  Woman's  Christian  Association  has  been  fonned 


782       -ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  rapidly  growing  in  strength  and  numbers,  is  now 
highly  snccessful  in  its  chosen  work.  This  Association 
has  its  rooms  in  the  Redhead  building,  corner  of  Fourth 
and  Locust  streets.  There  are  also  a  large  number  of  dif- 
ferent church  societies  for  joung  and  old,  and  nearly  all 
of  these  are  in  a  growing  and  prosperous  condition.  Taken 
as  a  whole  it  will  be  seen  Des  Moines  is  well  supplied  with 
churches,  and  there  are  few  neighborhoods  in  the  county 
which  are  not  also  supplied  with  church  services  and  Sun- 
dar  schools. 


CHAPTER   XLl. 

PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

THE  schools  followed  closely  in  the  footsteps  of  the 
retreating  Indians,  and  made  their  appearance  at  an 
earh'  day  after  the  coming  of  the  white  settlers. 
The  public  schools  of  the  United  States  are  their  xjride  and 
boast,  and  the  General  Government  has  wisely  fostered 
their  growth  and  prosperity  by  granting  one-sixteenth  or 
more  of  the  public  laud  in  Iowa  and  other  of  the  later 
states  as  a  public  school  fund.  In  addition  to  this  large 
special  grants  of  land  have  been  made  from  time  to  time 
for  college  and  universit}'  purposes.  When  the  white  set- 
tlers came  they  cheerfully  taxed  themselves  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  public  schools,  and  have  continued  to  do  this  in 
Polk  county  down  to  the  present  time.  While  it  has  been 
and  is  now  one  of  the  heaviest  items  of  taxation,  yet  all 
requests  of  school  boards  for  further  appropriations  have 
been  responded  to  generoush'  and  with  almost  unstinted 
liberality.  The  result  is  that  not  only  in  the  city  of  Des 
Moines  but  also  in  the  other  towns  and  country  districts 
of  the  county  can  be  found  to-day  as  good  schools  of  their 
respective  grades  as  can  be  found  in  any  other  county  in 
the  state,  and  it  has  been  proven  by  late  figures  that  the 
state  of  Iowa  leads  all  other  states  in  the  per  cent  of  gen- 
eral education  of  the  masses,  having  a  less  per  cent  of  illit- 
eracy than  any  other.     This  fact  speaks  for  itself. 

The  contrastbetween  the  schools  and  the  school  houses  of 
the  early  settlers  and  those  of  the  present  day  are  marked. 
The  old  puncheon  floors  and  sometimes  doorless  and  win- 
dowless,  and  generally  uncomfortable,  first  school  houses, 


784  ANNALH  OF  POLK  COrXlT 

have  beeu  succeeded  by  buildings  of  stone,  brick  and  wood, 
furnished  with  all  the  modern  e<lucatioual  appliances, 
comfortably  seated,  warmed  and  ventilated.  Some  of 
these  are  spacious  edifices,  costing  many  thousands  of  dol- 
lars, while  all  were  designed  and  built  for  the  purpose  for 
which  they  are  used.  The  covintr^'  portion  of  the  county 
is  well  supplied  Avitli  school  houses,  sufficiently  numerous 
and  convenient  for  the  accommodation  of  the  children  in 
all  parts  of  the  county.  Think  of  the  change  made  in  a 
few  years.  But  a  little  more  than  forty  years  ago  here  in 
Des  Moines  only  tAvo  or  three  teachers  were  employe<l  for 
less  than  half  the  year.  Now,  in  the  same  place,  between 
two  hundred  and  three  hundred  teachers  are  constantly 
engaged  in  their  work  through  tei'ms  of  nine  or  ten  months 
of  each  year.  The  few  score  school  children  of  forty  years 
ago  have  multiplied  to  many  thousands.  A  change  has 
also  been  made  in  the  teac-hers.  In  the  early  days  t])e  then 
teachers  who  taught  their  scholars  in  the  cabins  of  the  set- 
tlers and  the  rough  school  houses  of  that  day,  were  gener- 
ally settlers  themselves,  who  taught  only  as  a  temporary 
source  of  revenue,  and  expected  to  soon  engage  in  other 
work,  and  had  no  thought  of  teaching  as  a  profession. 
The  reverse  is  now  generally  the  rule.  Examinations  are 
nujre  strict,  and  a  major-ity  of  the  men  and  women  engaged 
in  teaching  look  upon  it  as  a  chosen  profession,  and  not  a 
few  of  them  make  it  a  life  work. 

It  is  very  difticult  to  procure  an  exact  history  of  the  ear- 
liest schools  of  the  county,  as  the  full  records  cannot  be 
had,  and  the  recollections  of  the  few  old  settlers  now  liv- 
ing are  at  variance  to  some  extent.  The  public  school 
not  then  being  organized,  the  first  schools  were  necessarily 
what  were  called  "subscription  schools,"  the  parents 
agreeing  to  pay  a  specified  sum  to  the  teacher.     The  school 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXE^^.  785 

liouses  in  the  country  were  generally  voluntarily  erected 
by  the  people  of  the  neighborhood,  they  usually  gathering 
at  the  place  on  a  given  day  and  then  and  there  building 
their  log  temple  of  learning.  All  contributed  such  mate- 
rial as  they  had  and  all  workingheartily  toget^ier,the  house 
was  soon  ready  for  teacher  and  scholars.  As  near  as  can 
be  gathered  the  first  school  opened  in  the  county  was  in  one 
(if  the  log  buildings  of  the  "Fort."  Miss  Davis  was  the 
first  teacher.  The  records  of  the  Board  of  County  Commis- 
sioners show  that  Miss  Davis  was  required  to  dismiss  her 
school  for  a  few  days  for  the  purpose  of  permitting  Judge 
Joseph  Williams  to  use  the  room  to  hold  the  first  term  of 
court  ever  held  in  Polk  County.  This  was  in  1846.  The 
second  school  was  taught  by  Lewis  Whitten,  afterwards 
clerk  of  the  county  and  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors.  The 
room  used  by  him  was  in  one  of  the  Fort  buildings.  In  the 
summer  of  1847  K.  L.  Tidrick  taught  for  a  term  of  three 
months.  He  was  not  only  an  early  settler  but  also  one 
of  the  best  of  our  leading  citizens.  During  the  following 
Avinter  a  term  was  taught  by  Mr.  Davis,  and  in  the  summer 
of  1848  Andrew  J.  Stevens  taught  a.  term  of  three  months. 
Mr.  Stevens  in  a  few  years  became  one  of  the  leading  citi- 
zens, dealer  in  real  estate  and  banker,  auditor  of  state,  and 
subsequently  a  newspaper  editor.  During  President  Lin- 
coln's first  term  he  was  for  a  time  U.  S.  Consul  in  Canada. 
He  subsequently  was  engaged  in  banking  in  Nebraska, 
and  is  stated  to  have  died  in  California  a  few  years  ago. 
The  schools  mentioned  were  all  as  before  stated,  subscrip- 
tion schools,  and  due  mostly  to  the  enterprise  of  those  who 
taught  them. 

The  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines  did  not  have  a  regularly 
organized  school  district  until  September  8,  1849.  The 
first  school  after  the  organization  of  the  district  was  held 


786  ANNAL)^  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

iu  the  Methodist  Church,  and  was  taught  by  Bvrou  Eice, 
afterwards  couuty  judge.  It  is  stated  this  school  was 
afterwards  removed  to  the  then  unfinished  court  house, 
before  the  outside  doors  were  hung  and  the  inner  doors 
were  of  rough  undressed  boards.  The  room  was  unplas- 
tered  and  for  heating  there  was  a  large  box  stove  in  one 
end  of  the  room,  and  iu  the  other  an  old  cook  stove  which 
the  troops  had  left  behind.  The  public  school  fund  of  that 
year  was  some  fifty  or  sixty  dollars.  The  following  year 
Charles  S.  Anderson  taught  the  public  school  in  the  court 
house,  and  Miss  Arozina  Perkins  taught  a  select  school  in 
the  Methodist  Church.  In  1S51  the  lot  on  the  corner  of 
Xinth  and  Locust  streets  was  purchased  for  one  hundred 
dollars  as  a  site  for  the  first  public  school  building.  The 
first  tax  for  the  erection  of  a  school  building  upon  this  lot 
was  levied  in  1854,  and  the  house  was  completed  so  as  to  be 
occupied  in  the  winter  of  1856.  The  first  school  in  this 
building  consisted  of  four  departments,  J.  A.  kStickney 
being  principal. 

Mrs.  Anna  Bird,  wife  of  the  pioneer  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, opened  a  select  school  at  an  early  day,  and  conducted 
it  with  much  success  for  several  years.  She  had  a  frame 
building  erected  for  her  school  at  the  corner  of  Second  and 
Locust  streets,  which  stood  there  for  many  years.  This 
esteemed  lady  had  much  tO'  do  with  the  training  of  the 
children  of  those  early  days,  and  those  of  them  now  living- 
remember  her  lovingly  and  honor  her  most  highly.  She  is 
yet  lining  and  makes  her  home  in  this  city,  for  which  she 
has  done  so  much  and  where  she  is  surrounded  by  many  old 
time  friends  and  others  of  later  generations. 

The  first  schools  taught  in  the  various  parts  of  the  county 
cannot  now  be  defined,  located,  nor  can  the  teachers  all  be 
mentioned.     Few  records  have  been  kept  of  them  and 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0INES.  787 

these  are  more  or  less  imperfect.  Some  years  ago  a  stren- 
uous effort  was  made  in  tliis  direction,  but  the  result  was 
not  such  as  was  desired.  But  here  it  should  be  remarked 
that  while  the  teachers  of  those  early  days  may  have 
lacked  and  deeply  felt  their  loss  of  the  training  now  attain- 
able in  these  later  days,  yet  most  of  them  were  zealous  in 
their  work  and  fiilly  discharged  every  duty.  They  neces- 
sarily labore<l  under  more  disadvantages  and  bore  many 
more  hardsliips  thau  teachers  of  the  present  day  are  called 
upon  to  bear,  and  the  remuneration  for  their  toil  and  sac- 
rifices was  much  less  than  is  now  regarded  as  suflicient 
compensation  for  the  work  of  a  teacher.  And  the  men 
and  women  of  to-day,  then  the  school  children  of  the  early 
days,  remember  yet  with  kindness  and  respect,  the  efforts 
made  iu  their  behalf  by  the  pioneer  school  teachers  of  Polk 
County. 

In  writing  of  the  early  schools  of  Des  Moines  prominent 
mention  must  be  made  of  Rev.  J.  A.  Nash,  who  was  not 
only  a  preacher  but  always  a  teacher.  He  about  1S53 
opened  the  Des  Moines  Academy,  having  his  wife  as  an 
assistant.  In  this  he  sought  to  give  his  pupils  a  higher 
education  than  could  be  obtained  in  the  common  schools  of 
those  days.  This  was  the  first  high  school  of  the  city  and 
county.  Some  years  later  Rev.  Nash  located  his  school  iu 
the  northern  limits  of  the  young  city,  and  called  it  the 
Forest  Home  Academy.  To  this  came  not  only  the  youth 
of  the  town  aud  county,  but  also  many  from  a  distance. 
Leonard  Brown,  who  had  been  an  early  pupil  of  Eev.  Nash, 
subseciuently  became  his  assistant,  and  did  much  for  the 
education  of  the  j'outh  of  those  days.  Eev.  Nash  subse- 
quently bent  his  energies  to  the  founding  of  the  present 
Des  Moines  University,  which  to  a  large  extent  is  the 
riqening  fruit  from  the  seed  ])lanted  over  forty  years  ago 
by  Eev.  Nash's  school  aud  academy. 


788  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

And  among  the  early  teachers  should  be  mentioned  Mrs. 
Susan  Sharman,  an  accomplished  English  lady,  and  her 
assistant,  Miss  DeWitt,  who  did  so  much  for  the  education 
and  training  of  the  young  ladies  of  their  day.  Not  a  few  of 
the  mothers,  and  even  grandmothers,  of  Des  Moines,  will 
gratefully  remember  these  ladies  who  taught  them  so  well 
and  faithfully. 

If  the  material  were  at  hand  it  would  occupy  too  much 
space  to  give  anj'thing  like  a  complete  history  of  the 
schools  of  Des  Moines,  however  interesting  such  a  histoid 
might  be.  The  writer  is  compelled  to  condense.  We 
have  stated  what  they  were  in  the  early  days,  and  now  see 
what  they  are  to-day. 

While  a  large  amount  of  territory  has  been  consolidated 
into  one  citj',  the  school  districts  have,  fortunately  or  un- 
fortunately, remained  to  a  large  extent  separated,  they 
being  independent  of  each  other.  What  is  known  as  the 
West  Des  Moines  district  is  the  oldest  and  has  continued 
the  largest  In  this  district  there  are  now  twelve  school 
houses,  and  the  value  of  school  property  is  placed  at  1 500,- 
000.  The  average  attendance  of  scholars  is  3,500,  and  125 
teachers  are  regularly  employed.  In  the  East  Des  Moines 
district  there  are  eleven  school  houses,  with  an  estimated 
value  of  |2.38,700,  and  in  1895  the  total  number  of  scholars 
enrolled  was  3,920,  with  an  average  attendance  of  about 
2,800.  There  are  some  90  teachers  continuously  employed 
in  the  schools  of  this  district.  North  Des  Moines  district 
has  five  school  houses,  costing  about  |67,000;  1230  pupils; 
36  regular  and  2  special  teachers.  Oapitol  Park  and  other 
independent  districts,  with  good  schools  and  school  liouses, 
are  embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  city. 

St.  Ambrose  school  is  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  and  is 
located  at  the  corner  of  Grand  and  Sixth    Avenues,    on 


A-A'D  THE  CITY  OF  DES  2I0IXES.  781» 

grouud  ]im-cliased  with  wise  forethouglit  by  Fathei-  Bra. 
zill.  Tlie  scliool  was  opened  early  in  the  'TOs,  and  some 
years  after  the  present  large  brick  three-story  school  build- 
ing was  erected.  The  school  has  from  the  first  been  an 
excellent  institution,  in  charge  of  the  Sisters,  and  has 
grown  with  the  growth  of  tlie  city  and  parish.  Thebuilding 
is  60x90  feet,  three  stories,  and  the  daily  attendance  of 
scholars  is  about  400.  As  teachers  there  are  now  ten  Sis- 
ters, with  two  music  teachers.  During  the  past  twenty- 
five  years  the  Sisters  have  done  a  great  work  in  the  educa- 
tion of  the  youth  of  this  city,  and  deserve  the  highest  honor 
and  praise  for  their  g<jod  work. 

About  1SS2  Kev.  Pomeroy  and  wife  came  to  Des  Moines, 
with  the  intent  of  establishing  here  a  first-class  female 
seminary.  Several  of  the  citizens  became  interested  and 
took  stoidc  in  the  project,  and  James  Callauan,  a  well- 
known  capitalist,  became  also  interested  and  gave  liber- 
ally. Finally  the  latter  gentleman,  at  his  own  expense, 
erected  the  buildings  on  a  sightly  elevation  on  Pleasant 
street,  subsequently  known  as  Callauan  College,  investing 
altogether  some  .fS0,000.  The  Pomeroys  conducted  the 
seminary  for  several  years,  a  portion  of  the  time  with 
much  success,  but  finally  the  seminary  was  closed.  Sub- 
sequently tlie  buildings  were  used  as  a  depai-tment  in  con- 
nection with  Drake  University  for  the  teaching  of  music, 
etc.  Then  one  of  the  buildings  was  given  by  Mr.  Callanan 
for  the  use  of  the  society  having  in  charge  the  Christian 
Home  for  Women,  and  the  main  building  was  this  year, 
1S96,  fitted  up  and  fuimished  as  a  Home  for  the  Aged  and 
Infirm.  This  new  Home  was  opened  in  May,  and  prom- 
ises to  be  one  of  the  most  successful  and  beneficial  institu- 
tions of  the  city. 

The  last  report  of  the  State  Superintendent  gives  the 


790  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

following  statistics  in  regard  to  the  public  schools  of  Polk 
County :  District  townships,  13 ;  independent  districts,  59 ; 
number  of  sub-districts,  91;  ungraded,  145;  rooms  ia 
graded,  245;  average  duration  in  months,  8.5;  number  of 
teachers  emploj'ed,  males  87,  females  469;  pupils  in  county 
between  the  ages  of  5  and  21,  males  11,120,  females  11,294; 
enrolled  in  public  schools,  15,882;  total  average  attend- 
ance, 10,352;  school  houses  in  county,  180;  value,  |961,082; 
value  of  apparatus,  .|16,624;  volumes  in  libraries,  8,579. 

Amount  of  cash  collected  on  district  tax,  teachers'  fund, 
in  one  year,  $172,740;  received  from  permanent  school 
fund,  .$34,110;  other  sources,  |1,072;  paid  to  teachers  in  one 
year,  .|1S6,471;  paid  for  other  pur|>oges,  |1,6S7;  amount  of 
tax  collected  in  one  year  on  school  house  fund,  .f. 53, 043; 
from  other  sources,  -f  15,554;  paid  for  school  houses  and 
sites,  .|18,804;  paid  on  bonds  and  interest,  .f 34,184;  librar- 
ies, $624;  other  purposes,  f 3,616;  collected  on  contingent 
fund  tax,  .f  71,910;  other  sources,  .f  8,260. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

POLK  COUNTY  BAR. 

THKOrGHOUT  these  annals  are  mentioned  many  of 
the  eai'ly  and  later  attoruej's  or  lawyers  who  prac- 
ticed their  profession  in  this  county.  We  had  the 
promise  of  a  special  chapter  on  the  Bar  of  Polk  County, 
but  from  some  cause  or  other  it  has  not  yet  materialized 
and  as  the  publication  of  the  Annals  cannot  be  longer 
delayed,  we  must  write  of  these  gentlemen  as  we  have 
heard  of  and  remember  them.  And  it  cannot  be  expected 
that  all  of  them  shall  be  specially  mentioned. 

Among  those  who  came  in  the  '40s  were  Tom  Baker,  Wil- 
liam McKay,  P.  M.  Casady,  R.  L.  Tidrick,  W.  W.  ^Villiam- 
son,  Byron  Eice,  Barlow  Granger,  J.  E.  Jewett,  and  others 
of  Avhom  mention  has  been  made  in  previous  chapters. 
In  the  early  '50s  came  Curtis  Bates,  Daniel  O.  Finch,  Tal- 
madge  E.  Brown,  John  F.  Howe,  Parrish,  W.  H.  McHenry, 
and  others,  and  in  1855  or  a  few  years  thereafter,  came  M. 
M.  Crocker,  John  Mitchell,  J.  M.  Ellwood,  Jeff  S.  Polk,  E. 
J.  Ingersoll,  S.  V.  ^Vhite,  Stephen  Sibley,  M.  D.  McHenry, 
Giles  H.  Turner,  G.  C.  Graves,  Sam  H.  Elbert,  F.  A.  Trifle, 
John  H.  Gray,  Charles  C.  Xourse,  A.  Y.  Hull,  Seward 
Smith,  Thomas  F.  Withrow,  John  A.  Kasson,  Chester  C. 
Cole,  J.  M.  St.  John,  W.  J.  Gatling,  et  al.  In  those  days 
these  attorneys  did  not  cimiine  their  business  to  Polk 
County,  but  traveled  this  and  invaded  other  distric'ts, 
sometimes  covering  the  Avliole  of  central,  northern  and 
western  Iowa.  And  to  attend  courts  they  Avere  forced  to 
go  on  horseback,  by  private  conveyance,  or  bj'  public  hack 
or  stage.     Most  of  them  were  young,  all  educated  and 


792  AXNAW  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

amljitious,  men  wlio  lost  no  opportunity  for  advancing 
their  own  interests  and  that  of  their  clients.  Des  Moines 
lawyers  were  alwaj's  present  at  all  the  courts  held  within 
a  radius  of  one  hundred  miles  or  more  of  the  Eaccoon 
Forks.  And  they  generally  had  lively  times  while  attend- 
ing these  courts.  There  was  naturally  more  of  a  comrad- 
ship  among  them  than  there  is  to-day,  and  all  enjoyed  the 
sharp  legal  iights  so  often  occurring,  and  played  many 
sharp  legal  moves  upon  each  other.  Glancing  over 
the  names  it  will  be  readih'  seen  by  any  one  at  all  familiar 
Avith  the  men,  that  in  education,  knowledge  of  the  law, 
and  general  ability,  the  lawyers  of  that  day  will  compare 
favorably  with  the  lawyers  of  the  present  day.  Some  even 
go  beyond  this  and  say  they  were  better  grounded  in  the 
elementary  and  sound,  general  principles  of  the  law,  and 
had  a  less  number  of  mere  "case  lawyers"  or  specialists, 
than  can  be  found  to-day  among  the  members  of  the  bar  of 
the  county.  This  may  be  true,  and  at  the  same  time 
accounted  for  b^'  the  manj-  changes  of  the  surroundings  in 
the  past  thirty  or  forty  years.  Then  there  was  compara- 
tively little  cor]ioration  or  railroad  practice,  and  the  sit- 
uation was  different  in  many  respects  from  what  it  is  to- 
day. 

It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  write  specially  of  a  number  of 
the  lawyers  of  that  day,  would  space  permit.  Of  Curtis 
Bates,  slow,  perhaps,  but  sound,  of  L)a]i  O.  Finch,  a  natural 
orator,  of  keen,  quick  perceptive  faculties,  and  always 
ready;  M.  M.  Crocker,  a  fighter  from  the  start,  impulsive 
and  yet  tenacious,  who  generall}'  wanted  to  force  things 
through  and  win  in  a  rush,  and  who  as  a  soldier  during  the 
war  won  for  himself  a  fame  Avhich  should  never  die,  and  yet 
who  himself  died  at  the  close  of  the  war  in  which  he  had  so 
distinguished  himself,  a  young  uuiu  several  years  under 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  703 

forty  years  of  age.  Or  we  might  write  of  James  M.  Ell- 
T^'ood,  a  student  and  a  scholar,  a  sound  lawyer,  a  bachelor 
gentleman,  ayIio  often  seemed  out  of  jilace  in  the  hurly- 
burly  of  a  young  and  rapidly  growing  community.  Then 
there  was  Talniadge  K.  Brown,  shrewd,  determined  and 
long-headed,  with  the  tenacity  and  courage  of  a  fighting 
bull-dog,  who  could  neither  be  killed  or  shaken  off,  and 
who,  though  dying  prematurely,  accumulated  a  large  for- 
tune. E.  J.  Ingersoll,  who  for  a  time  was  associated  with 
Ellwood,  and  after  a  few  years  of  practice,  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  fire  insurance,  founded  the  Hawkeye  Insurance 
Company,  and  died  a  wealthy  man.  And  there  was  Jeff. 
S.  Pidk,  a  natural  boru  and  educated  lawyer,  cool,  studious 
and  clear-headed,  and  a  hard  worker.  He  soon  sur- 
mounted the  many  obstacles  in  his  earlj''  pathway,  and  in  a 
few  years  took  rank  among  the  leaders  of  the  bar  in  county 
and  state  and  has  accumulated  a  handsome  fortune,  and  is 
now  at  the  head  of  the  street  railway  company.  There 
was  John  A.  Kasson,  a  well-read  lawyer,  urbane  and  pol- 
ished, but  who  turned  his  attention  more  to  politics  than 
law.  (Charles  C.  Xourse,  who  came  here  from  Van  Buren 
County,  where  he  had  made  a  good  name  for  himself  and 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  the  law,  and  is  to-day  perhaps 
the  nldest  practitioner  in  the  city  who  has  continuously 
practiced  his  jirofession.  Twice  Attorney  General  of  the 
state,  and  in  his  private  practice  engaged  in  some  of  the 
most  important  cases  e^'er  tried  in  county  or  state,  he  has 
for  years  ranked  high  up  at  the  head  of  his  profession. 
Judge  C.  C.  Cole  is  a  lawyer  whose  ability  has  never  been 
questioned,  a  close  student,  hard  Avorker,  always  alert  and 
always  ready,  he  has  shown  his  ability  on  the  supreme 
bench  and  at  the  bar,  and  is  now  the  acknowledged  legal 
head  of  the  Drake  University  Law  School.  John  Mitchell, 
for  twelve  years  judge  of  the  Circuit  Court,  a  studious,  care- 


794  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

fill  hnvTer  and  judge,  esteemed  citizen  and  beloved  friend, 
-wild  died  a,  feAv  years  ago.  Tbos.  F.  WitliroAv  died  in  C'hi- 
cago  a  rear  or  two  ago,  Avhere  he  Iiad  been  the  chief  attor- 
ney of  the  Rock  Island  company  for  many  years.  Seward 
Bmith  was  TTnited  States  Judge  in  Dakota,  and  shortly 
after  serving  there  died.  F.  A.  Trifle  was  governor  of  Ari- 
zona Territory,  and  has  lived  there  for  years,  while  Sam 
H.  p]lbert,  going  to  Colorado  at  an  early  day,  was  for  years 
on  the  supreme  bench  of  that  state  and  is  now  an  honored 
and  wealthy  citizen  of  Denver.  Mention  should  be  made 
of  others  of  those  days,  but  as  before  stated  all  cannot  be 
thus  specially  mentioned. 

During  the  war  but  few  additions  were  made  to  the  bar 
of  the  county.  Too  many  of  the  lawyers  had  joined  the 
army,  the  large  majority  of  them  securing  officers'  com- 
missions. Few  of  their  class  were  to  be  found  serving  as 
privates.  Their  merit  or  something  else  generally  secured 
them  promotion.  After  the  war  was  over  then  they  came 
in  rapidlj",  and  among  the  many  Avere  some  who  soon 
secured  and  held  high  rank  in  the  profession.  Among 
these  were  C.  H.  Gatch,  William  Connor,  J.  E.  Barcroft, 
Josiah  Given,  C.  A.  Dudley,  E.  J.  Goode,  A.  B.  Cummins, 
C.  II.  Sweeny,  J(jlin  C.  Mnry,  P.  F.  Bartle,  AV.  O.  Curtis,  J. 
J.  Davis,  John  A.  McCall,  Crom  Bowen,  A.  X.  Poi-ter, 
Diram  T.  Smith,  Ed.  T.  Morris,  and  many  otliers  wlui  liave 
made  their  marlc  in  a  legal  way. 

After  these  came  many  others.  The  city  was  growing 
in  size  and  in  later  years  courts  Avere  almost  continuously 
in  session  during  almost  ten  months  in  the  year.  This 
fact  caused  many  actions  to  be  brought  in  Polk  Avhen  were 
it  otherwise  they  Avould  have  been  hied  in  other  counties. 
Tlien  of  late  years  all  the  terms  of  the  Supreme  C-onrt  of  the 
state  Avere  held  in  Des  Moines,  and  here  also  Avere  held  the 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEfi  MOINES.  795 

most  importaut  terms  of  the  United  States  Circuit  ami 
District  Courts.  This  brought  legal  business  here  and 
also  brought  for  permanent  residence,  able  attorneys  from 
(jther  coimties  of  Iowa  and  from  other  states.  Then  came 
also  a  crop  of  voung  attorneys,  many  of  them  born  and 
reared  in  Polk  and  other  counties  of  Iowa,  who  entered 
into  the  field  and  not  a  few  of  whom  have  fought  their  way 
to  success  in  their  chosen  profession.  Among  these  may 
be  named  Ben.  F.  Kauffman,  Thomas  and  Oairoll  Wright. 
William  H.  and  Walter  McHeniy,  the  Beads,  Miller, 
jMyeriy,  Haskins,  Stewart,  Evans,  and  others. 

As  previously  stated,  by  circumstances  this  chapter  is 
somewhat  circumscribed,  and  must  be  concluded  with 
a  list  of  attorneys  now  in  practice  as  given  in  the  last  bar 
docket,  1896,  of  the  District  Court  of  Polk  County: 

E.  H.  Addison,  Ayres,  AVooden  &:  Ayres,  Ira  W.  Ander- 
son, Barcroft  &  McCaughan,  Balliet  &  Stahl,  P.  F.  Bartle, 
A.  H.  Brous,  Berrjhill  &  Henry,  John  H.  Blair,  Bishop, 
Bowen  &  Fleming,  E.  L.  Blake,  Thomas  Burke,  R.  O.  Bren- 
nan,.J.  G.  Bates,  L.  M.  Byers,  C.  A.  Ballreich,  Alfred  F.  Bis- 
sell,  Brenner  &  Shular,  A.  L.  Campbell,  L.  B.  Callender,  C. 
C.  Cole,  W.  B.  Crosby,  Carr  &  Parker,  D.  F.  Callender,  C.  E. 
Ciampbell,  A.  P.  Chamberlain,  Howard  J.  Clark,  E.  E. 
Clark,  Phil  S.  Cory,  J.  F.  Conrad,  G.  W.  Copley,  Cummins 
&  Wright,  J.  C.  Cummins,  ^A'.  O.  Curtis,  H.  G.  Carpenter, 
Day  &  Corry,  Dowell  &  Parrish,  .J.  .J.  Davis,  E.  A.  Davis, 
Dudley  &  Coffin,  F.  W.  Dodson,  Dunshee  &  Allen,  C.  J. 
Donnelly,  Clinton  II.  Doru,  Dale  &  Brown,  J.  A.  Dyer, 
Earle  &  Prouty,  E.  B.  Evans,  F.  F.  Evans,  A.  H.  Evans,  B. 
H.  French,  Benj.  F.  Fuller,  Gatch,  Connor  &  Weaver,  E.  J. 
(loode,  A.  W.  Guthrie,  Guemsej'^  &  Baily,  Granger  &  Ben- 
nett, L.  W.  Goode,  Gallagher  &  Chesbro,  W,  G.  Hamlin, 
Harvison  &  Mershon,  HoAve  &  Miller,  James  P.  Hewitt, 


796  a:\^nals  of  polk  county 

J.  Howard  Henry,  C.  E.  Hunu,  F.  B.  Huckstep,  A.  A.  Has- 
kius,  John  Harkin,  Hume  &  Dawson,  T.  D.  Hastie,  Griff 
Johnson,  C.  W.  Johnson,  J.  B.  Johnson,  J.  H.  Jones,  E. 
Jakaway,  William  Kennedy,  Kinkead  &  Kinkead,  A.  G. 
Kingsbury,  Lewis  iK:  Eoyal,  H.  E.  Long,  Lingenfelter  & 
Burt,  J.  D.  Laws,  R.  B.  Likes,  J.  J.  Long,  J.  K.  Macomber, 
Wm.  0.  Miller,  E.  T.  Morris,  Macy  &  Sweeney,  B.  F.  Mar- 
icle,  John  A.  MeCall,  W.  H.  McHenry,  A.  A.  McLaughlin, 
John  McLennan,  Merritt  &  Bunting,  A.  M.  Miller,  J.  J. 
Myerly,  M(\'cy  &  Cheshire,  Mackenzie  &  Dewey,  S.  L. 
Mash,  ^^'m.  M.  Montgomery,  R.  M.  Mount,  O.  0.  &  0.  L. 
Xourse,  Nugent  &  Connelly,  Park  &  Odell,  R.  B.  Parrott, 
Powell  &  Paschal,0.  C.  Peterson,  William  Phillips,  Phil- 
lips &  Brennan,  Polk  &  Hubbell,  A.  N.  Porter,  Porter  & 
Holly,  X.  B.  Raymond,  Read  &  Read,  H.  D.  Reeve,  E.  F. 
Sallenbach,  E.  D.  Samson,  A.  K.  Stewart,  Jr.,  Frank  Sher- 
man, G.  E.  Sanderson,  T.  L.  Sellers,  St.  John  &  Stevenson, 
L.  I.  Silvara,  W^m.  H.  Stiles,  A.  L.  Steele,  W.  A.  Triss,  S.  R. 
Tippie,  S.  G.  Van  Auken,  F.  M.  Van  Pelt,  H.  S.  Wilcox, 
Wishard  &  Cole,  D.  F.  Witter,  L.  A.  Wilkinson,  J.  D.  Whis- 
enand,  W^m.  M.  Wilcoxen,  A.  M.  Williams,  John  M.  Work, 
C.  L.  Wilson,  Marion  Walter,  White  &  Davidson,  Witmer 
&  Strock,  A.  H.  F.  Zeigier. 


CHAPTER  XLIIL 

PHYSICIANS. 

DES  MOINES,  like  all  western  towns,  must  needs  have 
its  quota  of  physicians.  Adventurous  men,  tired 
of  the  populous  towns  of  the  east,  meu  who  Avere 
crowded  out  by  the  multitude  of  competitors,  men  who 
liked  the  free,  independent  and  unconventional  life  of  the 
prairies,  flocked  to  the  new  towns  of  Iowa,  prepared  to 
rough  it  with  their  fellow  citizens.  It  is  true  that  the  life 
of  the  western  physician  was  a  life  of  self-denial,  of  hard- 
ship and  constant  exposure,  but  there  was  a  certain  attrac- 
tiveness and  fascination  which  compensated  for  the  work. 
The  life  of  isolation,  too,  made  men  self-reliant,  ready  to 
meet  all  the  emergencies  of  their  calling.  Nor  must  it  be 
supposed  that  only  the  imperfectly  educated,  incompetent 
and  failures  elsewhere,  came  into  the  broad  west.  There 
were  in  the  early  days  in  Polk  County  men  of  broad  mental 
culture,  of  refined  and  cultivated  tastes,  of  ripe  experience 
in  medicine  and  surgery,  an  honor  to  the  profession  and 
society,  who  cast  in  their  lot  with  the  early  pioneers. 

The  first  physician  who  came  to  Des  Moines  was  Dr. 
Kirkbride,  an  army  surgeon,  connected  with  the  military 
post  and  who  went  away  when  the  troops  were  withdrawn. 
The  first  civilian  who  practiced  medicine  in  the  county 
was  Thomas  K.  Brooks,  who  came  to  Des  Moines  in  Sep- 
tember, 1845,  settling  in  what  was  called  Agency  Prairie, 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city.  At  first  he  combined  farm- 
ing with  the  practice  of  medicine,  but  soon  had  to  devote 
himself  exclusively  to  the  latter  occupation.  He  was  very 
active  in  the  endeavor  to  remove  the  state  capitol  from 


79S  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COrXTY 

Iowa  City  to  Des  Moines,  and  was  largely  instrumental 
in  securing  the  seat  of  goverunieut  for  this  city.  During 
the  later  years  of  his  life  he  retired  from  practice  and  died 
in  ISfiS  aged  fifty-seven  years. 

In  184G  Dr.  Pierce  B.  Fagan  settled  in  Des  Moines.  He 
graduated  at  the  celebrated  McDowell  College  of  Medicine 
at  St.  Louis.  After  re«;eiving  his  diploma  he  remained  for 
several  years  as  assistant  to  Dr.  McDowell,  moved  from  St. 
Louis  to  Cincinnati  to  become  ])rofessor  in  the  Cincinnati 
Eclectic  Medical  C(dlege,  and  then  removed  to  Des  Moines. 
He  was  an  able  physician  and  surgeon  of  excellent  literary 
accomplishment,  scnnething  of  a  politician  and  withal  of  a 
very  genial  and  amiable  disposition.  He  speedily 
acquired  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  He  was  an 
ardent  politician  of  the  whig  party  and  was  a  candidate  for 
state  senator  in  opposition  to  P.  M.  Oasady,  the  nominee  of 
the  democrats.  Together  they  stumped  the  large  and 
sparsely  settled  district,  but  Judge  Casady  proved  the  vic- 
tor in  the  contest.  Dr.  Fagan  removed  from  Des  Moines 
in  1852  to  Santa  Cruz,  California,  where  he  now  resides,  at 
a  hale  old  age. 

During  the  next  few  years  after  the  coming  of  Drs.  Brooks 
and  Fagan,  Drs.  Henry  and  Franlc  Grimmell,  D.  V.  Cole,H. 
H.  Saylor,  Alex.  Sliaw,  Henry  Courtney,  W.  H.  Ward,  A.  M. 
Overman,  David  Tisdale,  H.  L.  Whitman,  W.  P.  Davis, 
Wm.  Enssell  and  J.  C.  Allen  settled  here.  All  of  these, 
with  the  exception  of  Dr.  Ward  are  dead,  and  all  died  in 
the  city  of  their  adoption  except  Drs.  Shaw,  Cole  and  Over- 
man. Dr.  Shaw  early  retired  from  practice  and  became 
connected  with  the  management  of  the  State  Fair.  He 
was  the  leading  horticulturist  of  the  state.  A  number  of 
years  ago  lie  removed  to  Denver,  Colorado,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  was  secretary  of  the  Agricultural  Societv  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  791> 

the  state.  Dr.  Ward  coutinued  iu  active  practice  here 
until  a  feAV  years  ago,  when  lie  removed  to  Phoenix,  Ari- 
zona, and  subsecjnently  to  Los  Angeles,  California,  where 
he  now  resides.  Drs.  Frank  and  Henry  Grimmell  were  for 
many  years  popular  and  successful  physicians.  Dr. 
Frank  acquired  a  handsome  competency,  retired  from 
practice  and  died  years  ago  at  a  ripe  old  age. 

Wm.  P.  Davis  was  also  an  able  and  successful  physician. 
He,  as  well  as  Dr.  Fagan,  engaged  in  politics,  and  repre- 
sented the  district  in  the  legislature  for  several  years.  He 
was  als(j  surgeon  in  the  army.  He  died  in  1SG7.  In  the 
later  '50s  came  Drs.  C.  H.  Rawson,  W.  H.  Dickinson,  Isaac 
Windle,  Wm.  Molesworth  and  James  Lillie.  The  latter 
was  born  in  Scotland,  received  first  a  thorough  education 
in  the  University  of  Edinburg  and  after  took  a  theological 
and  medical  course.  He  Avas  a  clergyman  and  physician, 
a  profound  Hebrew  and  Greek  scholar  and  was  one  of  the 
translators  of  the  revised  version  of  the  Bible.  He 
remained  in  Des  Moines  a  few  years  and  was  then  elected 
professor  of  ancient  languages  in  the  State  University  of 
Iowa.  All  schools  of  medicine  were  well  represented  in 
the  early  days  in  Polk  County,  the  Allopathic  school  by 
such  men  as  Dr.  Brooks,  Grimmells,  Courtney,  Whitman, 
Rawson  and  Ward.  The  Eclectic  by  Fagan,  Molesworth 
and  Tisdale,  and  the  Homeopathic  by  Lillie,  Dickinson^ 
Clarke  and  McGonegal. 

As  previously  stated,  with  the  troops  came  Dr.  Kirk- 
bride.  Then  came  Dr.  T.  K.  Brooks,  Drs.  Fagan  and  the 
two  Grimmels,  Drs.  Frank  and  Henry  C.  Grimmell.  Dr. 
Russell  was  also  one  of  the  early  comers;  Dr.  D.  V.  Cole 
came  also  at  an  early  day  and  after  remaining  here  for 
many  years  finally  removed  to  and  settled  in  Southern 
Kansas.     And  there  was  Dr.  H.  H.  Saylor  who  was  among 


800  AXNAL^"^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  first,  and  knoAvu  all  over  the  county.  In  1S53  came 
Dr.  Henry  Courtney,  a  courteous  gentleman  and  excel- 
lent physician,  who  practiced  his  profession  with  much 
success  until  his  untimely  and  much  lamented  death  in 
1S61.  Dr.  H.  L.  Whitman  also  came  in  the  early  '.50s  and 
pursued  the  labor  of  his  profession  for  many  years  in  this 
city.  He  died  in  1885.  Dr.  W.  H.  Ward  was  one  of  the 
first.  After  remaining  in  Des  Moines  for  a  time  he  went 
to  Warren  County  where  he  practiced  successfully  for  sev- 
eral years.  Then  returning  to  Des  Moines  he  was  for  a 
number  of  years  a>  leading  physician  of  the  city.  A  few 
years  ago  he  went  to  Arizona,  and  subsequently  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  as  before  stated  is  now  in  practice  at  Los 
Angeles. 

Al)out  18.57  came  from  the  east  Dr.  C.  H.  Eawson.  He 
had  been  in  California  previously,  and  being  an  accom- 
plished physician  and  surgeon,  for  many  years  ranked 
high  in  the  profession  of  which  he  was  such  a  successful 
and  honored  member.  He  died  several  years  ago. 
Among  the  old-timers  was  Dr.  B.  L.  Steele.  He  came  at  a 
very  early  day  and  located  in  the  edge  of  Warren  county, 
though  a  goodlj'  portion  of  his  large  practice  was  in  this 
county.  In  1861  he  settled  in  Des  Moines,  and  for  some 
twenty  years  or  more  labored  here  for  the  health  and 
advancement  in  every  way  of  our  people.  Generous  and 
self-sacrificing  he  was  emphatically  the  poor  man's  friend 
and  physician,  responding  to  every  call,  regardless  of  fee 
or  hope  of  reward.  Dr.  Steele  was  an  ardent  politician. 
Unlike  most  of  that  calling  he  was  only  ambitious  for  the 
success  of  the  party  and  persistently  refused  to  be  a  candi- 
date for  office.  His  services  as  a  stump  speaker  were  in 
great  demand  for  he  was  a  forcible  and  pleasant  speaker, 
and  these  services  were  cheerfully  rendered  without  com- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OP  DES  MOINES.  801 

pensation.  He  was  singularly  indifferent  to  the  acquisi- 
tion of  property  and  spoke  and  practiced  M-ith  seeming 
indifference  to  pay  for  his  services.  Dr.  George  P.  Hana- 
Avalt,  who  came  in  1868,  has  been  in  the  continuous  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  up  to  this  time  and  besides  his  large 
private  practice  is  the  regular  physician  and  surgeon  for 
the  Eock  Island  and  other  railroads.  Then  there  is  Dr.  R. 
A.  Patchen,  who  coming  here  as  a.  young  man  more  than 
twenty  yeears  ago,  has  built  up  a  reputation  as  both  phy- 
sician and  surgeon  which  places  him  in  the  front  rank  of 
the  profession.     His  services  are  always  in  demand. 

And  in  calling  the  roll  of  Des  Moines  physicians  the 
name  of  Dr.  E.  J.  McGorrisk  must  appear.  He  was  in  Des 
Moines  "before  the  war,"  and  had  made  a  reputation  as  a 
successful  and  skillful  physician,  and  during  the  war  he 
served  with  distinction  as  a  I'egimental  surgeon  and  med- 
ical director.  For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  he  has 
made  his  home  in  Des  Moines  and  is  yet  in  the  active  prac- 
tice of  his  beloved  profession.  And  among  the  other  pio- 
neers of  the  profession  will  be  found  Dr.  Skinner,  who 
came  to  this  county  in  the  '50s,  and  from  that  time  to  the 
present  has  been  engaged  in  the  continuous  practice  of 
medicine,  and  as  a  man  and  physician  has  always  been  and 
is  now  highly  esteemed.  Dr.  Skinner  also  was  several 
3'ears  in  the  army.  Dr.  W.  S.  Grimes,  after  service  in  the 
army,  settled  in  Des  Moines  and  in  connection  with  Dr. 
Steele  and  again  with  Dr.  Patchen,  and  also  when  alone, 
acquired  much  reputation  among  the  people.  He  subse- 
quently removed  to  Denver,  Colorado,  and  there  died  a  few 
years  since.  Dr.  James  Campbell,  distinguished  as  the 
earliest  settler  now  living  in  the  city,  and  one  of  the  first 
merchants  therein,  nearly  forty  years  ago  commenced  his 
special  treatment  of  ej'es,  and  finally  devoted  his  entire 


802  AXNAL^"^  OF  FOLK  COUXTY 

time  and  study  to  this  aud  otlier  special  branches,  and  has 
met  with  uuich  deserved  success.  In  the  past  few  years  he 
has  visited  California,  Arizona  and  the  other  Pacific  aud 
western  states  and  territories,  making  many  successful 
cures.  Eeturning  to  his  old  home  he  continues  to  daily 
adnunister  to  the  afflicted.  And  he  is  yet  active  in  miud 
aud  bodj-.  Dr.  M.  W.  Thomas,  after  being  a  noted  profes- 
sor in  the  Iowa  Medical  College,  and  serving  in  the  army, 
came  to  Des  Moines  in  18G5.  and  was  actively  engaged  in 
practice  with  great  success  until  his  death  some  years  ago. 

The  physician  who  has  perhaps  been  in  the  longest  con- 
tinuous practice  in  the  city  is  Dr.  W.  H.  Dickinson.  After 
teaching  in  the  south  some  four  3'ears,  he  studied  medicine 
at  Louisville  aud  other  places  and  graduated  at  the  Hom- 
eopathic Colleges  both  at  Cleveland  and  New  York  (Jity. 
He  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1858,  and  has  been  in  the  con- 
tinuous successful  practice  here  from  that  date.  The  only 
interruptions  have  been  while  engaged  in  further  studies 
in  Xew  York,  and  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  a  pro- 
fessor in  the  medical  department  of  the  State  University. 
He  also  was  for  years  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of 
Health  and  for  a  time  vice-president  of  the  same.  He  was 
the  first  of  his  school  in  this  city,  and  has  held  his  rank  in 
the  city  and  state,  having  been  as  early  as  1870  made  pres- 
ident of  the  State  Medical  Society.  Among  the  early  phy- 
sicians coming  here  in  the  '50s,  Avas  Dr.  A.  M.  Overman. 
He  practiced  his  profession  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
devoted  much  of  his  time  to  mercantile  and  other  pursuits. 
The  last  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  the  Black  Hills  of 
Dakota. 

As  the  city  grew  so  did  the  number  of  physicians,  ably 
representing  all  schools,  containing  many  learned  and 
skillful  men  keeping  abreast  of  the  times  in  all  pertaining 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  803 

to  medical  aucl  surgical  atlvaucement.  At  the  present  time 
the  city  coutains  one  medical  college,  thoroughly  Avell 
equipped  with  all  the  appliances  for  instruction,  with  a 
competent  corps  of  professors  and  lecturers.  It  has  also 
three  hospitals  for  public  and  private  patients,  two  of  them 
under  the  control  of  religious  denominations  and  served  by 
the  ablest  physicians  of  the  city.  And  in  other  parts  of 
the  county  may  be  found  skillful  and  successful  physicians. 
In  these  towns  and  villages  there  are  x^hysicians  who  take 
rank  with  the  best  of  their  profession  in  the  city.  For 
instance  there  is  Dr.  Armstrong,  who  for  years  has  made 
his  home  at  Polk  City;  Dr.  Mather,  who  for  many  years 
practiced  in  the  same  locality;  Dr.  Pence,  of  Camp  town- 
ship, bright  and  able,  and  others  deserving  of  more  than 
passing  mention.  In  the  city  and  county  there  are  now 
between  150  and  200  practicing  physicians,  though  Polk  is 
noted  as  one  of  the  most  healthy  counties  in  Iowa. 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 

BANKING  IN  POLK  COUNTY. 
BY   HOYT  SHERMAN. 

IN  THE  settlement  of  a  new  country,  jnst  reclaimed  from 
tlie  Indians,  the  first  duty  of  the  emigrant  is  to  pro- 
vide food  and  shelter  for  the  family  and  those 
dependent  on  him.  Next,  carrying  out  the  purpose  of  his 
migration,  is  to  secure  a  permanent  site  on  which  to  estab- 
lish the  home,  raise  food,  and  prepare  for  the  future  wants 
of  himself  and  family.  The  United  States,  with  a  broad 
liberality  and  forethought,  had  arranged  for  the  new- 
comer on  lands  ceded  to  it  by  the  Indians,  by  establishing 
a  generous  pre-emption  laAV,  and  by  giving  to  soldiers  and 
the  families  of  deceased  soldiers,  certificates  entitling  them 
to  portions  of  the  public  land  domain  according  to  military 
service  rendered,  which  certificates  they  could  use  for  the 
purchase  of  public  lands,  or  they  could  sell  and  assign 
them  to  others,  to  be  used  for  a  like  purpose. 

And  right  here  at  the  very  outset  of  the  emigrants' 
effort  to  procure  a  permanent  home  site,  either  by  purchase 
in  cash  from  the  general  government,  by  availing  himself 
of  the  credit  granted  by  the  general  government  through 
pre-emption,  or  by  purchase  of  military  laud  certificates, 
the  first  foundations  were  laid  of  the  business  of  banking 
which  has  now  grown  to  such  great  importance  that  nearly 
every  village  and  hamlet  in  Polk  and  adjoining  counties 
boasts  its  bank,  with  all  modern  appliances  for  transact- 
ing a  money  business,  and  for  the  safekeeping  of  cash  and 
securities.  In  those  early  days,  running  through  the  years 
1846  and  1847  and  nearly  all  of  1848,  the  methods  adopted 
and  practiced  by  business  men  in  the  line  of  caring  for 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  805 

deposits  were  of  the  most  primitive  character.  The  old- 
fashioned  hair-trunk  with  a  simple  locii  was  the  favorite 
place  for  safe-keeping  jf  cash,  and  that,  w^hen  properly 
locked  and  shoved  under  the  bed  of  its  owner  during  the 
night,  was  considered  an  unquestioned  place  of  safety.  It 
is  difticult  to  determine  who  were  the  first  bankers  here. 
All  of  our  merchants  had  some  place  for  safe  keeping  of 
monev  and  valuables,  not  only  for  their  own  benefit,  but 
for  that  of  customers.  One  instance  is  cited  here  to  show 
what  chances  were  taken  by  persons  having  the  care  of 
large  amounts  of  money.  This  party  had  been  all  through 
the  Mexican  war,  just  ended,  and  had  saved  up  |1S,000  in 
gold — a  large  sum  in  those  days.  He  came  here  early  in 
184:8,  and  brought  it  with  him  in  a  Mexican  grass  sack,  and 
held  it  in  that  shape  for  months,  until  it  was  gradually 
absorbed  in  his  mercantile  and  land  business.  Of  course 
the  possession  of  so  large  a  sum  was  generally  known,  but 
he  never  lost  a  dollar  of  it.  I  recall  one  or  two  merchants 
Avho  employed  trusty  teamsters  to  haul  their  mercnandise 
from  Keokuk,  and  availed  themselves  of  the  trips  made 
to  that  point  by  their  teamsters  to  send  down  all  their  cash, 
depiisit  it  Avitli  Mr.  ("'harles  Parsons,  a  local  banker,  and 
through  him  (disburse  it  to  the  wliolesale  luercliants  of 
whom  tliey  bought  their  goods. 

October  .30,  1848,  the  general  government  opened  up  for 
sale,  tlirongli  its  land  office  located  at  Iowa  City,  all  the 
lands  in  Central  Iowa,  including  Polk  County.  At  that 
time  Messrs.  Uobertson  &  Holland,  of  Rockford,  Illinois, 
through  their  agents  at  loAva  City,  Messrs.  Culbertson  and 
Reno,  and  Mr.  Robert  L.  Tidrick,  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  began 
in  a  limited  way  to  do  a  banking  business  here,  by  receiv- 
ing money  for  the  purchase  of  lands  at  Iowa  City,  by  sell- 
ing to  intending  purchasers  military  bounty  laud  war- 


806  ANXAL^"^  OF  POLK  COUXTY 

rants,  and  by  loaning  money  to  others  to  bny  goAoi-nnient 
lands.  This  firm  had  no  business  of  a  banhino-  nature  with 
our  mercantile  houses,  sold  no  exchange — did  nothing  r)f  a 
banking  kind  except  as  above  in  dealing  with  government 
lands,  yet  in  a  certain  sense  the}^  may  be  classed  as  the 
first  house  doing  a  banking  business  in  Polk  (Jounty. 

Following  the  winter  of  1848-9,  a  number  of  business 
men  prepared  themselves  to  conduct  that  part  of  a  banking 
business,  that  related  to  the  entry  of  lands  at  the  govern- 
ment land  office,  hj  the  purchase  of  huge  sheet-iron  safes, 
fastened  by  locks  with  massive  keys,  the  security  of  the 
safes  being  gauged  by  the  size  of  the  keys--the  larger  the 
key  the  more  secure  the  safe  from  the  "enterprising  bur- 
glar," who  was  in  those  days  a  myth.  They  at  times  fur- 
nished money  to  settlers  in  limited  amounts  to  buy  lands, 
and  occasionally  bought  on  their  own  account  choice  40  or 
SO-acre  tracts,  to  be  sold  to  new-comers  at  a  large  advance 
on  cost.  They  also  cashed  drafts  on  eastern  banks, 
brought  out  by  emigrants  instead  of  coin,  as  more  safe  to 
transport.  These  constituted  largely  the  banking  opera- 
tions of  the  few  years  following.  The  money  business  of 
this  county  and  adjoining  ones  moved  along  that  narrow 
channel,  without  much  need  for  general  banking  privi- 
leges, until  in  October,  1852,  when  the  congress  of  the 
United  States  carved  out  a  new  land  district  in  Central 
Iowa,  witli  the  (jffice  location  at  Fort  Des  Moines.  At 
this  point  all  the  governinent  lands  unsold  in  the  counties 
of  Polk,  .Jasper,  Dallas,  Guthrie,  Marshall,  Story,  Boone, 
Greene,  north  half  each  of  Adair,  Madison,  Warren  and 
Marion,  and  east  part  of  Carroll,  were  offered  for  sale,  and 
as  nearly  all  of  the  money  transactions  of  this  part  of  the 
state  had  real  estate  for  their  basis,  in  one  way  or  anotlier, 
principally  the  purchase  of  government  lands,  there  was  a 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  S07 

sudden  and  great  development  of  establishments  that 
might  properly  be  called  banking  offices.  No  longer  serv- 
ing as  side  attachments  to  stores,  justices  offices  or  other 
like  places,  their  proprietors  opened  out  as  full-fledged 
bankers,  ready  to  transact  as  far  as  the  state  constitution 
and  statutes  would  allow,  the  honorable  profession  of 
banking.  The  constitution  under  which  our  state  was 
admitted  into  the  Union,  then  in  force,  provided  that  the 
State  Legislature  "should  ]n-ohibit  by  law  any  person  or 
persons,  association,  company  or  corporation  from  exercis- 
ing the  privilege  of  banking,  or  creating  paper  to  circulate 
as  money."  The  statute  enacted  to  give  force  to  those  pro- 
visions of  the  constitution,  provided  that  any  one  who 
became  in  any  waj'  interested  in  any  association  for  put- 
ting in  circulation  any  bill  or  certificate  to  circulate  as 
money,  Adolated  one  of  the  laws  classified  "Offenses  against 
public  policy,"  which  included  selling  liquor  to  Indians, 
bringing  paupers  in  the  state,  and  other  offenses  of  a  like 
nature,  suljjecting  him  to  a  fine  of  .fl,000  and  imprison- 
ment in  a  county  jail  for  one  year.  Of  course  honorable 
men  engaged  in  the  business  of  handling  money  for  others, 
had  to  be  careful  to  transact  their  daily  operations  so  as  to 
avoid  possible  violation  of  the  law.  But  that  kind  of 
extreme  legislation  left  the  door  Avide  o]»en  for  others,  who 
had  no  hesitation  in  introducing  practices  which,  while 
nominall}'  infractions  of  law,  yielded  them  a  heavy  profit 
at  the  expense  of  the  general  public.  A  veiw  forcible  illus- 
tration of  the  effect  of  extreme  legislation  in  that  line 
occurred  for  several  years  throiigh  Central  and  Western 
Iowa.  Among  other  firms  brought  into  existence  by  the 
rush  for  lands,  when  the  government  office  was  estal)lished 
at  Fort  Des  Moines,  Avas  that  of  A.  J.  Btevens  &  Co.,  the 
company  being  at  one  time  Mr.  James  Callanan,  ot  this 


808  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

city,  auil  Mr.  S.  IJ.  Ijigliam,  (if  New  York,  both  of  whom 
are  still  liviuii:  aud  reputable  men,  who,  as  soou  as  the 
panic  of  ISoT  showed  up  the  true  eharactei'  of  Steveus, 
run  him  out  of  the  firm,  and  from  that  time  on  transacted 
their  business  in  the  name  of  Callanau  ifc  Ingham. 
Stevens  by  some  means  secured  the  charter  of  the  Agri- 
cultural Bank  of  Tennessee,  located  at  what  was  then  an 
obscure  little  town  in  Western  Tennessee,  inaccessible  and 
beyond  the  reach  of  ordinary  communication,  though  now 
a  county  seat,  with  a  railroad  connection.  It  Avas  a  wild- 
cat of  the  extremest  order,  the  value  of  its  circulation 
being  to  the  bank  only  the  cost  of  printing.  Its  owner 
here  brought  it  to  Fort  Des  Moines  in  enormous  quantities, 
and  used  every  known  way  to  force  it  into  circulation.  At 
times  he  would  go  through  the  form  of  redeeming  it  in  the 
notes  of  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  banks,  whose  circulation 
Avas  based  on  worthless  soutliei-ii  state  stacks,  V»u1  e\'en 
that  r|uestionable  redemption  was  not  always  lived  up  to. 
He  would  loan  it  in  large  blocks  to  parties  buying  up  live 
stock  in  the  northern  and  western  counties,  with  the  con- 
dition that  the  borrcnvers  would  not  onh'  pay  their  notes 
when  due,  but  would  also  provide  a  kind  of  redemption  for 
tiiese  Ijauk  notes  A\'h('n  returned  to  his  otHce.  \\'itli  all  liis 
efforts  to  float  them,  the  greater  part  would  come  back  to 
him.  Yet  even  the  short  time  they  were  kept  in  circula- 
tion proved  profitable  to  him,  as  they  represented  so  much 
capital.  From  1855  to  1858  included  the  reign  of  the  wild 
cat,  the  red  dog,  the  stump  tail,  and  every  other  ffu'm  of 
rotten  bank  circulation,  and  for  that  condition  of  things 
we  are  primarily  indebted  to  the  "statesmen''  avIio  prohib- 
ited by  constitnticmal  enactment,  the  people  of  Iowa  creat 
ing,  as  they  did  in  later  years,  the  solid,  safe,  secure 
method  of  bank-note  circulation.  We  have  commented  at 
length  upon  the  career  of  the  Agricultural  Bank  of  Teun- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOIXEii.  SO'J 

essee  because  this  was  the  favorite  fiehl  for  its  operations, 
aud  berause  wliile  tliere  were  many  other  so-called  banks 
of  issue  scatti?re<l  throughout  the  northAvest,  this  was  par 
excellence,  the  active,  energetic  wild-cat  of  them  all.  The 
publisher  arranged  to  reproduce  here  facsimiles  of  two  of 
the  Agricultural  Bank  notes,  that  the  present  generation 
might  ha'^'e  some  knowledge  of  what  ptassed  for  money  in 
the  early  days  of  Iowa,  and  under  its  first  constitution, 
but  they  were  too  ragged  and  worn  to  be  re-engraved. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  varied  values  placed  on  these 
notes,  we  recall  an  anecdote: 

A  truckster,  passing  through  the  country  buying  pro- 
duce, came  across  a  farmer,  and  the  following  conversa- 
tion took  place: 

"Have  you  any  potatoes  to  sell?" 

"Yes,  sir;  plenty  of  them." 

""\^'ill  you  receive  Agricultural  Bank  notes  in  payment?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"On  what  terms?'' 

"Even  up.     Bushel  for  bushel." 

The  year  lSr>.j  witJiessed  liigli-flater  marlv  in  the  Inisi- 
ness  (if  flanking  in  this  (/ounty,  as  connected  with  opera- 
tions through  the  United  States  laud  oflice  in  purchasing 
lands.  In  that  year  the  following  individuals  and  firms 
were  actively  engaged  as  bankers  here.  It  was  a  singular 
condition  of  affairs  then.  What  now  constitutes  legiti- 
mate lianlving — receiving  deposits,  selling  exchange,  mak- 
ing collections,  and  discounting — there  was  almost  noth- 
ing of  them — only  business  transactions  connected  ^A'ith 
real  estate,  aud  as  above  stated,  the  firms  were: 

B.  F.  Allen. 

A.  J.  Stevens  &  Co. 

Casady  iSc  Sherman,  afterwards  Hoyt  Sherman  &  Co. 

(^'ook,  Sargent  &  Cook. 


810  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

Greeue,  Weare  &  Rice. 

Ma  clot,  Corbin  &  White. 

Aud  aiiKiiig  tlii.s  number  some  were  engaged  in  Hiiating 
circulation  of  banks  of  issue,  located  elsewliere,  the  value 
of  -which  was  based  solely  on  the  business  standing  and 
credit  of  tJie  promoters. 

We  have  ab'eady  sketched  the  progress  of  the  Agricul- 
tural Bank  of  Tennessee.  About  that  period  the  legisla- 
ture of  the  Territory  of  Nebraska  was  dealing  in  banking, 
insurance,  railroad  and  other  charters,  and  three  of  their 
bank  charters  were  represented  b}^  some  of  the  above 
named  firms.     These  were: 

The  Bank  of  Nebraska,  located  at  Omaha,  owned  by 
B.  F.  Allen — its  circulation  local,  nearly  all  of  which  was 
taken  care  of  by  that  firm. 

The  Western  Fire  and  Marine  Insurance  Co.,  located  at 
Omaha,  owned  by  Green,  Weare  &  Rice,  with  limited  cir- 
culation, which  was  taken  care  of  by  that  firm. 

The  Bank  of  Florence,  located  at  Florence,  Nebraska, 
owned  by  Cook,  Sargent  &  Cook,  who  took  care  of  its  lim- 
ited circulation. 

All  1hese  concerns,  whether  called  banks,  insurance  or 
railroad  companies,  had  the  ]n'ivilege  of  issuing  all  the 
notes  they  could  float. 

The  panic  of  1857,  preceded  by  the  failure  of  the  New 
York  branch  of  the  Ohio  Life  aud  Trust  Co.,  in  August,  and 
of  John  Thompson,  then  a  leading  banker  in  Wall  street, 
in  September,  Aviped  out  very  many  banks  of  issue  in  the 
soutli  and  west,  and  their  circulating  notes,  the  value  of 
which  was  based  largely  on  the  credit  of  the  OA\'}iers, 
became  worthless  in  the  hands  of  the  holders.  There  was 
still  left  in  existence  circulating  notes  from  banks  located 
in  the  Eastern  and  ^Middle  states,  of  nearly  uniform  value. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  SU 

aod  also  the  issues  of  the  free  banks  of  Illinois  and  Wis- 
consin, secured  by  a  deposit  of  southern  state  bonds  of 
uncertain  and  fluctuating  value.  So  that  while  that  1S57 
panic  destroyed  many  wild-cat  mills,  it  left  in  existence  a 
very  mixed  quality  of  bank  notes  for  the  local  bankers  to 
worry  over — for  the  bank  depositor  of  those  days  took 
yood  care,  before  the  close  of  business  hours  each  da}',  to 
deposit  with  his  banker  everj'  note  of  uncei-taiu  ^alue. 
Naturally  all  classes  of  business  men,  and  especially  the 
bankers,  would  watch  with  great  interest  every  step  being- 
taken  to  organize  and  put  in  operation  the  State  Bank  of 
Iowa,  which  would  tend  to  drive  from  the  state  all  doubt- 
ful currency,  and  substitute  for  it  notes  of  its  own  issue, 
secured  by  the  highest  order  of  state  and  individual  lia- 
bility. The  constitution  which  gave  the  legislature  the 
authority  to  create  corporations  Avith  banking  powers, 
Aveut  into  effect  September  3,  1857.  The  legislature 
passed  a  law  providing  for  a  state  bank  Avith  branches, 
Avhich  Avas  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people,  and  Avent  into 
effect  Jul}-  29, 1858.  The  number  of  branches  was  limited 
to  30,  and  only  one  in  any  city  or  toAvu.  A  great  scramble 
took  i)lace  here  a.mcuig  several  conflicting  applicants  as  to 
Avhich  one  should  secure  the  branch  here,  which  Avas 
Anally  and  quietly  settled  by  all  interests  joining  together 
for  the  branch.  The  final  steps  for  the  organization  of  the 
State  Bank  of  Iowa  were  taken  October  27,  1858,  there 
being  in  all  eight  branches.  And  the  officers  of  the  Des 
Moines  branch  were:  B.  F.  Allen,  president;  Hoyt  Sher- 
man, cashier;  P.  M.  Casady,  State  Bank  director. 

As  soon  thereafter  as  possible  the  circulating  notes 
Avere  prepared  and  issued  by  the  local  branches  in  the  pro- 
poL-tion  of  one  and  one-half  dollars  circulati]ig  notes  to 
each  dollar  of  paid-up  stock.     A  few  months  afterwards 


812  AXNAL^  OF  FOLK  COUXTY 

the  ciiTulatiou  was  increased  to  two  for  one  of  paid-up 
stock. 

During  this  period  of  merging  on  the  part  of  some  bank- 
ers into  the  State  Bank  institution,  other  private  banlvers 
continued  in  business,  notably  B.  F.  Allen  and  Callanan  & 
Ingham,  the  latter  firm  succeeding  A.  J.  Stevens  &  Oo.  in 
all  but  his  loose,  dishonorable  methods  of  business. 

When  the  first  steps  were  taken  by  southern  states 
toward  scM-cssion,  their  stocks  and  bonds  "dropped  out  of 
sight"'  in  value,  and  all  the  circulation  of  the  Illinois  and 
AA'isconsin  banks  and  of  a  few  other  states  based  upon 
such  securities,  became  utterly  worthless.  That  was  in 
the  year  1860  and  early  in  1861,  and  as  the  circulation  in 
this  locality  was  composed  largely  of  that  kind  of  stuff, 
its  sudden  withdrawal  from  circulation,  added  to  other 
causes  connected  witli  civil  disorder  in  the  south,  caused 
many  failures  and  much  suffering  among  our  people.  The 
creation  of  the  State  Bank  and  branches,  with  their  lim- 
ited poAA'crs  of  issuing  bank  notes  for  circulation,  our  leg- 
islators believed,  would  furnish  circulation  enough  to 
replace  the  worthless  notes  of  Illinois  and  Wisconsin 
banks,  but  is  was  far  from  doing  it.  At  the  start  the  cir- 
culation of  all  branches  was  but  a  little  over  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  increased  in  the  next  two  or  three  years 
to  betn^een  a  half  and  three  quarters  of  a  million,  and  that 
sum,  the  bulk  of  which  was  held  in  banks,  public  and  pri- 
vate, as  a  reserve  "as  good  as  gold"  at  all  times,  gave  but 
little  relief  to  the  general  business  affairs,  taking  the  place 
of  the  stock  banks.  Before  the  United  States  government 
began  the  issue  of  greenbacks,  all  kinds  of  business  suf- 
fered greath'  for  lack  of  bank  note  circulation,  btit  when 
the  issue  of  United  States  notes  to  purchase  military  sup- 
plies and  pay  the  army  began,  all  business  interests 
received    them    readily,    and    their    general    circulation 


A^W  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  SI 3 

through  all  parts  of  the  Union,  including  the  south,  then 
in  open  rebellion,  brought  general  financial  relief. 

In  the  winter  of  1864-5  Congress  passed  a  law  establish- 
ing a  system  of  national  banks,  uniform  throughout  the 
whole  Union,  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  general 
government,  and  with  authority  to  issue  circulating  notes. 
Among  other  clauses,  that  law  provided  for  a  very  heavy 
tax  on  the  circulating  notes  of  banks  doing  business  under 
state  laws.  The  purpose  of  the  tax  was  to  drive  out  of  cir- 
culation the  notes  of  local  banks,  and  as  far  as  the  State 
Bank  of  Iowa  was  concerned  its  effect  was  immediate  and 
successful.  The  State  Bank  and  its  branches  at  once 
began  to  liquidate — some  of  them  being  merged  into 
national  banks,  (among  others  our  branch),  and  others 
going  out  of  business  entirely. 

As  a  matter  of  interest,  herewith  is  printed  copies  of  the 
first  and  last  statements  of  the  Des  Moines  branch  of  the 
State  Bank. 

ASSETS. 

Feb.  7, 1859.     Jan.  2, 1865. 

Safety  fund |  3,666.65  $  19,500.00 

Specie 23,798.58  36.731.00 

Bank  notes 4,201.00  66,646.37 

Due  from  banks 5,224.30  4,735.34 

Loans  and  discounts 24,433.54  173,894.19 

Other  items 1,850.07  11,986.15 


163,174.14  .$313,493.05 

LIABILITIES. 

Capital 125,000.00  |  78,000.00 

Circulation   11,750.00  140,035.00 

Due  other  banks 1,404.19 

Depositors   25,440.37  83,369.55 

Other  items 983.77  10,684.31 


Totals  .$63,174.14       .|313,493.05 


81i  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  history  of  the  uational  bank  system  in  this  locality 
has  been  extended  and  varied.  The  second  bank  to  be 
organized  in  Des  Moines  under  that  system  was  the  branch 
of  the  State  Bank,  which  organized  in  May,  1865.  Before 
that  was  the  First  National,  organized  by  Charles  Mosher, 
J.  B.  Stewart,  F.  0.  D.  McKay  and  others  in  1864,  and 
wound  up  in  1870.  The  Second  National  went  into  busi- 
ness soon  after  the  State  National.  It  was  started  by  (1. 
M.  Hippee,  George  W.  Jones  and  others  and  had  its  bank- 
ing room  in  a  basement  on  Court  avenue.  It  went  out  of 
business  aV^out  the  same  time  as  the  First  National,  and 
was  ujerged  into  the  State  National.  The  Citizens 
National  followed  the  banking  tirm  of  Coskery  &  Ulm,  who 
transferred  their  business  to  Merrill  &  Elliott,  who  then 
organized  the  Citizens  National  in  Maj',  1871.  Then  f(d- 
lowed  the  Iowa  National  in  November,  1875,  the  Valley 
National,  formerly  Hi]ipee  &  Towne,  in  March,  1883,  the 
Des  Moines  National  in  November,  1881,  and  the  Mer- 
chants National  (an  east  citj'  bank)  in  1882,  which  latter 
went  out  of  business  in  1892.  Four  of  the  banks  were  put 
in  liquidation  and  passed  out  of  existence.  The  four 
banks  remaining  in  existence  are  doing  a  safe  and  con- 
servative business,  as  the  following  last  official  statements 
of  their  assets  and  liabilities  show.  These  statements 
were  made  February  28,  1896: 

ASSETS. 


Citizens. 


Des  Moi  r.ts.    I  Iowa. 


Valley. 


III! 
Loans  and  discounts!    Jf785,852.64|    $704,155.56|    $314,S58.02|    $768,489.90 

Overdrafts   |  6,62t;.09|  |  | 

Cash,    etc |  2TS,525.70\  289,718,501  85,787.84|  276,129.93 

Bonds I  102.000.00]  55,000.001  28,000.001  116,810.00 

Real  estate "..OOf  7S,109.95j  47,304.351  70,184.78 


|.i;i,171,007.43|Jl,126,983.66|,$    476,040.21|$1,231.614.61 

I  I ! \ 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  815 

LIABILITIES. 


Capital  stock |  $200,000.00|  $300,000.00|  .$100,000,001  ?200,000.00 

Surplus I  108,435.231  l."i,863.1«|  32,256.761  127,805.51 

Depo.slts 1  772,622.201  766,820.48|  301,2S3.45|  805,529.10 

Circulation 1  8d.drj0m\  44,300.001  22,500.00|  98,280.00 

Bills  pavaihle ]  1  |  20,000.00] 

I 1 1 1 

i.¥l,171,007.431?1.126,983.661.?    476,040.21|$l,231,614.r;i 


In  addition  to  the  national  banli  law  there  are  Lavo  sys- 
tems of  banking  provided  for  under  the  state  law,  called 
tState  Banks  and  Savings  Banks,  both  under  the  immedi- 
ate supervision  of  the  Auditor  of  State,  and  required  to 
make  official  reports  at  least  four  times  yearly,  and  also 
subject  to  personal  examination.  Xeither  have  power  to 
issue  bank  notes  for  circulation,  and  each  must  include  in 
its  title  the  word  "State"  or  "Savings,"  to  show  under 
which  statute  it  is  doing  business.  The  provisions  of  stat- 
utes regulating  them  are  exx^licit  and  strict,  and  insure 
safe  and  secure  management  on  the  part  of  their  officers. 

Of  these  there  are  doing  business  under  the  state  bank 
law,  so-called,  Capital  City  State  Bank,  Bankers  Iowa 
State  Bank  and  Central  State  Bank;  and  under  the  savings 
bank  law,  Polk  County  Savings  Bank,  Des  Moines  Savings 
Bank,  American  Savings  Bank,  Grand  Avenue  Savings 
Bank,  Peoples  Savings  Bank,  German  Savings  Bank,  State 
Savings  Bank,  Marquardt  Savings  Bank  and  Home  Sav- 
ings Bank. 

In  all  sixteen  regularly  incorporated  banks  in  the  City 
of  Des  Moines,  doing  business  under  three  different  sys- 
tems. And  besides  these  there  are  private  banks  located 
in  the  towns  of  Altoona,  Mitchellville,  Bondurant,  Grimes 
and  Valley  Junction. 

Following  is  the  consolidated  statement  of  the  three 
state  banks  at  date  of  last  report,  March  25,  1896: 


816 


AXXALS  OF  POLK  COrXTY 

ASSETS  $1,015,394.26 


Exchange. 


sonal  Est. 


Capital  City |    $277,320,861    $  66,549..55| 

Banliers  of  Iowa 1      306,23S.60|      185,841.181 

Central 1        87,999.091        27,511.42| 

1 1 1- 

Totals  1    $671,5-58.55]    $279,902.15|    $     4,670.12!    $59,263.44 

LIABILITIES. 


3,011.52]    $  55,322.00 
798.20]  1,278.25 

860.40]  2.663.19 


$1,015,394.26 


Capital. 

Deposits. 

Surplus. 

Capital  Citv 

$100,000.00] 

160,500.00 

50,000.00 

$290,327.30 

321.926.49 

67,472.54 

$  11.S76.63 

P.anliers  Iowa 

< 'entral 

11,729.74 
1  561  56 

Totals 

$310,500.00, 

$679,726.33 

$  25,167.93 

FOLLOWING    IS    THE    CONSOLIDATED    STATEMENT   OF    THE    NINE    SAVINGS    BANKS    AT 
DATE   OF    LAST    REPORTS,    fvlARCH    25,    1896. 

ASSETS. 


Discounts. 


Cash 
atid  Exchange 


Personal   and 
Real   Est. 


Polk    County. 
Des  Moines.  . 
Ainerican  .  . .  . 
<  Jraufl  Avenue 

People,? 

Home 

Oerman   

State  

Marquardt  .  . 

Totals 


I  I 

$204,802.27] 
735,805.14] 
156,985.42] 
75,160.60] 
304,222.40] 
114,954.49] 
511,503.691 
286.080.74] 
160,335.48] 


$  55,928.801 
281,568.10] 
84,072.15] 
16,395.77] 
79,019.98] 
55,396.85] 
70,324.70] 
19,848.57] 
34,585.59 


341.57] 
5,783.94] 
1,103.81] 
2.217.17] 
4,049.02] 

194.13] 
7,287.27] 
3,421. .54] 
1,101.01 


$  28,940.62 

32,000.00 

34,058.85 

24,962.00 

1,600.00 

6,027.04 

4,035.10 

15,583.28 

6.795.99 


$2,.549.8.50.231$    698,040.51]$      25.499.46]$    1.54.002.88 


LLVBILITIES. 


Capital. 


Deposits. 


Sui  plus 


Bills  Payable. 


Pollc    County.  . 
Des   Moines.  . 
American    .... 
Grand  Aveune 

Home 

Peoples 

German 

State  

ilarquardt  .  . .  . 


$100,000.00] 
300,000.00] 
75,000.00] 
50,000.00] 
50,000.00] 
50,000.00] 
50,000.00] 
100,000.001 
50,000.00] 


$185,452.78] 
727,039.31] 
197,586.91] 
64,790.05] 
118,672.00] 
296,528.63] 
492,195.051 
194,555.71] 
145,437.22] 


4,560.48] 

28,117.87] 

4,533.32] 

1,942.44] 

7,910.51] 

42,362.77] 

30,955.71] 

20,378.42] 

2,380.85] 


2,000.00 


20,000.00 

10,000.00 

5,000.00 


Totals ]$    825,000.00]$2,422,267.66]$    143,142.57]$      37,000.00 


AND  THE  cjry  or  JUJS  _1/o/\./;.v.  817 

Having  enumerated  the  existing  banks  in  the  City  of 
I>es  Moines,  with  their  latest  reports,  made  in  compliance 
with  national  and  state  authority,  it  is  only  necessary  in 
the  way  of  commendation  to  speak  of  their  substantial 
character  as  developed  in  their  official  reports,  and  their 
abilitj'  to  meet  all  necessary  calls  made  on  them  by  our 
business  men,  in  conducting  the  immense  and  wide-spread 
commercial  interests  of  the  city  and  county.  Aside  from 
the  five  private  banks,  which  are  not  required  to  make 
(iflicial  reports,  and  whose  condition  is  not  therefore  within 
reach,  the  foregoing  figures  show  the  condition  of  each 
bank,  and  a  consolidation  of  their  assets  and  liabilities 
give  at  a  glance  the  immense  interests  at  stake  in  their 
operation. 

Total  loans $6,090,594.90 

Total  cash  and  exchange 1,903,101.63 

Overdrafts 36,795.67 

Keal  and  personal  propertj' 411,908.05 

Grand  total  of  assets .$8,448,440.25 

Total  capital |1,935,500.00 

Total  notes  in  circulation 255,030.00 

Due  to  depositors 5,748,239.22 

Surplus  and  undivided  profits 452,671.03 

Bills  payable 57,000.00 

Grand  total  of  liabilities .$8,448,440.25 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  figures  here  given  are 
from  reports  of  national  banks,  February  28,  1896,  and  of 
state  savings  banks  for  March  25,  1896,  the  dates  of  their 
last  official  reports.  These  figures,  enormous  in  amount, 
develop  more  emphatically  than  any  language  that  may 
be  used,  the  magnitude  of  our  banking  institutions,  and  as 
well  their  financial  strength.  With  indebtedness  to 
depositors  of  a  trifie  over  five  and  a  half  millions,  they  have 

El 


818  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

to  meet  it,  o^er  six  millions  of  dollai's  iu  loans  and  nearly 
two  mi]li(ms  in  cash  (m  hand,  and  deposited  with  other 
banks. 

AAlthin  the  half  centui-y  of  Polk  Couutj's  existence  a 
wonderful  growth  has  been  made  in  aoricnlture,  iu  manu- 
factui'ing,  iu  all  branches  of  ccmimerce,  and  the  number 
of  other  industries  that  go  to  make  up  a  great  and  pros- 
perous community,  but  in  no  one  business  or  industry  has 
the  growth  been  so  great,  iu  spite  of  financial  panics  and 
reverses,  as  iu  that  of  banking. 


CHAPTER    XLV.    . 

VALLEY  JUNCTION. 
BY  EMERY   H.   ENGLISH. 

THE  land  on  which  the  town  is  situated  Avas  owned  by 
Mr.  Colhiid,  L.  Mott,  H.  S.  Butler,  Martha  A.  De- 
Ford  and  John  P.  Coolc. 

A  conijiany  was  formed  in  1890  or  1891  known  as  the 
Hawlceye  Investment  Co.,  with  Conrad  Youngerman  as 
president,  and  Simon  Casady  secretary  and  treasurer, 
which  bou;[iht  the  CoUard  farm  and  in  1891  platted  the 
original  town. 

The  railroad  companj'  commenced  building  railroad 
shops  and  round  house  in  Jul}',  1892.  F.  Henshaw^  the 
Eock  Island  agent,  took  charge  of  the  station  here  in  June, 
1892. 

The  Hawkeye  Company  commenced  building  houses  in 
August,  1892. 

^'alley  Junction  is  the  only  terminal  division  station  on 
the  Eock  Island  Eailway  between  Eock  Island  and  Council 
Bluffs;  is  located  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Eaccoon  Eiver 
in  Polk  County,  Iowa,  five  miles  southwest  of  Des  Moines. 
The  town  may  be  characterized  a  child  of  the  Eock  Island 
Eailroad  Company,  in  so  much  this  company  establislied 
it  as  a  division  terminus  of  its  main  line  divisions,  the  1). 
M.  it  Ft.  I),  division,  and  the  Keokuk  &  Pes  Moines  divis- 
ion, besides  both  the  Winterset  and  Washington  branches, 
all  which  center  here  with  extensive  yards,  machine  shoi)S, 
car  shops,  supply  depot,  round  house,  etc.,  giving  employ- 
ment to  a  veritable  army  of  men,  skilled  mechanics  and 
laborers,  all  of  whom  are  good,  substantial  citizens. 


820  AXXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  railroad  shops  find  division  headquarters  of  the  D. 
M.  &  Ft.  Dodge  Kailroad,  formerly  located  at  Grand  Junc- 
tion, have  been  located  here,  also  the  railroad  shops  of  the 
K.  &  D.  M.  Kailv^'aj',  formerly  located  at  Keokuk,  Iowa, 
have  been  transferred  to  Valley  Junction,  together  with 
all  the  men  employed  at  both  Grand  Junction  and  Keokuk. 
Besides  this  the  Winterset  and  Washington  branches, 
formerly  located  at  Des  Moines,  and  all  the  SM'itching, 
round  liouse  and  repair  accommodations  of  Dps  ^[(.lines,  as 
well  as  numerous  trainmen  and  employees  have  been  trans- 
ferred here.  The  C.  R.  I.  &  P.  main  line  division  shops  at 
Stuart  are  being  gradually  transferred  and  centereil  at 
Vallej'  Junction. 

Work  and  repairs  formerly  done  at  Stuait  in  the 
machine  shops,  are  now  in  a  great  measure  being  done  at 
Yalley  .Junction.  This  transfer  is  being  made  as  rapidly 
as  it  is  advisable  and  convenient  and  the  railroad's  best 
interests  direct.  In  a  word,  Yalle.y  Juncticm  is  the  loca- 
tion chosen  by  theC.  R.  I.  &  P.  Railway  for  the  centering  of 
all  its  divisions  and  machine  shops  and  their  interests  in 
Iowa. 

The  town  site  is  pleasantly  situated  in  tlie  Raccoon 
River  valley,  and  cannot  be  surpassed  in  the  whole  state 
of  Iowa  for  beauty,  for  picturesqueness  of  scenery,  with  its 
richly  timbered  forests,  undulating  prairies  and  winding 
water  courses,  all  of  which  contribute  largely  to  make  the 
location  of  the  town  delightful  and  satisfactory  as  well  as 
advantageous. 

The  rise  of  Yalley  Junction  has  been  so  phenomenally 
rapid  that  it  has  evoked  criticism  and  (piestion  as  lo  its 
stability.  Time  and  future  development  will  alone  suttice 
to  effei'tually  answer  all  criticisms  and  queries.  With  the 
strides  she  is  now  making  and  with  the  ])restige  (d  success, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  821 

Valley  Junctiou  will  thrive  au<l  expand  in  the  futnre  in  a 
much  gi-pater  degree  than  in  the  past,  and  ^o  onward  and 
upward  to  inevitably  fulfill  her  manifest  destiny. 

The  town  was  incorporated  in  r)ctober,  1893,  aiid  was 
hardly  a  year  old,  but  had  a  ]>opulati(in  of  nearly  500.  The 
first  tOAvn  officers  were:  Mayor,  T.  J.  ^lorrison ;  Ile(;order, 
Dr.  C.  E.  Diehl;  Trustees,  Benj.  Manuino',  R.  Starkey,  W. 
E.  Anderson,  M.  J.  Cleary,  F.  Heushaw,  Edward  Tuidey, 
Sr. ;    Marshal  and  Street  Commissioner,    Frank    DeFord. 

The  town  has  had  no  boom  l)ut  has  grown  ra])idly,  the 
census  of  1805  showiug  a  population  of  747.  Thi:-  enumei-- 
ation  taken  liy  the  assessor  in  the  s])ring  of  ISOO  showed 
951  inhabitants. 

Time,  which  has  always  herefrd'ore  been  an  undis]nit(Ml 
and  important  factor  in  the  founding  and  upliuilding  of 
towns  and  cities,  has  been  alnnist  totally  ignoi-ed  here,  so 
rapid  has  been  the  remarkable  growth  and  development  of 
our  t<i\vn.  Yet  we  have  never  had  a  boom.  It  is  true  our 
growth  has  !;>een  phenomenal,  but  it  has  been  legitimate. 

"^'alley  Junction  has  all  the  concomitants  of  a  thor- 
ougli-giiing  town,  and  the  ncM-essities  of  modern  cit>'  life, 
from  the  bootblack  to  the  fiend  who  compels  ]ie(j]>le  to  buy 
a  lot  wheu  they  don't  want  to. 

It  has  t«  r>  new  school  buildings,  employing  six  teachers; 
has  four  church  organizations,  and  a  moral,  progressive 
class  of  people.  It  has  good  society  and  many  social,  lit- 
erary, fratei'nal  and  insurance  organizations.  The  town 
and  community  is  in  goo<l  financial  condition.  Rents  are 
reasonable,  and  the  very  best  opportunity  to  secure  homes 
is  offered. 

One  of  the  most  popular  and  interesting  institutions  of 
Yall(-y  Junction  is  the  mineral  spring  at  the  hotrl.     The 


822  AXXAJ.H  OF  I'OLK  COI'XTY 

pure  water  rises  tvom  a  depth  of  300  feet  tct  the  surface 
and  pours  forth  in  an  inexhaustible  stream,  delicious  and 
health-jiivins;-.  No  analysis  of  the  Avater  has  yet  been 
made,  but  in  taste  it  is  identical  with  that  of  tlie  fauious 
Waukesha  springs,  and  its  effect  riyals  that  of  the  \yell- 
known  Oolfax  water.  Persons  who  haye  drank  both  of 
these  waters,  also  of  the  Valley  Juuctiou  water,  think  that 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  our  mineral  Ayater  is  bouiul  ro 
take  the  place  of  all  otliers,  Ayhere\'er  introduced. 

The  Valley  Express,  establishe<l  Se])tember  1,  1893,  is  a 
seyen-column  quarto,  OAyiied  ami  edited  by  p]niory  II.  Eng- 
lish, and  has  been  an  otticial  county  ])aper  sinc(-  .Taunary 
1,  1894. 

President  P(dk,  of  the  I)es  Moines  Electric  Railway 
Company,  will,  before  loiin,  extend  his  line  to  Valley  Junc- 
tion, !.;iyinii;-  an  electric  liuc^  in  addition  to  the  ])reseut 
railroad  facilities. 

MITCHELLVILLE. 

Thomas  Mitchell,  one  of  the  yery  hrst  settlers  in  Polk 
County,  was  the  founder  of  this  town,  whicli  has  for  years 
been  the  leadinj^-  toAyn  of  the  county,  outside  of  Des  Moines. 
Of  Mr.  Mitchell  these  Annals  make  frequent  mention.  lie 
V\as  not  only  the  foundcu-  of  the  town,  but  Ayas  u]i  to  liis 
death  a  few  years  ■,\<x()  tlie  leadiui;'  s])irit  of  it.  And  liis 
AA'orks  liye  after  him. 

In  1857  Mr.  Mitchell  beins  adyised  by  the  cliief  ofricers 
of  the  old  M.  &  M.,  noAV  l^ock  Island  Railroad,  as  to  tlie 
line  of  sai<l  road,  entered  laud  one  niih^  northwest  of  the 
present  toAvn,  and  shortly  thei'eafter,  in  connection  with 
AVilson  Jones,  located  the  toAyn  of  Mitchell.  A  Imtcl  Ayas 
built  and  the  main  staii'e  and  Ayagcni  road  chan;L^(^d  so  as  to 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  823 

rnu  tlirougli  the  new  town.  A  good  school  house  Avas 
erected,  and  bnildin^-.s  for  stores,  shops  and  residences. 
Tlie  tirst  sermon  was  preaclied  bv  Ezra  Itatlibnn,  noted  as 
the  pioneer  preacher  of  Des  Moines.  Tliere  were  a  nnin- 
ber  of  marriages  and  birtlis  bnt  no  deaitlis  the  hrst  four 
years  of  the  town's  history.  It  was  for  several  years  a 
flourishing  town,  reaching  a  population  of  some  200  souls. 

But  in  1860-7  a.  calamity  came.  The  line  of  the  (.'hicago, 
Ik(jck  Island  i^  I'acific  Railroad  was  changed  so  as  to  run 
nearly  one  mile  south  of  the  toAvn.  This  was  a  hard  blow. 
But  Thomas  Mitchell  and  the  other  pioneers  were  not  to  be 
thus  beaten.  Mitchell,  in  June,  1807,  had  the  present 
town  site  of  Mitchellville  platted  by  Rur\'eyor  .1.  E.  Hend- 
ricdvs,  of  Des  Moines.  It  covered  KiO  acres.  Three  years 
later  the  seminary  addition  of  100  was  nuide  by  Thos. 
Mitchell  and  J.  I\.  ^age,  as  trustees.  Upon  the  advent  of 
the  railroarl  in  ^Vugust,  1807,  came  a  hegira  of  the  ])eople 
of  the  old  toAvn  of  Mitchell  to  the  new  town  of  Mitchell- 
ville. They  not  (mly  brought  their  families  and  goods, 
but  many  of  them  also  brought  their  houses  with  them. 
For  some  time  it  was  no  uncommon  sight  to  l)ehold  houses, 
big  and  little,  Ijeing  yanked  across  the  ])rairies  from  the 
old  to  the  new  town.  And  in  a  short  time  the  glory  of  the 
new  surpassed  that  of  tin-  old. 

The  Mit(diell  Seminary,  under  the  aus]>ices  of  the  Iowa 
Universalist  ("onvention,  became  a  ]>rominent  feature  of 
the  town.  A  building  83  by  50  feet,  of  bri(dv,  stone  and 
iron,  Avas  erected  at  a,  cost  of  •'8^25,000.  The  scdiool  Avas 
ojiened  in  Meirtember,  1872,  and  prosjiered  Avell  until  its 
doors  Avere  (dosed.  It  was  a  great  lielj)  to  the  toA\'n.  But 
tinancial  and  other  ditticnlties  came,  ami  niainly  through 
the  efforts  of  Thos.  Mitcdiell,  in  1880  the  Gem^ral  Assembly 
passed   an  act  ]»urchasing  the  s(^niinar-y    buildings   and 


824  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

grouncLs  for  the  use  of  the  State — foi-  the  Girls'  Depart- 
ment of  the  Iowa  Industrial  School.  The  same  year  this 
school  was  opened  at  Mitchellville.  Several  new  build- 
ings have  been  erected  b}'  the  vState  and  many  improve- 
ments made,  with  more  to  follow  in  the  course  of  time. 
For  a  number  of  years  the  school  was  in  charge  of  Supei'- 
intendeut  Llewellyn,  a  few  years  later  governor  of  Kan- 
sas. For  several  years  past  the  school  has  been  under  the 
efficient  management  of  Superintendent  C.  C.  Cory,  with 
his  estimable  wife  as  Matron.  This  year  the  average  num- 
ber of  inmates  is  about  110,  with  some  20  officers,  teacher:-:, 
employees,  etc. 

For  years  Mitchellville  was  a  busy  business  town,  with  a 
large  trade.  In  recent  years  the  building  of  new  lines  of 
railroad  near  by  and  the  founding  of  rival  towns,  has 
caused  some  loss,  but  notwithstanding  these  late  draw- 
backs the  town  holds  its  own  and  in  many  respects  is  a 
model  town.  There  are  four  churches  having  neat  ami 
commodious  buildings;  Universalist,  Methodist,  ('hristiau 
and  Congregational.  There  are  excellent  school  buildings 
with  good  schools.  At  an  early  day  the  town  had  its  own 
newspaper.  The  News  was  founded  in  1870,  and  was  for 
sevei'al  years  in  charge  of  E.  T.  Cressey,  an  old-time  news- 
paper man  of  Des  Moines.  Dr.  Moi-man  was  for  some 
time  in  editorial  charge  of  the  paper.  In  1SS2  E.  P.  Moi'- 
mau  established  the  Index,  which  he  has  successfully  pub- 
lished up  to  this  time.  Thougli  burned  out  a  few  years 
ago,  lie  only  missed  one  issue  and  soon  had  his  otilce  in  bet- 
ter shape  than  ever  before.  He  has  made  the  Index  a 
success. 


CHAPTER   XLVI. 

SEMI-CENTENiNlAL  CELEBRATION. 

OX  JULY  S,  1S9G,  a  grand  semi-ceuteunial  celebration 
washelrlinUnion  ParkJJcs  Moines.  This  wasti.icel- 
ebrate  the  fact  that  Polk  ("ounty  had  been  organized 
for  fifty  years,  the  organization  having  been  perfected  in 
1S4().  It  was  a  jnbilee  year  for  the  connty  and  it  was  most 
fittingly  celebrated.  Not  only  the  early  settlers,  Ijnt  the 
citizens  generally  took  a  dee])  and  active  interest  in  it,  ;ind 
wlii-n  the  day  came  many  thousjtnds  nf  people  were  n])on 
the  grounds.  Weeks  previous  committees  had  beiui 
appointed,  plans  devised  and  most  excellent  arrangements 
made.  Invitations  to  attend  were  sent  out  to  scores  of  the 
early  and  late  settlers,  those  who  liad  removed  to  otlier 
homes,  and  not  a  few  of  thesp  came  many  hundreds  of  miles 
to  be  present  upon  this  occasion.  Many  of  the  others  S(^nt 
letters  expressing  their  i-egrets  ;it  not  Ix-ing  able  to  be  pres- 
ent in  jiersou,  and  not  a  few  of  tJnuu  gi\"ing  facts  of  niurh 
interest  regarding  tin-  early  history  of  Polk  County  and 
r)es  iloines. 

T'piin  the  day  fixed  tliere  AA'as  a  land  ]iai-ade  in  the  morn- 
ing A^iiicji  M-as  one  of  tlie  best  in  tlu^  local  history  of  the 
city  and  county.  In  it  were  the  state,  county  ami  city 
otfic-ials,  military,  Indians,  floats,  carriages  and  citizens 
generally,  nnikiug  a  ])rocession  OA-ei-  one  mile  in  huigth. 
The  streets  were  lined  with  people  and  it  was  estimated 
that  at  least  25,000  people  took  part  and  witnessed  this 
display.  Would  space  pernnt,  we  ^^-ould  quote  from  the 
ex<-ellent  m^wspap<n'  accounts  of  that  day. 


826  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

In  a(l<liti(in  to  this  was  a  iia\-al  or  ^^'atcr  jiarade,  fi-uiii  tlie 
dam  up  the  Des  Moines  IJivei-  to  T'liion  I'avlv.  Tliis  was 
under  coniiiiaiKl  of  ('oniniodove  Tac  llnssey,  who,  witli  his 
wife,  led  the  ])r(icessi(ni.  Tlieji  followed  the  bi^-  steamer, 
^^'.  II.  Lelnnan,  Avith  a  brass  baud,  and  crowded  with  i)eo- 
])le,  followed  by  other  steamers  and  bari^es,  tln^  rear  beinj;- 
brouii'ht  u])  by  Admii-al  Frank  (1;irkson,  with  his  steajii 
launch,  the  Didla  Fox. 

In  the  mornini;'  tlie  park  was,  Avith  due  ceremony,  dedi- 
cated to  the  jniblic  in  a.  short  address  by  ("aiit.  M.  T.  Ilus- 
sell,  one  of  park  commissioners.  After  this  there  Avere 
many  picnic  dinners  ;ind  the  thousands  of  ]teople  present 
thoroughly  enjoyed  themselves.  Annnig  the  attractions 
Avere  some  twenty  Mi.squaAAicee  Indians,  a  remnant  of  the 
Sioux  and  Fox  Indians  Avho  once  possessed  all  this  portion 
of  the  State.  They  had  been  brought  from  their  reserA'a- 
tiou  in  Tama  County  for  that  disjilay  and  not  only  enjoyed 
it  themselves,  but  Avere  a,  great  attraction  to  thousands  of 
the  ]-e,sidents  of  the  county  \Adio  had  neA'tn-  before  setni 
Indians  in  something  a])])roxim;itiug  closcdy  to  their 
native  or  natural  condition.  They  ga\'e  dances,  etc., 
AA'hich  dreAA'  around  them  immense  croAvds  and  tliey  were 
em])hatically  the  "observed  of  all  observers."' 

In  the  afternoon  at  the  grand  stand,  addresses  Avere 
delivered  by  men  Avho  Avere  born  iu  Folk  ("ouuty.  The 
hrsi  was  by  John  A.  Mc<'all,  on  "Folk  County,  as  it  Avas 
in  lS4n,  acording  to  Ilistory  and  Tratlition.  "  This  was 
f(d]oAved  by  Frank  A.  Sherman  with  "Boyhood  Kecolh^c- 
tions  of  rity  and  County."  Then  came  an  address  by 
Simon  Casady,  "The  <_'ity  of  Des  Moines  To-day,  Socially, 
Politically  and  Cdinmercially."  Then  can)(^  Marcus  Kava- 
naugh  with  elocpient  remarks  on  "'i^he  Centennial  of  the 
( 'itv  and  *  'onnt\' — What  we  and  ( )nr  I  )(^scendants  IIoi)e  to 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  S27 

Be."  These  speeches  by  the  "natives"  were  fai-  aliove  tlu^ 
avera.^e  in  historical  data,  Avit  and  elcxiiience.  (iovcriidi- 
Drake  closed  Avith  a  short  and  pertinent  address.  A  dis- 
tribution of  the  mail  was  then  made  by  1*.  ^i.  (\tsady, 
acc-ordin^'  to  the  style  in  vojine  fifty  years  a;.io  -when  lie 
Avas  postmaster  of  ])e'S  Moines,  tlie  mail  baii'  bein,n'  deliv- 
ered by  Isaac  ^^'arfel,  who  at  that  time  carried  the  mail,  on 
horseback.  It  should  have  been  stated  that  in  the  ]troces- 
sion  AA'as  one  of  the  old  coaches  oAvned  by  the  "Westei-n 
rttaoe  Oomi)any,  driven  by  the  \'et(^ran  driver,  Fred 
(Vomer,  and  on  the  box  Avith  him  Avere  such  old-time 
(IriA'ers  as  lieese  Allen,  James  Trainer,  ( 'lay  Smith,  ( '.  Bur- 
rows, J.  H.  Whitsel,  Henry  ITahnen,  ("ai-1  <"romer,  and  the 
old  Indian  Chief's  son. 

Letters  were  read  from  a  number  of  early  setthn-s  who 
Avere  unable  to  be  x)resent  and  many  Avere  the  hearty  hand- 
shakes and  ^'reetinms  of  old  friends  thus  brou_<;'ht  toiiether. 

In  the  eA'eninii'  there  Avas  a  i^rand  bicy<de  l)ara(h^  ]iarti- 
ciliated  in  by  some  1,800  AAdieelmen  and  AA'omeu,  makini;- 
a  fittinji'  close  to  this  semi-centennial  c(d(d)ration,  the  his- 
tory of  which  has  been  ]»ublished  in  a,  neat  ]>ani])hlct  pre- 
]>ared  under  the  careful  su])ervision  of  Hoyt  Sherman,  P. 
JI.  Casady  and  Tac  Ilussey.  ('o|)ies  of  this  should  !>o  ])re- 
served.  They  AA'ill  be  almost  invaluable  Avhen  the  resi- 
dents celeb]-att^  the  full  cent(-nnial  of  P(dk  (\iunty. 

THE  CYLONE  OF   1896. 

For  years  Polk  County  Avas  foi-tunate  iji  esca])in^-  any 
calamity  in  the  shajte  of  cy(dones  or  torujidoes,  Avliich  have 
toi)  often  vi.sited  Avitli  destructive  force  other  counties  and 
localities.  Dui-iny  the  fifty  years  of  its  settlement  INdk 
< 'ounty  had  occasionally  suffered  to  some  (wtent  from 
A'icdeut  rain,  hail  and  Avind  storms,  but  tlur'  damaiie  there- 


82S  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

fi'inu  had  beeu  comjtaratively  light.  A  genuine  cyclone, 
hoAvever,  Avas  to  come,  and  on  Sunday  evening,  May  24, 
1896,  a  cyclone  formed  in  Dallas  County,  a,  few  miles  from 
the  county  line,  and  started  across  the  county  of  Polk  from 
west  to  east,  leaving  in  its  ]>ath  death  and  destruction. 
Its  destructive  power  varied  in  width  from  a  few  yards 
to  a  half  mile  or  more.  Starting,  as  before  stated,  in  the 
edge  of  Dallas  County,  it  passed  a,  few  miles  south  of  Polk 
City,  crosseil  tlie  Des  Moines  Eiver,  whirled  close  to  Ank- 
eny,  struck  vrifh  fearful  force  a  portion  of  Ivonduraut, 
touched  Santiago,  and  continued  on  its  destructive  course 
into  Jasper  Cnunty,  being  terribly  destructive  in  and 
arou]id  the  town  of  Valeria,  in  tlie  latter  county. 

The  loss  of  property  along  its  line  of  march  was  very 
large,  amounting  to  many  thousands  of  dollars,  but  the 
worst  was  the  loss  of  life  occasioned  tliereby.  Twenly- 
four  persons  were  killed  instantly  or  died  within  a  short 
time  from  the  effect  of  wounds  received,  and  nmny  moi-(^ 
were  nuire  or  less  severely  wounded.  A  feAV  of  the  latter 
subse<|uenrly  died,  ^^^'hile  others  will  never  fully  recovei'. 
In  one  or  two  instances  AA'liole  families  were  almost 
entirely  consigned  to  death,  AAdiile  in  a  number  of  instances 
large  and  (-(unfortable  dwelling  houses,  barns  and  other 
buildings  were  entirely  destroyed  and  the  material  of 
which  they  were  built  strewn  broadcast  over  the  prairies. 
Projicnty  r)n  farms  and  in  villages,  belonging  to  nearly  one 
hundred  different  yjersons,  was  wholly  or  partially 
destroyed,  and  not  a  few  unfortunates  were  financially 
ruined  in  a  few  brief  minutes.  jNIany  of  the  houses  were 
destroyed  and  some  of  the  families  living  therein  can  never 
again  l)e  reunited. 

When  the  news  of  the  disaster  reached  Des  Moines  a 
meeting  was  at  once  lield,  money  and  supplies  quickly 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOINES.  829 

donated,  and  a  committee  then  appointed  to  visit  tlie 
scene  and  give  all  the  temporary  relief  possible.  Physi- 
cians and  nurses  promptly  volunteered  their  services  to 
care  for  the  wounded  and  sick,  while  sympathizing  men 
and  women  promptly  cared  for  the  dead.  The  other  towns 
and  villages  of  the  county  were  also  ])rompt  and  generous 
with  relief  and  help,  and  all  was  done  that  was  possil)le  f(n- 
the  immediate  relief  of  the  sufferers.  In  this  guitd  work 
the  citizens  of  the  city  and  county  showed  tlieir  generous 
sympathy  and  liberality.  It  was  a  great  calamity,  and 
they  did  all  in  their  power  to  mitigate  its  horrors  and 
losses.  But  with  all  the  help  it  will  take  years  to  wipe 
out  the  scars  left  by  this  devastation,  and  nothing  in  this 
world  can  restore  the  heart-wounds  made  by  this  sudden 
and  destructive  storm.  Its  memory  will  survive  for  many 
years  to  come. 

DAWSON-SCOTT  TRAGEDY. 

The  year  1895  closed  with  a  startling  tragedy.  Late  in 
the  afternoon  of  December  2J:th,  the  day  before  Christmas, 
the  city  was  star-tied  with  the  neAvs  that  S.  K.  Dawson  had 
shot  and  Idlled  Walter  Scott,  and  much  excitement  natur- 
ally prevailed  among  the  people  over  the  sad  event.  For 
some  time  the  trouble  between  the  men  had  been  known, 
through  being  made  prominent  in  the  newspapers  of  the 
city,  and  also  of  many  other  towns  and  cities.  Dawson  is 
a  man  of  some  fifty  years  of  age,  and  had  attracted  atten- 
tion by  the  fact,  so  claimed,  that  he  had  discovered  the  art 
by  which  a  metal  equal  to  the  finest  Damascus  steel  could 
be  manufactured  at  a  comparatively  small  cost.  Walter 
Scott,  a  young  man  living  in  this  city,  was  in  love  with 
Dawson's  daughter  Clara,  and  wished  to  man-y  her.  To 
this  Dawson  and  his  wife  Avere  opposed.     Out  of  this  grew 


830  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  ue-wsjtaiier  stories  uf  tlie  girl  being  sent  to  tlie  Io^xil 
]Ios])ital  for  the  Insane,  to  Cliicago  and  other  points,  and 
hoAv  young  Scott  fonoA\(Hl  and  soiiglit  to  make  the  girl  his 
A\ife.  Tliis  continued  for  some  time  almost  daily  food  for 
th('  news])a]iers.  Finally  matters  were  supposed  to  have 
quieted  doA\'n.  Da^xson  and  family  liad  rooms  in  the 
<  Jrand  <  >])era  Blo(dc,  Avhile  young  Scott  established  himself 
as  a  confectioner  on  Sixth  street. 

On  tlie  afternoon  of  tlie  date  given  Clara  Dawson  left  her 
home  on  a  sui)ii(vsed  errand,  met  ^Valter  Scott,  and  they 
went  before  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  were  married. 
Scott  then  took  his  bride  to  his  faither's  home  on  the  east 
side.  Ifeturning,  lie  in  comjiany  with  a  YKiliceman,  went 
to  Dawson's  rooms  and  demanded  tlie  delivery  of  the 
clothes  and  effects  belonging  to  his  new  wife.  According 
to  the  reports  but  few  words  passed,  when  Dawsoii  sud- 
denly drew  a  jiistol  and  commenced  tiring  at  Scott  willi 
fatal  effe<t.  He  fell  in  the  halhvay  and  died  in  a  few 
minutes.  The  ptdiceman  ran  <lowu  stairs  and  gave  the 
alarm.  \N'heu  the  officers  came  Dawson  quietly  surren- 
dered. Scott's  body  was  removed  to  the  home  of  his  par- 
ents. The  bride  of  an  hour  was  tlien  a  widow.  An 
inquest  was  held  and  Dawson  was  held  for  murder.  He 
Avas  subsequently  indicted.  On  account  of  his  conditi(ui 
of  liealtli  hi.s  trial  was  delayed  for  several  montlis. 
Finally  he  was  bi-ought  before  a  jury  and  after  a  trial  at 
times  exciting,  tlie  jury  found  him  guilty  of  murder  in  tlie 
second  degree.  A  motion  Avas  made  for  a  new  trial,  whicdi 
Avas  later  on  o\'erruled  by  Judge  Holmes,  who  then  sen- 
tenced DaA\'son  to  ini]irisonmentin  the  penitentiary  for  the 
term  of  ten  years — the  minimum  penalty  f(n'  the  crime. 
N'otice  of  a])]>eal  Avas  given  and  on  July  2d  DaAvson  AA'as 
taken  to  the  ]M'nitentiarv. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIXES.  831 

BREWERIES  AND  DISTILLERIES. 

The  first  brewery  iu  De.s  Moines  was  built  by  Josepli  and 
George  Ilierb  in  1855-(i  artlie  corner  of  Center  and  Seventh 
streets.  It  ^A'as  a  small  one  at  first,  bnt  afterAvards  se\'eral 
times  enlarged.  Tin-  Ilierbs  oAvned  and  ran  this  brewery 
for  several  years,  and  finally  early  in  18fi<!  sold  it  to  Alois 
Mattes  and  others.  Mattes  j^reatly  enlarjitNl  the  plant, 
met  with  ninch  snccess,  and  for  a  time  had  as  his  partner 
Casper  ffeil,  now  of  Rnrlinyton.  After  the  death  of 
Mattes,  and  up  to  its  close  after  theprohil)itory  law  of  1SS4 
came  into  force,  this  brewery  was  under  flu-  niammement 
of  John  and  Alexander  Mattes.  John  then  went  to 
Nebraska  City,  where  he  became  a.  very  successful  bre^ver. 
Alexander  was  in  Euro]»e  for  years,  but  has  lately 
returned. 

Kappes  &  kSchade  in  1857  built  the  welbknown  Sevasto- 
pol brewei'y,  and  about  the  time  of  its  cduiiiletion  Schade 
retired  and  was  succeeded  l)y  Fred.  IJeijii^-.  The  latter 
and  Kappes  ran  this  brewery  for  several  years,  when  tlu^v 
sold  the  ]dant  to  C  Mnnzenmaier,  who  enlarged  and  con- 
ducted the  business  for  some  years,  and  then  sold  to  John 
Webber,  the  present  owner.  Up  to  1884  this  brewery  Avas 
in  successful  operation,  but  at  the  date  given  it  was  closed 
by  force  of  law. 

One  of  the  early  breweries  was  established  by  Frank 
Spitz  near  the  IJaccoon  Kiver,  Second  and  Elm  streets. 
He  started  in  a  small  way  in  the  latter  part  of  the  '50s. 
He  conducted  the  business  for  some  years  with  consider- 
able success,  when  unfortunately  while  crossing  the  ice 
on  the  Kaccoon  River,  carrying  a  bag  of  malt,  he  broke 
through  and  was  drowned.  His  body  was  never  recov- 
ered. Andrew  Sommers  then  purchased  the  plant,  and  a 
year  or  two  afterwards,  in  181)0,  sold  to  Adam  Aulmnnn. 


832  ANNALS  OP  POLE  COUNTY 

Tlie  latter  immediately  comiueii<-ed  eulargiug  ami  iiuproA'- 
ing.  In  1872  the  old  buildings  were  torn  down  and  large 
brick  buildings  erected.  These  Avere  added  to  in  1874  and 
subsequently  the  Aulmann  Brewery  became  well  known 
throughout  the  county  and  State.  Adam  Aulmann  died 
December  31,  1874.  The  plant  was  then  leased  to  Alois 
Mattes,  who  managed  it  for  eighteen  months.  At  this 
time  William  Aulmann,  son  of  Adam,  and  John  B.  Schus- 
ter, took  control  of  the  brewery  and  managed  it  with  much 
success  until  1881,  when  the  stringent  prohibitory  law 
enacted  that  year  caused  the  closing  of  the  brewery.  Aul- 
mann &  Schuster  remained  partners  until  in  November, 
1895,  engaged  generally  in  handling  as  agents  the  beer 
made  by  brewers  outside  of  the  State.  William  Aulmann 
renmins  the  owner  of  the  plant,  and  had  the  last  General 
Assembl}'  legalized  the  manufacture  he  would  now  be 
be  expending  thousands  of  dollars  in  improvements,  and 
before  the  close  of  the  year  had  a  first-class  modern  brew- 
ery in  successful  operation. 

About  1870  Paul  Mattes  built  a  brcAvery  on  the  East 
Side,  corner  of  Second  and  Locust  streets,  and  operated 
the  same  with  much  success  until  forced  to  close  with  the 
other  breweries  under  the  operation  of  the  prohibitor-y 
law  of  1884.  Paul  Mattes  is  an  enterprising  citizen,  and, 
liad  the  law  allowed  it,  would  now  have  in  active  opera- 
tion a  large  modern  brewery  and  be  not  only  supplying 
much  of  the  home  demand,  but  also  shipping  largely  to 
other  towns.  In  future  years  this  fact  will  be  read  witli 
surprise:  That  now  and  for  two  years  past  tlie  sale  of 
spirituous  and  malt  liquors  in  Iowa  has  been  legalized, 
and  at  the  same  time  it  is  a  violation  of  law  to  manufac- 
ture either  spirituous  or  malt  liquors  inside  the  limits  of 
tlie  State. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  833 

The  first  and  only  ale  brewery  in  Des  Moines  was  built 
by  Joseph  Kingsley,  who  operated  it  for  a  number  of 
years  and  making  an  excellent  quality  of  ale  met  with 
good  success.  But  when  the  prohibitory  law  went  into 
effect  Mr.  Kinsley  was  compelled  to  close  the  building  and 
let  his  plant  go  to  rust  and  ruin.  This  ale  brewery  was  on 
Mulberry  street,  near  Thirteenth,  on  the  West  Side. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  '50s  Terrill  &  Boyd  established 
a  small  distillery  a  short  distance  south  of  Raccoon  River, 
and  for  several  years  manufactured  considerable  high 
wines,  whisky,  etc.  They  made  this  distilleiy  pay  them 
well  for  a  time,  but  not  long  after  the  general  government 
placed  a  heavy  tax  on  alcohol  and  whisky,  they  changed 
the  distillery  into  a  feed  and  grist  mill. 

The  next  distillery  came  in  the  TOs  and  was  the  large 
plant — at  the  time  said  to  be  the  largest  in  this  country — 
located  east  of  the  capitol.  This  institution,  mentioned 
in  another  place  in  these  Annals,  was  operated  success- 
fully for  several  years  by  the  Messrs.  Kidd,  but  finally, 
owing  to  legal  and  other  troubles,  was  closed.  Since  then 
it  is  said  to  have  passed  into  the  control  of  others  and  dur- 
ing a  portion  of  the  time  has  been  i:»artially  operated  as 
a  malt  house.  Should  the  law  permit  it  is  reported  it 
would  at  once  be  changed  into  a  large  brewery. 

ODDS  AND  ENDS. 

The  oldest  business  house  in  Des  Moines,  the  firm  name 
being  continuously  the  same,  is  that  of  Dr.  Wm.  Baker  & 
Co.,  the  "City  Drug  Store."  Dr.  Baker,  the  original  head 
of  the  well-known  house,  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1851,  and 
soon  thereafter  opened  a  drug  store  under  the  present 
firm  name,  on  Second  street.  In  1856-7  he  built  the  three 
story  brick  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Court  Avenue  and 


834  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Third  street,  which  has  been  continuouslj^  used  by  the 
firm  up  to  this  time.  Dr.  Wm.  Balier  died  iu  1888.  After 
his  death  the  business  was  managed  for  a  number  of  years 
by  his  son,  Charles  W.  Baker,  with  much  success.  In 
1893  C\  W.  Baker  removed  with  his  mother  to  California, 
where  they  now  reside,  and  the  control  of  the  business 
passed  to  Frederick  Schroder,  under  whose  management 
the  business  is  now  successfully  carried  on.  Mr. 
Schroeder  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1869,  for  a.  time  engaged 
in  painting,  and  then  learned  the  profession  of  druggist 
with  L.  H.  Bush,  and  learned  it  thoroughly.  He  was  in 
business  for  himself  some  years,  and  then  purchased  the 
Dr.  Baker  &  Co.  stock,  etc.,  carrying  on  the  business  in  the 
same  name. 


L.  H.  Kurtz,  coming  to  Des  Moines  in  1861,  worked  at 
his  trade  for  a  number  of  years  and  in  1866  opened  his  pres- 
ent place  of  business,  at  308  Walnut  street, — stoves,  iron 
and  tinware,  hardware,  etc., — and  there  he  has  remained 
for  thirty  j^ears,  and  hopes  to  remain  for  a  score  or  more 
of  years  yet  to  come.  He  has  not  made  a  fortune,  but  he 
has  lived  fairly,  enjoyed  himself,  and  tried  at  least  to  help 
others  to  enjoy  this  life. 


Eev.  Dr.  A.  I.  Hobbs,  late  president  of  the  Theological 
Department  of  the  Drake  University,  and  a  leading  min- 
ister of  national  fame  in  the  Christian  Church,  succeeded 
Frank  M.  Mills  as  "devil"  in  the  printing  of&ce  of  the 
Greensburg  (Ind.)  Eepository — a  paper  published  by  his 
brother,  J.  W.  Mills.  The  Doctor's  early  training,  it  is 
said,  was  largely  responsible  for  his  great  success  in  after 
life  in  the  ministry'.  He  successfully  triumphed  over 
"the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  Devil."     If  Frank  had  only 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  835 

turned  his  attention  to  tlie  ministry  tliere  is  no  telling 
where  he  might  have  landed. 


Edward  Entwistle,  who  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1856, 
and  who  has  for  over  forty  years  lived  on  the  East  Side 
on  the  same  lot  he  first  purchased,  when  an  apprentice  lad 
ran  the  first  passenger  engine  on  the  first  railroad  ever 
built.  This  engine  was  George  Stephenson's  Rocket  and 
the  road  ran  from  Manchester  to  Liverpool,  England,  Mr. 
Entwistle  having  been  born  near  Manchester.  He  came 
to  this  county  in  1856.  While  here  he  was  eleven  years 
engineers  at  the  mill  of  Shepard,  Perrior  &  Bennett,  and 
after  this  was  for  twenty-one  years  engineer  of  the  Aukeny 
Oil  Works.  Born  in  1815,  he  is  now  in  his  eighty-second 
year,  and  is  a  hale,  hearty  man,  much  respected  by  those 
among  whom  he  has  lived  more  than  forty  years. 


Ezekiel  Hunt  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Jefferson 
township,  having  located  there  in  1846,  near  the  Des 
Moines  Eiver.  He  died  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  77.  His 
sons,  Jeremiah  and  Clinton  R.,  are  the  only  ones  of  the 
family  now  residing  in  the  township — Jeremiah  on  a  farm 
he  opened  in  1857,  and  Clinton  on  the  old  home  farm. 


Thomas  Naylor  has  been  continuously  in  the  grocery 
trade  in  this  city  longer  than  any  other  grocery  man.  In 
1869  he  opened  a  grocery  store  at  521  Walnut  street,  and 
soon  built  up  a  large  trade.  A  few  years  later  he  erected 
his  present  large  three  story  brick  at  the  same  number, 
and  has  continuously  occupied  the  same  up  to  this  time, 
and  hopes  to  continue  at  the  same  place  and  in  the  same 
line  for  years  to  come.     In  1885  Eobert  Ooskery  became 


836  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

the  junior  partner,  and  since  that  time  the  firm  name  has 
been  Naylor  &  Ooskery. 


Of  the  ladies  of  the  early  days  Mrs.  Sanford  says: 
"Many  of  the  ladies  were  dressed  in  the  prevailing  style, 
while  others  wore  plain  linsey  and  calico  dresses  to 
church.  Very  long  dress  waists  that  had  very  little  trim- 
ming, with  skirts  narrow  and  just  long  enough  to  touch 
the  tops  of  the  shoes;  bonnets  as  large  as  a  coal  scuttle. 
This  structure  was  adorned  with  bows  of  ribbons  of  im- 
mense size,  which  had  wire  around  the  edges  to  make 
them  stand  up  like  rabbits'  ears.  Those  blessed,  thrice 
blessed  creatures  wore  no  chignons,  high  heeled  shoes, 
flopping  panniers,  or  double  ruffled  overskirts,  for  when 
extravagance  had  exhausted  its  main  force  on  the  bon- 
net, the  rest  of  the  costume  was  simple  and  suited  to  the 
every-day  wants  of  the  ladies." 


The  year  1846  was  known  as  the  fruitful  one;  crops 
were  good,  and  as  there  was  considerable  immigration, 
bright  hopes  were  entertained  of  a  prosperous  future. 
Sod  corn  averaged  forty  bushels  to  the  acre,  which  was 
a  boon  to  the  settlers.  Eice  sold  for  two  and  one-half 
cents  per  pound,  pork  three  cents,  eggs  two  cents  a  dozen 
and  sugar  in  proportion.  The  price  of  a  meal  at  some  of 
the  hotels  was  only  ten  cents,  stopping  over  night  twen- 
ty-five cents,  with  fifteen  cents  extra  for  a  team. 


In  1850,  deer  and  elk  could  be  found  a  short  distance 
up  the  Eaccoon  Eiver.  Some  sportsmen  captured  five 
elk  calves  in  June  of  that  same  year  and  brought  them 
to  Des  Moines. 


CHAPTER    XLVll. 

INSURANCE  COMPANIES  OF  DES  MOINES. 
FIRE  INSURANCE. 

FIEE  insurance  has  become  one  of  the  chief  enter- 
prises of  Des  Moines,  there  being  now  more  com- 
panies in  this  city  than  in  any  city  west  of  New 
York  or  Hartford,  Conn.  The  oldest  stock  fire  insurance 
company  in  Des  Moines  is  the  State,  which  was  organ- 
ized in  1865  with  a  paid  up  capital  of  |10,000,  which  was 
all  the  laws  of  Iowa  then  required.  In  the  year  1878  a 
new  law  was  passed  requiring  all  stock  fire  insurance 
companies  to  have  a  capital  of  at  least  |100,000,  of  which 
25  per  cent  must  be  paid  in  cash.  The  State  Insurance 
Company  then  reorganized  under  the  new  law  and  the 
stockholders  paid  in  sufficient  to  make  its  capital  .|100,000, 
25  per  cent  paid  up.  It  continued  as  such  until  1882,  when 
its  capital  was  increased  to  |200,000.  The  State  has  writ- 
ten a  large  volume  of  business,  the  receipts  amounting 
to  several  million  dollars  and  has  paid  in  losses  over 
•f.'',000,000.  It  occupies  offices  in  its  own  building,  Nos. 
2j  9-221-223  Fourth  street.  Last  year  it  reduced  its  capi- 
tal to  -1100,000  and  is  confining  its  business  to  Iowa  and  a 
small  portion  of  South  Dakota.  Its  present  officers  are 
J.  H.  Windsor,  President,  H.  A.  Elliott,  Vice-President, 
Theo.  F.  Grefe,  Secretary,  and  Geo.  A.  Dissmore, 
Treasurer. 

The  Hawkeye  Insurance  Company  was  also  organized  in 
1865,  only  a  couple  of  months  after  the  organization  of  the 
State  Insurance  Company,  and  up  to  a  few  years  ago  there 
was  no  change  in  its  officers.     Mr.  E.  J.  IngersoU  was  its 


838  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

piesident  from  the  first  and  retained  that  position  until 
his  death,  when  Adam  Howell,  the  very  efficient  secretary, 
who  so  ably  filled  that  position,  was  elected  to  succeed 
Mr.  IngersoU,  and  W.  D.  Skinner,  for  many  years  superin- 
tendent of  agencies  and  adjuster  for  the  company,  was 
elected  secretary.  Mr.  W.  C.  Cole,  the  assistant  secretary, 
has  well  and  ably  filled  that  position  for  many  years.  The 
llawkeye,  from  a  small  beginning,  has  grown  into  a  large 
and  strong  company.  Its  assets  lare'  now  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  million  dollars  and  it  is  constantly  gTowing. 
It  occupies  its  own  building  near  the  corner  of  Fourth 
street  and  Court  avenue. 

The  Des  Moines  Insurance  is  next  in  age.  It  was  organ- 
ized first  toi  transact  an  exclusive  tornado  business  and 
for  one  year  worked  with  other  companies,  the  agents 
placing  thie  fire  and  lightning  business  in  the  other  com- 
panies and  the  tornado  business  in  the  Des  Moines  Insur- 
ance Company.  It  aftem^ards  assumed  the  fire  and  light- 
ning hazards  also  and  its  co-operation  with  other  compan- 
ies ceased.  Theo.  F.  Gatchell  was  the  first  secretary  of 
the  Des  Moines  Insurance  Company,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Capt.  J.  S.  Clark.  The  Des  Moines  Insurance  Com- 
pany has  written  a,  very  large  business  in  Iowa.  It  has 
assets  of  -1547,475.60,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  strong 
companies  of  the  state,  to  which  it  limits  its  business.  It 
also  occupies  its  own  building  on  Court  avenue  between 
Fourth  and  Fifth  streets. 

The  Capital  Insurance  Company  was  organized  about 
fifteen  years  ago,  its  first  officers  being  Hon.  E.  H.  Conger, 
President,  and  J.  A.  T.  Hull,  Secretary.  The  Capital  has 
for  many  years  been  a  careful  and  conser^^ative  company. 
Its  present  officers  are:  Mr.  S.  T.  Berry,  President;  J.  K. 
Crilcrest,  Secretary;  and  C.  E.  Campbell,  Assistant  Secre- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  839 

tary.  The  Capital  occupies  its  own  building  also,  situated 
on  Fourth  street  between  Loc-ust  and  Grand  avenue.  It 
has  assets  of  |131,8T0.00,  and  is  up  to  standard  in  every 
way. 

The  Fidelity  Insurance  Company  was  organized  a  num- 
ber of  years  ago  as  a  mutual  company,  its  first  secretary 
being  L.  G.  Lee,  the  present  secretary  of  the  Merchants 
Brick  Mutual  Insurance  Company,  and  also  the  Commer- 
cial Mutual  Insurance  Company.  After  continuing  on 
the  Mutual  plan  for  several  j'ears  it  was  merged  into  a 
stock  company  with  .|25,000  paid  up  capital.  The  Fidel- 
ity is  doing  a  careful  and  safe  business.  It  has  assets  of 
|118,793,  and  has  its  offices  in  the  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust 
Building.  Its  officers  are:  Dr.  Cooper,  President,  and  C. 
A.  Moore,  Secretary. 

The  Iowa  Fire  Insurance  Company  was  organized  a  few 
years  ago.  Its  chief  promoter  was  Theo.  F.  Gatchell,  the 
former  secretary  of  the  Des  Moines  Insurance  Company. 
Hon.  Jas.  N.  Miller  was  its  secretary  from  the  start  and 
while  the  company'  has  not  written  a  very  large  business, 
its  affairs  have  been  honorably  and  fairly  conducted.  The 
Iowa  Fire  recently  made  a  change  in  its  management, 
electing  S.  T.  Berri',  President,  and  C.  E.  Campbell,  Secre- 
tary, and  both  the  Iowa  Fire  and  the  Capital  Insurance 
Companies  are  now  practically  under  one  management. 
It  has  assets  of  .|58,921  and  its  officers  are  now  with  the 
Capital  Insurance  Company  in  that  company's  building. 

In  addition  to  the  stock  fire  insurance  companies  men- 
tioned there  are  a  number  of  mutual  fire  insurance  com- 
panies, viz.:  The  Merchants  &  Bankers  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Company,  The  Iowa  Business  Mens  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company,  The  Merchants  Brick  Mutual  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company,  The  Oommerciail  Mutual  Fire  Insurance 


840  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Company  and  the  Anchor  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Com- 
pany. The  officers  and  employees  of  the  insurance  com- 
panies in  Des  Moines  number  about  800  and  with  their 
families  will  number  several  thousand.  The  large  busi- 
ness transacted  by  them  brings  a  large  amount  of  money 
into  the  city  of  Des  Moines. 

The  first  Fire  Insurance  Agency  was  established  early 
in  the  '50s.  Wesley  Eedhead  was  the  first  agent  and  the 
Aetna  Insurance  Company,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  was 
the  first  company  represented  in  Fort  Des  Moines  and 
issued  the  first  policy,  and  Ira  Cook  would  know  now,  after 
the  lapse  of  forty-five  years,  just  what  property  was  cov- 
ered by  it.  A  few  years  later  Mr.  Redhead  associated 
Mr.  Charles  C.  Dawson  with  himself  in  the  book  and  sta- 
tionery trade  and  with  that  also  increased  their  line  of 
insurance  companies,  with  a  corresponding  increase  of 
business.  The  day  of  locals  had  not  yet  arrived.  After 
a  year  or  two  of  this  partnership  Mr.  Dawson  withdrew 
from  the  firm,  taking  the  insurance  business  with  him, 
and  taking  Mr.  Ira  Cook  into  co-partnership,  they  together 
built  up  a  large  and  strong  local  agency,  the  first,  but  by 
no  means  the  last  of  the  large  agencies  which  have  flour- 
ished and  still  fiourish  iu  this  goodly  city.  The  old  firm  of 
Percival  &  Hatton  also  at  an  early  day  transacted  much 
business  as  the  local  agents  of  eastern  insurance  com- 
panies. 

LIFE  INSURANCE. 

The  Equitable  Life  Insurance  Company  of  Iowa  is  the 
oldest  life  insurance  company  in  the  State.  It  was  organ- 
ized in  Des  Moines  and  the  first  entry  in  its  reeords  reads 
as  follows,  viz. :  "At  an  informal  meeting  of  a  number  of 
gentlemen,  citizens  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  held  at  the  office 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  841 

of  Messrs.  Casady  and  Tuttle,  January  21,  1867,  it  T^as 
resolved  to  form  a  life  insurance  company  under  the  laws 
of  the  State  of  Iowa,  and  P.  M.  Casady  and  F.  M.  Hubbell 
were  requested  to  draw  the  necessary  articles  of  incorpora- 
tion." 

On  January  25,  1867,  Messrs.  Hubbell  and  Casady,  at 
an  adjourned  meeting,  presented  the  articles  which  were 
adopted  and  signed  by  the  following  well  known  citizens : 
F.  M.  Hubbell,  P.  M.  Casady,  J.  M.  Tuttle,  Isaac  Cooper, 
Wesley  Eedhead,  J.  S.  Polk,  L.  P.  Sherman,  B.  F.  Allen, 
E.  L.  Tidrick,  W.  W.  Williamson,  J.  B.  Stewart,  Peter 
Myers,  F.  E.  West,  J.  C.  Jordan,  H.  L.  Whitman,  and  Hoyt 
Sherman,  who,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Tidrick  and  Mr. 
Polk,  were  declared  the  first  Board  of  Trustees.  The  first 
ofBcers  were  P.  M.  Casady,  President;  Wesley  Eedhead, 
Vice-President;  F.  M.  Hubbell,  Secretary;  B.  F.  Allen, 
Treasurer;  Hoyt  Sherman,  Actuary;  and  H.  L.  Whitman, 
Medical  Examiner.  Many,  and  perhaps  all  of  the  names 
of  the  gentlemen  here  recorded,  will  appear  elsewhere  in 
this  history,  as  they  were  all  prominent  business  and  pro- 
fessional men  in  the  early  history  of  Polk  County,  and 
hence  this  sketch  will  only  deal  with  those  who  have  been 
officers  and  closely  identified  with  the  management  of  the 
company. 

The  first  policy  was  issued  February  9,  1867,  on  the  life 
of  F.  M.  Hubbell,  and  is  still  in  force.  Mr.  Huhbell 
resigned  the  secretaryship  February  3,  1868,  and  Mr.  Hoyt 
Sherman  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy.  Mr.  B.  F. 
Allen  succeeded  Mr.  Casady  as  president  in  May,  1872. 

The  next  change  in  oflicers  occurred  in  January,  ]  874, 
when  Hoyt  Sherman  became  president  and  J.  S.  Polk  sec- 
retary. These  gentlemen  held  the  respective  offices  for 
fourteen  years,  o;"  until  January,  1888,  when  F.  M.  Hub- 


842  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

boll  was  elected  president  and  Ojtus  Kirk  secretary.  The 
next  and  last  change  came  in  January,  1891,  when  ('.vrns 
Kirk  "n'as  elected  yice-president,  with  the  additional  title 
of  general  manager,  and  J.  C.  Cummins,  secretary — Mr. 
Hubbell  continuing  president.  The  official  roster  at  this 
time  being  as  fidloAvs:  F.  M.  Hubbell,  President;  Cyrus 
Kirk,  Vice-President;  J.  C.  Cummins,  Secretary;  Geo.  M. 
Eeynolds,  Treasurer;  Geo.  P.  Hanawalt,  Medical  Direccor; 
and  I.  T.  Martin,  Superintendent  of  Agencies. 

The  plan  of  the  company  is  what  is  known  as  the  level 
premium  or  "Old  Line"  plan,  as  some  haye  been  pleased  to 
tenn  it.  For  many  years  the  company  confined  its  busi- 
ness entirely  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  but  for  sev- 
eral years  past  it  has  been  doing  business  in  other  states — ■ 
its  present  field  being  Iowa,  Minnesota,  South  Dakota, 
Nebraska,  Kansas,  Missouri,  Illinois,  Michigan,  Indiana, 
Ohio  and  Pennsylyania.  Its  practice  has  always  been 
conseryatiye  and  careful,  prefeiTing  strength  rather  than 
size.  It  is  now  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  financial 
institutions  of  the  State,  and  is  becoming  well  kno\vn 
throughout  the  nation,  and  wherever  known  is  regaided 
as  a  safe  and  strong  cmnpany.  Its  last  annual  report 
made  to  the  Insurance  Department,  shows  gross  assets 
amonnting  to  |1,265,302.82,  with  liabilities  to  its  policy- 
holders of  .|953,718.35,  leaving  a  gross  suiq:)lus  as  regards 
policy-holders  of  |311,584.47.  The  number  of  policies  in 
force  being  5,2G8,  covering  $7,702,312.69  of  insurance. 

It  has  on  deposit  with  the  Auditor  of  State,  to  secure 
its  policy-holders,  interest-bearing  securities  to  the 
amount  of  |1,06S,852.12,  which  deposit  is  made  under  a 
special  provision  of  the  statute  of  Iowa,  applying  to  Iowa 
companies.  This  feature  alone  is  of  great  importa  ice  to 
policy-holders,  as  it  provides  the  very  nearest  approach  to 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINEt^.  843 

absolute  securicy  that  the  ingenuity  of  man  has  yet 
devised  for  the  protection  of  trust  funds.  It  issues  all 
forms  of  life,  limited  payment  life,  endowment,  semi  ton- 
tine, investment  and  other  modern  policies,  at  rates  cor- 
responding verj^  closely  with  the  rates  of  other  regular  life 
insurance  companies. 

The  company  is  now  in  its  thirtieth  year,  and  has  had 
but  a  single  contest  over  a  claim,  and  that  one  was  taken 
from  the  jury  and  decided  in  favor  the  company  by  the  pre- 
siding judge.  No  company  can  show  a  more  honorable 
record  in  dealing  with  its  policy-holders,  or  retains  more 
of  their  respect  and  confidence. 

The  Eoyal  Union  Life,  of  Des  Moines,  was  organized  in 
1886  and  has  been  successfully  managed  by  ex-Governor 
Frank  D.  Jackson  and  Sidney  A.  Foster.  During  1894 
policies  were  written  to  the  amount  of  |626,.500,  and 
received  in  premiums  $43,482,  having  policies  in  force  to 
amount  of  |1,211,422. 

The  Bankers  Life  Association,  org^anized  in  1879,  in 
1894  reported  amount  of  assets  at  .$1,519,207.  During 
that  year  the  income  was  .f750,629,  and  disbursements 
$.500,605.  President,  Edward  A.  Temple;  .Secretary,  A.  C. 
Stilson. 

The  Des  Moines  Life  Association  of  Iowa,  with  home 
offlce  in  Foster  Opera  Block,  was  organized  in  1885,  and  up 
to  March,  1896,  had  paid  losses  to  the  amount  of  .$370,802. 
It  is  transacting  a  large  business.  The  officers  are:  Pres- 
ident and  General  Manager,  0.  E.  Eawson;  Vice-Presi- 
dent, G.  L.  Dobson;  Treasurer,  0.  P.  Wright;  Secretary, 
L.  C.  Rawson;  Medical  Director,  Dr.  C.  W.  Eaton;  Super- 
intendent of  Agencies,  D.  R.  Hubbard. 

The  Bankers  Accident  Insurance  Company  was  organ- 


844  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ized  in  1893,  and  for  the  year  1894  reported  a  total  income 
of  $29,731,  and  in  the  same  time  paid  to  members  |6,T80. 
President,  G.  W.  Marquardt,  Secretary,  J.  W.  Martin. 

Farmers  Mutual  Live  Stock  Insurance  Association, 
organized  in  1891,  reports  in  1894  an  income  of  |9,688,  and 
paid  to  members  |2,947.  President,  E.  F.  Duncan,  Secre- 
taiy,  W.  W.  Hayne. 

National  Masonic  Accident  Association,  organized  in 
1889,  reports  for  1894  a  total  income  of  |59,509,  with  dis- 
bursements of  149,146,  with  other  net  resources  leaving  a 
balance  of  $10,508.  President,  O.  B.  Ayres,  Secretary,  J. 
A.  Doverman. 

Odd  Fellows  Annuity  Association,  organized  in  1890, 
repoi"ts  for  1894  an  income  of  |59,370,  and  disbursements 
151,416,  and  gross  assets  of  $26,901.  President,  William 
Musson,  Secretary,  Ci  H.  Baker. 

Merchants  and  Mechanics  Mutual  Accident  Associa- 
tion reported  for  its  first  year,  1894,  an  income  of  $4,412 
and  disbursements  of  $3,667. 

Underwriters  Mutual  Accident  Association,  organized 
the  same  year,  reported  for  1894  an  income  of  $5,069,  with 
disbursements  of  $4,734.  President,  W.  W.  Black,  Secre- 
tary, George  O.  Newman. 

The  Northwestern  Life  and  Savings  is  a  new  company, 
recently  organized,  with  offices  in  the  Van  Giukel  build- 
ing. Its  capital  is  $100,000.  The  officers  are:  Presi- 
dent, Arthur  Reynolds;  Vice-President,  J.  H.  Owen;  Sec- 
retary, 0.  C.  Crowell;  Treasurer,  G.  W.  Marquardt. 


CHAPTER    XLVIll. 

HOTELS. 

HOTELS  play  a  prominent  part  in  all  towns  and  cities, 
and  are  f;enerally  truly  objects  of  interest.  One  of 
the  first  houses  opened  for  public  entertainment 
is  said  to  have  been  one  of  the  garrison  buildings  near 
what  was  laid  out  for  a  market  square  but  which  has  for 
years  been  mostly  occupied  by  the  Keokuk  &  Fort  Dodge 
Railroad  and  depot,  now  part  of  the  Rock  Island  system. 

In  the  eai-ly  days  Martin  Tucker  was  a  noted  landlord. 
He  was  generally  known  as  Martin  X.  Tucker,  because  of 
the  X  with  which  his  name  was  signed,  he  not  being  able 
himself  to  write  it.  The  Tucker  House  was  noted  in  the 
days  when  as  young  men  Granger,  Casady,  Sherman,  Tid- 
rick.  Rice  and  others  drew  their  daily  sustenance  from 
that  hostelry  and  there  occasionally  had  their  fun  and 
frolic.  B.  F.  Hoxie  is  set  down  as  one  of  the  pioneer  land- 
lords. Afterwards,  about  18.54,  came  the  Harter  House 
at  Market  square,  for  a  time  known  as  the  Astor,  which 
was  afterwards  enlarged  and  for  several  years  after  1856 
was  known  as  the  Collins  House.  This,  for  a  time  was  one 
of  the  most  fashionable  hotels  in  the  young  city,  but  it  has 
long  since  disappeared.  For  some  time  the  original  pro- 
perty was  owned  and  managed  by  Mrs.  Breckbill. 

In  1846-7  B.  F.  Hoxie  opened  a  hotel  in  a  building,  par-t 
of  which  it  is  said  had  been  built  by  thesoldiers  on  Third 
street  near  the  corner  of  Walnut.  William  F.  Marvin 
and  Benj.  Luse  afterwards  bought  this  and  adding  to  it 
made  it,  as  the  Marvin  House,  the  leading  hotel  of  the 
city  for  a  number  of  years.     There  in  those  early  days 


846  ANNATm^  of  polk  COUNTY 

came  the  land  buyers,  the  speculators  and  the  travelers 
of  all  degrees,  and  at  night  the  rooms  were  crowded  with 
guests.  In  1854  James  C  Savery  came  to  Des  Moines  and 
shortly  afterwards  purchased  the  property.  The  hotel 
and  furnishings  and  the  two  lots,  132x132,  were  purchased 
for  .f3,000,  the  lots  being  valued  at  only  .fl,000.  Mr. 
SaYer\'  changed  the  name  to  the  Everett  House,  and  was 
its  landlord  for  a  year  or  two.  He  then  leased  it  to 
Absolom  M(H'ris,  who  conducted  it  until  in  tlie  early 
'00s,  when  it  came  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Blodgett,  and 
was  called  the  Blodgett  House.  At  different  times  its 
landlords  were  John  Carroll,  C.  S.  Stout  and  others.  This 
building  has  also  disappeared,  having  been  torn  down 
years  ago.  The  first  public  house  on  the  East  Side  of  the 
river  dates  back  to  the  earliest  days,  and  was  contem- 
poraneous with  the  Tticker  House  in  the  original  town. 
It  was  kept  by  Squire  Meacham  and  was  located  near  what 
is  now  the  corner  of  East  Front  and  Walnut  streets. 

Around  the  old  De  Moine  House  at  the  corner  of  Front 
and  Walnut  streets,  West  Side,  gather  more  memories 
and  stories  of  the  early  times  than  around  any  other  of  the 
former  hotels  of  the  citj'.  The  main  portion  of  this  was 
built  by  C.  Stutsman  in  the  earl^^  '50s  and  was'  sold  by  him 
in  1855  to  Sumner  F.  Spofford  and  Joseph  C.  Warner. 
They  finished  up  the  uncompleted  building,  added  to  it, 
and  opened  what  was  for  a  number  of  years  the  leading 
hotel  of  the  then  town  and  future  city.  During  the  fiush 
times  which  followed  the  De  Moine  House  was  the  head- 
quarters for  all  the  speculative,  political  and  social  events 
of  those  days.  In  the  dining  room  were  held  the  dances 
or  balls  and  social  parties  of  the  time,  and  in  its  bar  room 
the  men  enjoyed  themselves,  often  to  a  full  extent.  Dur- 
ing the  sessions  of  the  General  Assembly  it  was  the  gath- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOINES.  847 

ering  place  for  all  the  politicians  and  speculators  and 
lobbyists,  and  at  convention  times  all  the  rooms  were 
packe<l  with  people.  Col.  S.  F.  Spofford  was  not  only  a 
model  landlord,  but  also  a  model  citizen,  commanding  the 
respect  and  love  of  all.  He  was  mayor  of  the  city  in  1868, 
and  always  prominent  in  all  good  works.  He  had  gTeat 
love  in  and  pride  for  the  citi'  and  was  unstinted  in  his 
liberality  and  work  for  its  advancement.  He  continued 
to  own  this  property  up  to  his  death  some  years  ago,  and 
had  an  ambition  to  erect  a  large  and  handsome  first-class 
hotel  upon  the  site.  But  financial  losses  and  other  diffi- 
culties prevented  the  carrying  out  of  a  project  which  he 
had  commenced  and  which  was  so  near  to  his  generous 
heart.  During  Col.  Spofford's  ownership  the  De  Moine 
House  was  at  various  times  leased  to  other  parties,  among 
them  being  T.  J.  Cannon,  Joseph  Gump,  C.  S.  Stout,  John 
Carroll  and  others.  The  old  house  was  torn  down  years 
ago  to  give  way  for  a  new  De  Moine  House  which  was  not 
built.  The  property  is  now  owned  by  Paul  Mattes  and 
oa  part  of  the  site  is  a  good  brick  building  occupied  by  a 
saloon,  Odd  Fellows'  hall,  etc. 

In  IS55-0  James  C.  Saverj^  organized  a  stock  company 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  first-class  hotel  in  Des  Moines. 
It  was  a  large  undertaking  for  a  then  small  town,  but  the 
faith  and  energy  of  Mr.  Savery  inspired  others.  Stock 
Avas  subscribed  and  in  1856  the  building  of  the  Savery 
House  (now  Kirkwood)  was  commenced.  As  first 
designed  it  covered  nearly  all  the  ground  the  building  now 
occupies,  132x132.  Before  the  building  could  be  com- 
pleted came  the  financial  disaster  of  1857,  and  as  a  result 
of  this,  work  upon  the  hotel  proceeded  slowly  during  the 
years  immediately  following.  But  Mr.  Savery  was 
indomitable  in  his  efforts.       He    never    lost   hope    and 


848  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTT 

becoming  in  time  almost  tlie  sole  proprietor,  he  pushed 
on  the  work  and  finally,  in  1862,  the  Savery  House  was 
thrown  open  to  the  public,  under  the  management  of  I. 
N.  Webster.  F.  O.  Macartney  commenced  as  clerk  on 
March  22,  1863.  The  Savery  was  for  a  number  of  years 
successfully  managed  by  Geo.  W.  Savery  &  Co.,  being 
noted  throughout  the  country  and  a  pride  to  the  citizens 
of  Des  Moines.  For  several  years  the  chief  manager  of 
the  house  was  Fred  C.  Macartney.  About  1878  the  house 
became  the  property  of  eastern  parties  and  in  November 
of  that  year  it  was  closed  to  the  public. 

SubseqiTontly  it  was  purchased  by  J.  N.  Dewey  and 
Schuyler  R.  Ingham,  and  being  remodeled  and  refurnished 
was  on  May  12, 1879,  reopened  under  the  name  of  the  Kirk- 
wood,  in  honor  of  the  old  war  governor,  under  the  man- 
agement of  Bogue  &  Wyman.  0.  D.  Bogue  continued  in 
management  until  March  10,  1891,  when  F.  G.  Macartney 
again  became  the  proprietor  and  has  continued  in  charge 
of  the  house  up  to  this  time,  although  since  May,  1894,  his 
sons,  Fred  0.,  Jr.,  and  G.  W.  Macartney  have  been  asso- 
ciated with  him  under  the  style  of  Macartney  &  Sons  Com- 
pany. J.  N.  Dewey  sold  his  interest  in  the  property  to 
Schuyler  R.  Ingham  who  modernized  and  made  many 
additions  and  improvements  in  the  house.  Recently  Mr. 
Ingham  sold  and  conveyed  the  property  to  Judge  Hardin, 
of  the  New  York  Supreme  Court,  and  Banker  Milligan, 
of  Little  Falls,  New  York,  who  are  now  the  owners  of  this 
very  valuable  property. 

For  a  number  of  years  there  was  a  frame  hotel  on  the 
north  .side  of  Court  avenue,  between  Third  and  Fourth 
streets,  which  was  called  the  Cottage,  Ohio  House,  etc. 
For  some  time  it  was  kept  by  John  Hays,  who  made  it  a 
popular  house.     He  was  succeeded  by  several  other  land- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  AI0INE8.  S49 

lords,  until  some  years  ago  the  building  was  abandoned 
and  torn  down  to  be  replaced  by  the  large  brick  building 
now  occupied  by  the  Des  Moines  Saddlery  Company. 

In  18G9  Patrick  McAtee  purchased  a  building  and  lot 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  Third  and  Vine  streets,  near 
the  Eock  Island  depot,  and  remodeling  and  enlarging  the 
building,  opened  the  well-known  Monitor  House.  Mr. 
McAtee  died  in  1879,  but  the  house  was  kept  open  by  his 
son,  Patrick  McAtee,  his  brother  and  other. membei's  of  the 
family,  and  for  years  has  had  a  steady  and  lai-ge  patronage. 
The  Monitor  is  yet  open  and  controlled  by  the  McAtee 
family. 

About  1869  John  II.  Given,  the  original  plow-maker  of 
Des  Moines,  and  one  of  the  c^arliest  settlers,  built  a  brick 
hotel  on  his  lots  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  ^''ine  streets, 
which  was  for  years  known  as  the  Given  House.  Under 
the  management  of  an  old  and  experienced  landlord,  Levi 
Frantz,  the  Given  was  a  very  successful  and  popular  liotel 
for  a  number  of  years.  T])en  Mr.  Frantz  retired  fi'om  the 
management,  and  a  year  or  two  later  died.  His  son  Frank 
then  conducted  the  house  for  several  years.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  other  landlords,  and  the  name  of  the  hotel  was 
changed  to  the  Windsor.  It  is  now  open  and  called  the 
St.  Elmo,  and  remains  the  property  of  John  H.  Given,  the 
original  owner  and  builder. 

The  Graefe  House  was  opened  in  a  small  Avay  by  Henry 
Graefe  in  1872,  on  the  south  side  of  Walnut,  between  Sec- 
ond and  Third  streets.  A  year  or  two  later  a  portion  of 
the  present  brick  building  was  erected,  and  the  house  soon 
became  a  popular  one.  Henry  Graefe  died  in  1881,  and 
the  house  was  kept  open  by  Mrs.  Graefe.  The  follomng 
year  she  married  Paul  J.  Kraetsch,  the  present  proprietor. 
Business  increasing,  a  vear  or  two  later  the  liouse  was 


850  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

enlarged,  and  in  1894  another  story  was  added  and  many 
further  improvements  made,  giving  the  house  sixty-five 
rooms  for  the  accommodation  of  guests.  Landlord 
Kraetsch  has  managed  the  house  continuously  during  this 
time,  with  the  exception  of  five  j^ears  when  it  was  leased  to 
and  under  the  management  of  Fred  Schroeder.  The 
house  has  always  been  well  managed  and  had  and  has  a 
large  patronage. 

The  Morgan  House,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Vine  streets, 
was  built  in  1881.  It  is  a  large  and  handsome  hotel  build- 
ing four  stories  with  mansard  roof,  and  stone  front,  con- 
taining 66  rooms.  Its  builder  and  OAvner  then  and  now, 
was  Philip  Morgan,  who  in  1861  opened  on  Second  street 
a  hide  and  leather  and  saddlery  hardware  business.  By 
his  enterprise  and  close  attention  to  business  Mr.  Morgan 
became  very  sviccessful.  Having  built  the  Morgan  House 
he  leased  it  to  C.  W.  Reed,  its  first  landlord,  who  managed 
it  for  several  years.  He  was  followed  by  the  Kelly  Bros., 
and  they  in  turn  by  J.  B.  Ruffner.  For  the  past  eight 
years  Mr.  Morgan  has  managed  the  house  himself,  with 
much  success,  and  the  Morgan  holds  its  own  as  one  among 
the  best  managed  hotels  of  the  city. 

The  Aborn  House  was  built  by  Dr.  Aborn  in  1875,  as 
mentioned  in  another  chapter,  and  opened  under  the  man- 
agement of  G.  B.  Brown.  It  was  designed  for  a  first- 
class  hotel  and  the  design  was  fully  carried  out  by  Dr. 
Aborn,  its  owner.  For  several  years  the  house  was  ably 
and  successfully  managed  by  Frank  Risely,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Vail  &  Risely.  Following  Risely  came  a  number 
of  other  landlords,  until  in  1895  Dr.  Aborn  himself 
assumed  the  management,  after  having  the  house  com- 
pletely overhauled  and  renovated.  This  large  and  popu- 
lar hotel  has  since  March,  1896,  been  under  the  successful 


AND  THE  CITY  OP  DE8  MOINES.  851 

control  and  management  of  Frank  H.  Connell,  an  exper- 
ienced landlord. 

The  Goldstone,  on  East  Fifth  street,  was  built  by  N.  L. 
Goldstone,  its  present  owner.  It  is  a  substantial  and 
handsome  house  four  stories  with  basement,  solid  stone 
front,  and  contains  some  seventy  rooms.  The  first  land- 
lord was  Kittleman,  who  was  followed  by  Eyster  and 
Hockersmith.  For  the  past  six  years  this  excellent  house 
has  been  under  the  management  of  J.  B.  Ruffner^  pre- 
viously of  the  Morgan,  an  experienced  and  successful 
landlord. 

The  Sabin  House  has  for  many  years  been  noted  as  a 
boarding  house  and  family  hotel.  The  first  start  in  this 
direction  was  made  by  one  of  the  buildings  being  built 
and  occupied  by  Mrs.  Washburn  as  a  boarding  house, 
which  for  years  was  the  leading  one  of  the  city.  She  was 
succeeded  by  others  until  the  house  came  finally  under  the 
control  of  Sabin  and  his  wife.  They  conducted  it  with 
marked  success  for  several  years,  when  Mr.  Sabin  died, 
and  Mrs.  Sabin  assumed  control,  and  with  the  exception 
of  occassional  leases  for  not  long  periods,  has  remained  in 
control  up  to  this  time.  During  this  time  the  house  has 
been  much  enlarged  and  improved  in  many  ways. 

The  Savery  is  the  latest  built  large  hotel  in  the  city  of 
Des  Moiues.  In  1887  a  hotel  company  was  organized  for 
the  purpose  of  building  a  modern  first-class  hotel  building, 
Frank  Risely,  a  well-known  landlord,  taking  a  leading 
part  in  the  same.  James  0.  Saverj',  the  builder  of  the  old 
Savery,  now  Kirkwood  House,  made  a  liberal  douatiou  to 
the  enterprise  and  it  was  determined  to  call  it  for  him,  the 
Savery.  The  building  erected  in  1887  is  132x132  feet,  five 
stories  high,  with  pressed  brick  front,  containing  about 
17.5  rooms,  and  adapted  in  evei-y  way  for  the  purpose 


852  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

designed,  costing  when  completed  some  |175,000.  It  was 
opened  July  1,  1888,  under  the  management  of  Frank 
Risely.  In  1890  he  retired,  and  was  succeeded  by  W.  L. 
Brown,  the  present  able  and  popular  manager.  The 
Savery  has  been  successful  from  the  beginning,  and  has  a 
large  and  constantly  increasing  patronage.  Many  times 
in  each  year  it  is  filled  to  overflowing  with  guests,  and  is 
headquarters  for  conventions  and  other  gatherings. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

LIGHT  AND  WATER  COMPANIES —RAILROADS. 

IN  FEBRUARY,  1864,  the  City  Council,  after  much  con- 
sideration, passed  an  ordinance  authorizing  James 
M.  Starr  and  his  associates  to  erect  gas  works  to  sup- 
ply the  city  and  the  people  thereof  with  gas  light.  The 
names  of  those  associated  with  Mr.  Starr  are  not  given, 
but  it  was  known  that  several  gentlemen  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  and  others  were  associated  with  him.  B.  F.  Allen, 
of  this  cit,y,  then  or  subsequently  became  heavily  inter- 
ested in  the  enterprise,  and  with  his  associates  controlled 
what  was  then  knowii  as  the  Des  Moines  Gas  Company. 
The  works  were  located  on  the  West  Side,  at  the  corner 
of  Second  and  Elm  streets.  A  number  of  miles  of  mains 
were  laid  and  the  company  was  successfully  carried  on 
for  several  years,  but  hually  came  to  grief,  being  embar- 
rassed to  a  large  extent  by  the  financial  failure  of  B.  F. 
Allen  in  January,  187.5. 

The  present  Capital  City  Gas  Light  Company  was  organ- 
ized in  September,  1875,  received  its  charter  from  the  city 
in  March,  1876,  and  erected  works  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river  on  the  block  bounded  by  First,  Vine,  Market  and 
vSecond  streets.  The  new  company  soon  took  the  lead 
and  after  considerable  litigation  the  old  company's  pro- 
perty was  sold  at  sheriff's  sale  and  purchased  by  the  new 
companj'.  The  old  works  were  then  abandoned  and  the 
lots  sold.  The  new  company  increased  the  capacity  of  its 
works  and  extended  its  mains  as  the  city  gTew  in  popu- 
lation and  extent.  Messrs.  Wright  &  Sumner,  who  orig- 
inally organized  the  new  company,  sold  to  tlie  present 


854  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

owners  in  1885,  and  they  have  since  that  time  had  full 
control  of  the  same.  They  have  largely  increased  the 
capacity  of  the  works  and  extended  their  mains  to  all 
I)arts  of  the  city,  and  already  have  some  forty-five  miles  of 
mains  in  the  principal  streets  and  over  twenty-five  hund- 
red consumers,  and  about  twelve  hundred  who  use  gas  for 
cooking,  heating  and  other  domestic  purposes.  The  pres- 
ent company  has  expended  large  sums  of  money  in  improv- 
ing its  works,  using  the  very  best  of  modern  appliances 
and  improvements.  It  is  a  progressive  company,  anxious 
to  give  its  customers  the  best  of  prodiictions  and  service, 
and  thus  extend  the  use  of  its  product 

During  the  past  year  or  two  the  company  has  had  some 
controversies  with  the  City  Council  over  the  rates  to  be 
charged  and  this  controversy  has  at  times  grown  heated, 
but  at  this  time  these  matters  are  in  such  a  shape  that  a 
satisfactory  settlement  has  been  reached  through  mutual 
concessions.  It  is  conceded  by  all  that  the  works  and  the 
product  are  of  the  best  and  that  the  company  has  shown 
much  enterprise  and  liberality  in  carrying  on  the  business 
of  supplying  an  excellent  article  of  gas  to  all  the  citizens 
who  may  desire  the  same,  and  its  service  has  been  emi- 
nentlj'  satisfactory  to  the  consumers. 

WATER  COMPANY. 

At  an  early  day  this  section  was  famed  for  the  abun- 
dance and  purity  of  its  water,  and  for  the  ease  with  which 
wells  could  be  sunken  for  this  absolute  necessity  for  man 
and  beast.  Thirty  or  more  years  ago  it  was  seen  this 
growing  city  could  not  depend  for  its  water  supply  upon 
wells,  springs,  or  flowing  streams..  Water  works  were 
then  established  by  a  company,  the  pumping  being  direct 
from  the  Eaccoon  river.     These  works  have  been  vastly 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  855 

improved  and  the  capacity  increased  until  at  this  time 
every-  portion  of  the  extended  city  is  now  reached  by  the 
mains  and  pipes  of  the  company.  The  source  of  supply 
is  ground  water  from  galleries  about  4,000  feet  long  under 
the  Raccoon  river  in  the  western  portion  of  the  city.  The 
capacity  of  the  pumping  engines  is  13,000,000  gallons 
daily,  forcing  pure  water  through  about  eighty  miles  of 
mains.  The  stand  pipe  of  the  works,  on  West  Seven- 
teenth street,  near  Crocker,  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
country,  being  one  hundred  feet  in  height  by  thirty  feet 
in  diameter,  with  a  capacity  of  one-half  million  gallons. 
The  average  daily  consumption  in  the  city  is  .3,500,000. 
The  ordinary  or  domestic  pressure  is  one  hundred  pounds 
to  the  square  inch,  while  for  fires  the  pressure  is  one 
hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  The 
total  cost  of  this  water  system  has  been  nearly  |1,500,000. 

STREET  RAILWAYS. 

Dr.  M.  P.  Tiirner  was  the  originator  and  builder  of  the 
first  street  railway  in  Des  Moines.  Thirty  years  ago  he 
organized  the  Des  Moines  Street  Railway  Company,  and 
from  the  first  was  the  moving  spirit,  the  main  stockholder 
and  energetic  manager  of  this  enterprise,  and  he  carried  it 
on  when  almost  any  other  man  would  have  given  up  in 
despair.  Of  course  the  first  city  railway  could  not  com- 
pare with  the  system  of  to-day.  Then  the  motive  power 
was  horses  and  mules  and  the  track  was  oA^er  unpaved  and 
often  very  muddy  streets.  And  yet  amid  many  discour- 
agements Dr.  Turner  struggled  on,  gradually  extending 
its  lines  into  different  portions  of  the  city,  and  making  his 
railway  a  great  convenience  to  the  citizens.  He  was  inde- 
fatigable and  untiring  in  his  labors  and  finally  achieved 
deserved  success.     After  nearly  twenty  years  of  devotion 


SM  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

to  the  work,  Dr.  Turner  sold  out,  at  a  handsome  profit  to 
himself,  all  his  interest  to  a  new  company.  About  that 
time  John  Webber,  Van  Ginkel,  Teachout,  Baylies  and  a 
few  others,  organized  a  new  company  to  build  a  line  to 
Sevastopol,  and  afterwards  extended  their  operations  to 
other  portions  of  the  city.  The  successors  of  Dr.  Turner 
claimed  the  exclusive  right  to  the  streets  for  this  purpose, 
and  after  much  litigation  the  Supreme  Court  uijheld  their 
claim,  so  far  only  as  cars  drawn  by  horses  were  concerned. 
This  opened  the  wa}^  for  the  electric  car,  and  Van  Ginkel 
and  his  associates  at  once  utilized  the  opportunity.  They 
immediately  ordered  electric  cars  and  prepared  some  miles 
of  track  for  the  same,  and  in  a  short  time  had  their  lines 
in  successful  operation. 

Jeff.  S.  Polk  and  otliers  saw  the  opportunity  for  prevent- 
ing strife  and  building  up  a  thorough  street  railway  sys- 
tem. After  some  negotiation  they  finally  bought  out  the 
two  rival  companies,  and  consolidating  the  same  com- 
menced in  a  liberal  and  comprehensive  spirit  to  build  up 
the  ]iresent  admirable  railway  system  now  in  such  success- 
ful operation  in  Des  Moines.  They  paid  the  first  electric 
company  a  very  liberal  jirice  for  their  plant  and  lines,  and 
renewing  the  same  in  a  more  subst;uitial  manner,  with 
heavier  rails,  they  i)iished  extensions  in  every  direction 
within  the  coii)orate  limits,  until  at  this  time  they  have 
nearly  fifty  miles  of  track,  heavily  ironed  and  well  bal- 
lasted, with  some  seventy-five  cars  running  safely  and  rap- 
idly upon  the  same,  carrying  daily  thousands  of  passengers 
to  and  fro.  Presi<leut  Polk  and  Secretary  George  B. 
Hippee  have  kept  up  Avith  if  not  beyond  the  demands  of  a 
rapidly  growing  city  and  will  do  so  as  long  as  they  are  in 
conti-ol.  The  power  house  on  the  east  side  of  the  river 
has  ten  large  boilers,  three  engines,  ten  dynamos,  and  a 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  857 

large  machine,  car  building  and  repair  sliups,  equipped 
witk  all  modern  machinerj'.  The  question  of  safe  and 
rax)id  transit  has  been  successfully  solved  in  Des  Moines. 

RAILROADS  IN  CITY  AND  COUNTY. 

Much  of  the  growth  and  j)rosperity  of  Polk  County  and 
the  City  of  Des  Moines  is  due  to  railroads.  Without  these 
that  growth  would  have  been  slow.  As  stated  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter,  the  first  railroad  to  reach  Des  Moines  was 
the  one  from  Keokuk,  which  was  aftenvards  extended 
north  135  miles  to  Kuthven.  Then  this  road  Avas  divided, 
the  southern  portion  passing  under  the  control  of  the  Chi- 
cago, Rock  Island  &  Pacific,  and  the  northern  portion 
operated  as  an  independent  line.  A  few  years  later  this 
also  passed  under  the  control  of  the  Kock  Island,  Superin- 
tendent C.  A.  Gilmore,  a  well  known  and  much  esteemed 
railroad  man  of  Des  Moines,  being  retained  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  entire  line  from  Keokuk  north. 

The  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  soim  followed,  and 
for  thii-tj'  years  has  been  the  main  east  and  west  trunk 
line  of  the  citj\  At  an  early  day,  mainly  through  the 
efforts  of  B.  F.  Allen,  branch  lines  were  built  to  Indianola 
and  Winter-set,  which  have  always  been  of  much  advantage 
to  the  city. 

A  few  years  later  James  Callanan,  J.  J.  Smart,  Jeff  S. 
Polk  and  others  became  interested  in  a  narrow  guage  rail- 
road to  Ames,  in  Story  County,  where  the  Agricultural 
College  is  located,  and  where  connection  could  be  made 
with  the  main  line  of  the  Northwestern  road.  After  much 
labor  and  the  overcoming  of  many  difficulties  these  gentle- 
men succeeded  in  opening  this  narrow  giiage  road  to  Ames, 
and  aftenvards  extended  it  farther  north.     Subsequenth^ 


858  ANNAL8  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

it  passed  under  the  control  of  the  Northwestern  Company, 
who  changed  it  to  the  standard  guage  and  extended  it 
beyond  the  northern  limits  of  the  state. 

Then  came  at  about  the  same  time  the  building  of  the 
Wabash  railroad  into  Des  Moines,  in  which  J.  S.  Clarkson, 
then  of  the  Eegister,  took  a  leading  part,  and  the  building 
by  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Company  of  a  line 
into  this  city.  These  two  lines  almost  paralleled  each 
other  for  more  than  fifty  miles,  and  while  one  gave  a  direct 
connection  with  the  Burlington  system,  the  other  made  a 
direct  line  to  St.  Louis.     Both  were  great  helps. 

Then  followed  a  narrow  guage  line  to  Adel,  in  Dallas 
County,  and  on  into  Guthrie  and  to  Jefferson  in  Greene 
County.  Finall}^,  under  the  management  of  P.  M.  Hub- 
bell,  of  Des  Moines,  this  road  was  extended  to  Fonda,  on 
the  Illinois  Central.  Subsequently  this  road  was  changed 
to  the  standard  guage  and  is  now  doing  a  good  business, 
connecting  as  it  does  with  the  four  main  trunk  lines  across 
the  state.  This  is  the  Des  Moines,  Northern  &  Western. 
The  same  parties  who  control  the  road  mentioned  also  con- 
trol a  line  from  Des  Moines  to  Boone  in  Boone  County, 
upon  which  line  is  the  celebrated  high  bridge  over  the  Des 
Moines  river.     This  is  a  short  line  but  an  important  one. 

About  this  time  through  the  energetic  efforts  of  Hard- 
ing, Stivers  and  others,  a  narrow  guage  road  was  built 
from  this  city  to  Osceola,  and  afterwards  extended  into 
?lissouri.  Recently  the  control  of  this  road  has  passed 
into  the  hands  of  parties  who  have  made  it  of  standard 
guage  and  part  of  an  extended  and  successful  railroad 
system. 

The  last  railroad  to  come  to  Des  Moines  was  the"Diag- 
onal,"  or  Chicago  Great  Western,  with  its  line  extending 
from  Chicago  and  St.  Paul  to  Kansas  City.     This  road 


ATsfD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  859 

crosses  the  Des  Moines  river  below  the  mouth  of  'Coon,  and 
has  large  shops,  depots,  etc.,  while  it  is  using  the  building 
south  of  the  court  house  for  a  passenger  depot. 

Thirty  years  have  seen  a  great  change  in  the  railroad 
situation  in  county  and  city.  Then  came  the  first  rail- 
road, and  now  there  are  some  fifteen  lines  of  railroad  pass- 
ing through  the  county  and  entering  the  city — an  ayer- 
ange  of  a  new  line  every  two  years!  And  there  are  more 
to  come.  This  brief  statement  will  give  an  outline  of  the 
present  railroad  system  or  systems  of  the  county  and  city. 


CHAPTER  L 

DBS  MOINES  COLLEGE. 

THIS  is  the  oldest  of  the  educational  institutions  of 
Des  Moines  and  has  had  an  honorable  history.  It 
was  formerly  located  on  Pleasant  street,  but  ten 
years  ago  was  removed  to  the  present  site  on  West  Ninth, 
between  College  avenue  and  Washington  street.  It  occu- 
pies two  large  and  substantial  brick  buildings,  which  have 
recently  been  renovated  and  rearranged,  and  are  now  re- 
garded as  among  the  best  college  buildings  in  the  state. 
The  college  has  very  complete  chemical  and  physical  labo- 
ratories, the  former  being  one  of  tlie  best  equi]i|»ed  in  the 
West.  Tliere  is  a  large  and  carefully  selected  library. 
There  is  a.  corps  of  thirteen  instructors,  including  music 
and  art.  There  are  three  distinct  departments.  Fii'st 
is  the  college  proper,  whose  cumculum  covers  four  years, 
after  a  preparator3'  course  of  three  years;  sec(uid  is  the 
academy,  and  third,  music. 

In  1892  Des  Moines  College  entered  into  affiliation  with 
the  University  of  Chicago.  This  means  that  all  the 
courses  of  study  and  methods  of  work,  and  the  instructors 
of  the  college,  have  been  approved  by  the  university.  All 
examinations  are  also  sent  to  the  university  and  graded 
there.  The  university  agrees  tliat  when  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  credits  have  been  secured — seventy-five — it  AA'ill 
confer  the  same  degree  it  would  if  the  student  had  taken 
his  work  there.  The  imiversity  also  keeps  two  instructors 
here,  without  any  expense  to  the  college,  and  the  latter  can 
send  three  of  its  own  graduates  each  year  to  tlie  univer- 
sity for  graduate  work  witliout  the  payment  of  any  fees. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  861 

The  college  opeued  in  1895  with  the  best  attendance  it  has 
ever  had.  By  the  new  students  were  represented  twenty- 
eight  different  colleges  and  high  schools.  This  is  a  strong 
testimonial  of  the  quality  of  its  work.  Des  Moines  Col- 
lege is  an  institution  in  which  the  citizens  of  Des  Moines 
take  just  pride. 

DRAKE   UNIVERSITY. 

This  great  educational  institution  was  founded  in  1881 
and  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  F.  M.  Drake,  of  Oenterville, 
Iowa,  who  liberally  endowed  it  at  the  beginning,  and  has 
remained  its  steadfast  friend  and  supporter..  It  was  a 
high-purposed  effort  to  put  into  the  concrete  the  plans  of 
D.  R.  Lucas,  G.  T.  Carpenter  and  others,  to  whom  Des 
Moines,  even  at  that  time,  seemed  the  inevitable  metrop- 
olis of  the  lower  Northwest.  The  character  of  the  uni- 
versitj-  is  English  rather  than  German,  since  it  compre- 
hends a  circle  of  ten  colleges — letters  and  science,  Bible, 
normal,  law,  medical,  business,  musical,  oratorical,  art 
and  pharmacy.  Each  college  is  superintended  by  a  dean, 
chosen  because  of  special  proficiency  and  renown  in  his 
line  of  instruction.  Each  college  has  its  own  special 
courses  and  grants  a  special  cer-tificate  or  diploma.  Cer- 
tificates only  are  granted  unless  the  professional  work  is 
based  upon  satisfactory  general  collegiate  attainments. 
The  granting  of  a  diploma  constitutes  the  holder  an 
alumnus  of  the  association. 

The  site  of  the  university  is  in  the  northwestern  portion 
of  the  city,  a  beautiful  and  pleasant  location,  and  easily 
reached  by  street  cars,  good  sidewalks  and  paved  streets. 
The  main  buildings  stand  in  the  midst  of  a  park  of  forest 
trees  on  the  elevation  between  the  Iavo  rivers.  The  main 
building  is  a  large  brick  structure,  90x120  feet,  and  is 


862  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

three  stories  high.  In  this  building  are  the  lectui"e  rooms 
of  history',  modern  languages,  Greek  and  Hebrew,  applied 
mathematics,  Latin  language  and  literature,  pure  math- 
ematics, mental  and  moral  science,  English  language  and 
literature  and  science  of  accounts,  besides  the  art  wook- 
room,  art  hall,  counting  room,  literary  and  society  halls, 
library,  draughting  room,  Delphic  office,  president's  office, 
piano  rooms  and  assembly  room.  The  chapel  is  a  brick 
building  of  Gothic  architecture,  with  a  seating  capacity 
of  sixteen  hundred.  The  science  hall  is  a  new  brick  build- 
ing, 60x80  feet,  and  is  three  stories  in  height,  besides  the 
basement  It  comprises  the  chemical  laboratory  and  lec- 
ture room,  the  laboratories  and  lecture  room  of  biology 
and  geology,,  the  normal  and  theological  suites,  museum, 
obseryatory,  gymnasium,  lockers  and  cloak  rooms.  The 
medical  and  law  building,  three  stories  in  height,  is  sit- 
uated on  Mulberi'y  street  between  Fifth  street  and  Sixth 
avenue,  and  is  well  suited  to  its  purposes  in  location  and 
equipment. 

The  faculty,  headed  by  Barton  O.  Aylesworth,  A.  M.,  L. 
L.  D.,  president  of  the  university,  is  a  strong  one,  being 
composed  of  professors  eminent  and  enthusiastic  in  their 
respective  lines  of  work.  The  university  has  been  a  suc- 
cess from  its  commencement,  going  even  beyond  the  most 
sanguine  expectations  of  its  original  founders.  Last  year 
there  were  over  nine  hundred  students  in  attendance,  and 
at  this  time  more  than  this  number  are  in  regular  attend- 
ance in  the  different  branches  of  the  university. 

HIGHLAND  PARK  NORMAL  COLLEGE. 

Highland  Park  Normal  College  within  the  short  period 
of  six  years  has  become  more  widely  and  more  favorably 
known   than    any   other   similar    school    in    the   United 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  863 

States.  Its  phenomenal  early  growth,  followed  by  a  few 
years  of  unfortunate  business  difliculties,  its  complete  and 
permanent  re-establishment,  present  prosperity  and  hope- 
ful outlook,  form  an  interesting  history. 

The  school  was  built  in  1889  by  a  stock  company  of  Des 
Moines  gentlemen  whose  ambition  was  explained  in  their 
fomial  dedicatory  declaration — "to  fill  a  pressing  need  for 
an  institution  on  a  br^oad  and  liberal  basis,  not  inconsist- 
ent with,  but  in  furtherance  of  the  purest  ethics  and  in  the 
line  of  a  faithful  fulfillment  of  the  fundamental  principles 
and  duties  of  Christianity." 

The  college  was  opened  September  1,  1890,  with  a  very 
large  attendance.  The  attendance  grew  rapidly  and  821 
different  students  were  enrolled  the  first  year.  Students 
were  present  during  the  year  from  every  county  in  the  state 
of  Iowa  and  from  thirteen  states  and  teiiitories..  The 
Iowa  State  Register  of  January!  23  of  this  school  year 
gives  the  following  comprehensive  account  of  the  school 
audits  work: 

"Highland  Park  Normal  College  is  undoubtedly  without 
a  parallel  in  the  hstory  of  schools.  It  is  unique  in  its  plans, 
its  methods  and  its  management,  and  the  fact  that  it  lias 
been  so  liberally  patronized  from  the  very  day  of  its  open- 
ing is  sufficient  evidence  that  it  meets  the  demands  of  the 
people.  It  is  not  to  be  classed  with  the  average  normal 
school,  nor  yet  with  the  old  time  colleges.  It  is  really  an 
innovaton  among  schools.  It  holds  a  place  of  its  OAvn. 
Its  courses  of  study  cover  the  whole  range  of  college  and 
normal  school  work.  It  is  really  a  normal  university.  In 
fact,  after  thoroughly  investigating  the  courses  of  study 
and  the  work  in  the  class-room,  one  is  thorouglilv  im- 
pressed with  the  idea  that  it  is  a  school  wliere  each  sub- 
ject is  given  its  due  imDortance,  and  where  no  tinn^  is 
wasted  on  technicalities." 

The  success  of  the  school  during  the  second  and  third 
years  was  ef|ually  marked.     One  thousand  two  Inmdi'eil 


SGi  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

sixty-two  differeut  students  were  enrolled  in  the  various 
departments  in  tlie  second  year,  and  one  thousand  three 
hundred  fourteen  students  were  enrolled  the  third  year. 
The  capacity  of  the  school  was  taxed  to  its  utmost.  Stu- 
dents were  present  from  all  parts  of  Iowa  and  from  one- 
half  the  states  and  territories  in  the  United  vStates.  Dur- 
!]!<;■  the  period  from  1894-1896  the  school  was  involved  in 
difficulties  of  a  legal  nature  and  the  attendance  decreased 
considerably.  Nevertheless  the  educational  standard 
was  not  lowered  nor  were  the  facilities  of  the  school 
im])aired  in  the  least,  and  it  maintained  its  reputation  as 
a  normal  college  second  to  none  in  the  country. 

On  July  12,  1896,  the  college  became  the  property  of 
Messrs.  J.  B.  Dille  and  C.  C.  Rearick,  gentlemen  of  long 
and  successful  experience  in  normal  school  management. 
Since  they  assumed  control,  the  school  has  been  relieved  of 
all  embarrassments;  is  rapidly  approacliing  its  former 
success,  and  is  now  operated  on  a  basis  that  insures  a  great 
and  prosperous  future. 


DANISH   COLLEGE. 

Last  year  it  was  finally  decided  to  establish  a  Danish 
Lutheran  College  in  Des  Moines.  A  fine  location  was 
j)urchased  upon  the  East  Side,  and  the  work  of  erecting 
the  main  building  has  been  commenced.  This  work  will 
be  pushed  forward  rapidly,  and  in  a  short  time  it  is  ex- 
pected this  college  will  be  opened  for  the  reception  of  stu- 
dents, adding  materially  to  the  advantages  of  Des  Moines 
in  the  line  of  higher  education. 

Des  Moines  also  lias  its  full  share  of  business  or  com- 
mercial colleges,  whicli  are  doing  a  great  work. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  865 

IOWA  BUSINESS  COLLEGE. 

The  oldest  and  one  of  the  most  successful,  founded  in 
1865,  and  for  many  years  under  the  direction  of  its  able 
and  energetic  president,  A.  C.  Jennings.  It  is  now  located 
in  the  new  building  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Locust 
streets  and  has  the  most  commodious  and  convenieut 
arrangement  for  a  business  college  in  the  West.  This  col- 
lege has  a  high  and  extended  reputation  and  is  complete 
in  all  its  many  departments. 

CAPITAL  CITY  COMMERCIAL  COLLEGE. 

This  is  also  a  flourishing  institution,  under  the  direction 
of  President  J.  M.  Mehan.  It  is  located  in  large  and  con- 
venient rooms  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building,  corner  of 
Fourth  and  Grand  avenue,  and  has  won  high  rank  among 
business  colleges. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

COTTAGE    HOSPITAL. 

IN  JANUARY,  1876,  J.  Sanders  Reed,  then  rector  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  called  the  ladies  of  his  church 
together,  and  at  the  meeting  it  was  decided  to  open  a 
small  hospital  iu  the  city  of  Des  Moines.  The  first  board 
of  managers  were:  Mesdames  A.  B.  Davis,  Gardinier, 
Gen.  Crocker,  Geo.  Crandall,  A.  B.  Tracy,  Anna  W.  Savery 
and  Miss  Sallie  Griffiths.  The  first  physicians  were:  Drs. 
G.  P.  Ilauawalt,  Charles  11.  Rawson,  W.  H.  Ward,  A.  G. 
Field,  Cox,  Windle  and  Priestly.  After  a  number  of  meet- 
ings and  some  opposition  a  small  building  was  secured, 
and  the  hospital  opened.  The  County  Board  of  Supervis- 
013  were  also  induced  to  give  some  public  aid,  but  the  sup- 
port \v-as  nearly  all  obtained  bj^  solicitation  from  private 
sources. 

The  deplorable  accident  ou  the  Rock  Island  Railroad  at 
Four  Mile  creek  in  August,  1877,  by  wliich  seventeen  per- 
sons Avere  Ivilled  and  some  thirty-seven  wounded,  filled  the 
hospital  with  patients,  and  gave  it  at  once  a  high  standing. 
A  number  of  the  wounded  circus  men  were  there  cared  for, 
P.  T.  Barnum,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  circus,  gave  a 
lecture  in  Des  Moines  which  netted  the  Hospital  -1231,  and 
greatly  helped  its  depleted  treasury.  In  1878,  for  .fl,000 
a  lot  was  offered  upon  which  was  a  small  house  containing 
five  rooms.  There  was  only  |17  in  the  treasury,  but  Mrs. 
A.  B.  Tracy  voluntarily  assumed  the  notes  and  the  pur- 
chase was  made.  In  a  year  the  money  was  raised  in  small 
subscriptions  and  a  deed  .secured.  The  same  year  the 
Polk  County  Medical  Society  pledged  gratuitous  medical 
and  surgical  attendance.     Through  much  labor  and  trib- 


AJsD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  867 

ulation,  Cottage  Hospital  had  now  become  an  important 
institution,  filling-  a  much  needed  want,  and  the  county 
and  city  authorities  at  last  came  to  its  help,  making  it  one 
of  the  institutions  of  the  city  and  county. 

Later  on  several  lots  on  Second  street,  on  the  Des  Moines 
river  bluff,  were  purchased,  and  plans  for  a  |10,000  build- 
ing secured.  From  this  time  on  Cottage  Hospital  has 
done  its  good  work,  though  not  without  at  times  being 
hampered  from  lack  of  funds.  Too  much  credit  cannot  be 
given  the  ladies  who  were  the  pioneers  in  this  good  work 
and  to  their  successors  whO'  have  carried  it  on.  And  chief 
among  these  in  persistent  labors  and  zeal,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Tracy 
should  always  be  remembered.  She  was  for  years  secre- 
tary of  the  board,  and  devoted  her  days  and  nights  to  this 
service.  The  citizens  generally  were  also  liberal.  The 
late  Wesley  Bedhead  the  first  year  furnished  gratuitously 
all  the  coal  needed,  the  butchers  of  the  city  all  the  meat, 
and  the  printers  donated  to  it  |100,  the  proceeds  of  a  ball 
given  by  them. 

TRACY    HOME. 

This  was  founded  and  built  by  Mrs.  A.  B.  Tracy,  who  for 
nine  years  had  been  secretary  and  one  of  the  pioneer  man- 
agers of  Cottage  Hospital.  The  Home  was  most  appro- 
priately dedicated  by  recording  the  name  of  her  invalid 
mother,  Mrs.  Davis,  as  the  first  one  upon  the  now  long  list 
of  patients.  The  Home  is  conducted  on  most  liberal  plans, 
open  to  all  schools  of  medicine,  and  has  no  staff  of  physi- 
cians or  board  of  managers.  It  is  situated  on  an  eminence 
in  a  quiet  part  of  the  city,  overlooking  the  Des  Moines 
river  and  in  full  view  of  the  capitol.  While  considered  a 
private  hospital,  it  has  had  many  charity  patients,  and  to 


868  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

the  worthy  poor  every  consideration  is  given  in  regard  to 
terms,  etc.  During  its  first  decade  it  has  cared  for  937  per- 
sons and  provided  nurses  for  97  outside  cases, — making  a 
total  of  1,034, — among  whom  49  children  are  registered. 
It  has  afforded  employment  to  123  persons.  In  1893  a 
small  training  school  for  nurses  was  established,  from 
which  three  have  gTaduated  and  are  now  doing  satisfac- 
tory worlv.  A  child's  memorial  room  stands  in  readiness 
for  any  suffering  child  of  indigent  parents  I'equiring  med- 
ical attendance.  Tracy  Home  is  a  blessing  and  an  honor 
to  Des  Moines. 

MERCY  HOSPITAL. 

Mercy  Hospital,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Ascension  streets, 
is  a  comparative]}^  new  institution,  though  years  ago 
Father  Brazill  purchased  the  lots  upon  which  it  stands 
for  this  purpose.  The  Sisters  of  Mercy  came  to  Des 
Moines  first  some  six  or  eight  years  ago,  and  for  a  time 
rented  a  building  for  use  as  a  hospital.  The  present  build- 
ing was  erected  in  1894,  and  is  50x100  feet,  four  stories, 
and  arranged  throughout  solely  for  hospital  purposes.  It 
cost  about  .|25,000.  The  original  plan  contemplates  the 
erection  in  the  near  future  of  two  other  wings,  M^hich, 
when  completed,  will  make  this  one  of,  if  not  the  most  com- 
plete hospital  buildings  in  the  state.  It  has  already 
proven  indeed  a  mercy  to  many  of  the  sick  and  suffering, 
and  the  years  to  come  will  only  increase  its  usefulness  in 
the  relief  of  suffering  humanity. 


CHAPTER  LII. 

SECRET    SOCIETIES. 
MASONIC. 

DES  MOINES  and  Polk  Count}-  have  their  share  of 
secret  or  fraternal  societies,  and  all  the  various  fra- 
ternities have  one  or  more  lodges  in  this  city. 
Altogether  they  count  up  several  score — too  many  to  make 
special  mention  of  each  in  this  work.  At  a  verj'  early  day 
in  the  history  of  the  city  and  county  a  Masonic  lodge  was 
organized  in  Des  Moines.  As  its  name  indicates,  it  was 
the  Pioneer  Lodge  of  the  Masonic  order  in  this  county.  It 
has  grown  with  the  growth  of  the  city  and  now  there  are 
other  lodges  of  the  order  in  both  city  and  county.  There 
are  Councils,  Consistories,  Commanderys,  Chapters  and 
Lodges  of  Masons,  all  united  by  the  strong  bonds  of  this 
ancient  order.  There  are  now,  beside  the  others  abov.' 
mentioned,  four  lodges  in  the  citj,  and  more  than  this  num- 
ber in  the  county.  Some  years  ago  a  large  Masonic  Tem- 
ple was  erected  on  the  corner  of  Walnut  and  Seventh 
streets,  and  this  is  regarded  as  the  headquarters  of 
Masduiy  in  the  county.  Many  of  the  best  citizens  of  the 
county  are  members  of  this  order. 

ODD   FELLOWS. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  soon  followed 
the  Masons,  and  established  a  lodge  at  an  early  day.  The 
Order  here  has  grown  and  prospered,  until  there  are  now 
in  the  city  alone  some  eighteen  encampments,  lodges,  etc., 
of  Odd  Fellows  and  Daughters  of  Kebecca.  Kecently  the 
Odd  Fellows  of  the  city  erected  on  Locust  street,  between 


870  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Sixth  and  Seventh,  a  large  brick  building,  which  belongs 
to  and  is  the  headquarters  of  the  order  in  this  city.  There 
are  a  number  of  lodges  in  the  county  and  some  of  these 
rival  their  brethren  of  the  cit}'  in  strength  and  zeal  for  this 
popular  benevolent  and  fraternal  order. 

■■  J 

GOOD  TEMPLARS. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars  came  to  Des 
Moines  early  in  the  '50's,  and  have  pursued  their  temper- 
ance and  other  work  in  this  county  for  nearly  tifty  years. 
There  are  now  two  lodges  in  the  city,  and  it  is  stated  sev- 
eral others  in  the  county. 

HIBERNIANS. 

The  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  have  three  divisions 
and  a  company  of  HibernianEluights  in  the  city  at  present, 
and  they  have  the  warm  support  of  the  generous  hearted 
sons  and  descendants  of  the  s<ms  of  the  Emerald  Isle. 

RED  MEN. 

The  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  have  five  lodges  in  tlie 
city,  and  in  the  past  few  years  have  grown  rapidly  in  num- 
bers and  strength. 

KNIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAS. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias  are  also  numerous  and  strong 
in  the  county  and  city,  having  in  the  latter  alone  four 
lodges  and  one  of  the  Rathbone  Sisters.  The  uniformed 
rank  of  this  order  is  also  largely  represented. 

WOODMEN. 

The  Woodmen  of  the  World  have  six  councils  and  camps 
in  the  city,  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  have 
four  camps. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  MOINES.  871 

ELKS. 

The  Elks  are  also  in  a  prosperous  condition  in  the  city, 
having  lodges  where  they  can  enjoy  themselves  and  help 
others  to  enjoy  life. 

OTHER   SOCIETIES. 

Among  the  other  orders  and  societies  in  the  city  are: 
Knights  of  Maccabees,  Select  Knightsi  of  America,  United 
Ancient  Order  of  Druids,  Legion  of  Honor,  American  Sons 
of  Columbus,  American  Daughters  of  Isabella,  United 
Workmen,  Jewish  BeneA-olent,  Northwestern  Legion  of 
Honor,  Military'  Order  of  Loyal  Legion,  Roji^al  Arcanum. 

TRADE  ORGANIZATIONS. 

Trade  organizations  were  commenced  here  at  an  early 
dajr,  and  for  years  these  unions  have  been  strong  and  often 
very  helpful  to  their  members.  There  have  never  been 
any  general  or  long  continued  strikes  in  Des  Moines,  and 
much  of  the  credit  for  this  is  claimed  as  due  to  the  conser- 
vative action  of  the  various  unions  of  the  city.  There  are 
now  some  twenty  or  more  unions,  assemblys  and  feder- 
ations of  workmen  in  Des  Moines  and  some  of  these  are 
powerful  and  always  well  sustained.  Among  them  they 
wield  a  large  influence. 


CHAPTER  LIII. 

NEWSPAPERS-ADDITIONAL  TO  CHAPTER  TWENTY-SEVEN. 

THEOUGH    an    error   in    compilation   the   following 
sketches  of  ne^'spapers  were  omitted  from  the  news- 
paper  chapter,  and  are  placed  in  this    additional 
chapter  that  they  may  receive  merited  recognition. 

Des  Moines  from  an  early  day  has  been  considered  a 
good  newspaper  tOAvn.  And  while  a  number  of  successes 
have  been  scored  here  in  the  newspaper  line,  yet  it  must  be 
confessed  that  as  the  j-ears  went  by  the  way  has  been 
strewn  with  numerous  newsi^aper  wrecks.  Many  newspa- 
pers have  been  started  here  with  high  hopes  on  the  part 
of  the  projectors  only  to  go  down  in  disappointment  and 
too  often  resulting  in  heai^^  pecuniary'  loss.  Notwith- 
standing these  failures  and  losses  there  have  been  a  num- 
ber of  notable  successes,  and  the  newspapers  of  Des 
Moines  of  to-day  will  compare  favorably  with  those  of  any 
other  city,  east  or  west.  At  the  present  time  there  are 
published  in  the  city  more  tlian  forty  different  daily, 
Aveekly  or  monthly  newspapers,  magazines,  etc.  And  this 
large  number  must  receive  more  or  less  support,  or  they 
would  not  be  printed.  There  are  also  in  the  citj  a  large 
number  of  book  and  job  printing  and  binding  houses  and 
some  of  these  are  large  and  fully  equipped  with  type, 
machinery  and  otiier  appliances  and  can  and  do  success- 
fully compete  with  the  largest  establishments  in  this 
countrj'. 


In  1880  the  Weekly  Iowa  Capital  was  the  property  of 
L.  E.  Lewelling  and  A.  C.  Newton.  Soon  afterward  B.  F. 
Arnold,  late  of  the  Kellogg  Post,  and  H.  B.  Williams,  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  873 

New  Sharon,  bought  Newton's  two-third  interest,  taking 
possession  January  1,  1881.  In  the  spring  of  1882,  Lew- 
elling  sold  his  interest  to  Rev.  Asa  Sleeth.  Some  montlis 
later  Sleetli  sold  to  a  j'ouug  man  by  the  name  of  Kauff- 
man,  and  soon  thereafter  Kauffman  sold  his  interest  to  W. 
H.  Fleming.  Then  the  firm  was  Ai-nold,  Williams  &  Flem- 
ing, although  the  business  was  carried  on  in  the  name  of 
the  Capital  Printing  Co.  On  Saturday,  September  1, 1883, 
the  first  number  of  the  Daily  Iowa  Capital  was  issued  by 
the  gentlemen  last  named.  The  State  Fair  was  in  pro- 
gress and  the  publishers  thought  that  would  be  a  good 
time  to  start  their  new  , daily.  It  was  a  seven-column 
four-page  sheet.  Major  W.  H.  Fleming  was  editor-in- 
chief.  Mr.  Arnold  had  charge  of  the  mechanical  depart- 
ment and  Mr.  Williams  was  the  business  manager.  In 
February,  1884,  the  paper  was  sold  to  J.  H.  Duffus,  Mr.  J. 
R.  Sage  becoming  the  editor.  Duffus  sold  to  W.  C.  Keegle. 
The  property  passed  from  the  hands  of  Keegle  to  the  pos- 
session of  D.  H.  Kooker,  who  published  it  four  years,  and  in 
March,  1890,  the  paper  was  bought  by  the  present  editor 
and  i^roprietor,  Lafayette  Young,  who  for  twenty  years 
had  published  the  Atlantic,  Iowa,  Telegraph.  The  paper 
has  had  its  ups  and  downs,  but  to-day  it  is  on  a  solid 
foundation,  owning  the  Associated  Press  franchise  and  a 
printing,  stereotyping  and  linotj'pe  outfit  equal  to  any  west 
of  Chicago. 


'»'- 


The  Mail  and  Times,  a  flourishing  weekly,  literary, 
society  and  local,  established  in  1879  by  H.  R.  Persinger. 
In  1880  it  was  transferred  to  J.  E.  Clarey,  and  a  few  months 
thereafter  E.  B.  Whitcomb  purchased  a  one-half  interest 
and  assumed  the  business  control.  In  1883  Mr.  Persinger 
established  the  Times  as  an  opposition  newspaper  in  this 
field.     The  two  papers  were  consolidated  in  April,  1888, 


874  AN'NALf^  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

under  the  present  name,  with  a  very  hirge  city  circulation. 
The  Mail  and  Times  Publishing  Co.  Avas  incorporated,  with 
E.  B.  Whitcomb  i)resident  and  manager.  This  gentle- 
man, the  present  and  sole  owner,  has  been  connected  with 
the  office  almost  from  the  start  as  a  proprietor  and  man- 
ager, has  remained  Avith  it  through  all  the  ups  and  downs 
of  newspaper  life,  and  to  his  pride  in  his  paper,  his  tact  and 
abilitjr,  is  due  the  success  and  business  prosperity  which 
makes  the  Mail  and  Times  the  newspaper  triumpli  it  now 
is.  On  the  editorial  staff  are  such  noted  writers  as  Tac 
Hussej'  and  others. 


In  1895  Ben.  W.  Blanchard  established  in  Des  Moines 
the  Western  Economist,  a  monthlj-  journal  devoted  to  the 
insurance,  building  and  loan,  and  savings  and  loan  inter- 
ests of  the  middle  west.  Mr.  Blanchard  is  a  well-known 
newspaper  man  in  Iowa,  able,  energetic  and  bright,  and  he 
has  made  The  Economist  a  success  from  the  start.  It  has 
been  made  the  ofticial  organ  of  the  Iowa  Federation  of 
National  Building  and  Loan  Associations  and  of  the 
Mutual  Life  and  Accident  Association  of  the  ^tate  of 
Iowa.  The  Economist  takes  a  high  rank  among  publica- 
tions of  this  nature,  as  it  is  abl}^  edited  and  handsomely 
printed. 


The  Spirit  of  the  West  was  established  August  1,  1890, 
by  Phil  S.  Kell,  and  has  remained  under  Ids  management 
continuously.  In  1894  Mr.  Kell  associated  with  him 
Messrs.  J.  B.  Gray  and  W.  E.  Moore.  Spirit  of  the  West 
is  devoted  to  the  science  of  breeding  improved  live  stock — 
the  American  Standard  bred  trotting  horse,  as  a  type 
and  breed,  has  received  special  attention.  The  gentlemen 
in  control  of  Spirit  of  the  West  are  all  practical  breeders 
as  well  as  experienced  newspaper  men.  Mr.  Kell,  the 
founder  of  the  ]iaper,  has  been  identified  with  newspaper 


AliD  TEE  CITY  OF  DIJS  -l/073/;»S'.  875 

work  in  this  city  over  twentj^  j^ears,  and  has  made  Spirit 
of  the  West  a  successful  publication  from  tlie  bef;inning-, 
and  it  is  now  reco^ized  as  the  leading-  authority  in  this 
line  in  the  west  and  has  acquired  a  national  reputation. 
The  influence  of  the  paper  in  Iowa  and  the  west  has  d  me 
a  great  deal  to  advance  the  standard  of  breeding  horses 
and  live  stock,  and  to  promote  the  growth  of  this  great 
and  growing  agricultural  industry  in  this  section. 


The  first  issue  of  the  Saturday  Review  appeared   in 
April,  1890,  with  Mr.  John  M.  Pope  as  editor.     Upon  Sep- 
tember 30,  1893,  Mr.  John  E.  Clarey,  for  four  and  one-half 
years  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Indianola,  Iowa,  Trib- 
une, and  eight  and  one-half  years  editor  and  one  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  I)es  Moines  Saturday  Evening  Mail,  but 
who,  for  about  four  and  one-half  j^ears  had  been  engaged 
in  other  business,  became  financially  interested  in  the 
paper  and  succeeded  Mr.  Pope  as  its  editor,  the  latter,  how- 
ever, remaining  for  a  time  as  associate  editor.     In  October, 
1895,  a  financial  interest  owned  by  Mrs.  Ida  A.  Perry  was 
purchased  by  Mr.  Clarey  and  other  parties.     In  May,  1890, 
Emerson  DePuy  purchased  an  interest  and  became  treas- 
urer of  the  Saturday  Review  Publishing  Company  and 
business  manager  of  the  paper,  Mr.  Clarey  being  elected 
president  and  Mr.  J.  II.  Phillips  secretary.     The  Review 
became  powerful  among  tlie  ncAvspapers  of  the  city  and 
made  its  mark  especially  upon  matters  pertaining  to  the 
city  such  as  Avater,  gas,  electric  lighting,  etc.,  and  often 
ranged  into  state  affairs.    Mr.  Clarey,  the  editor  and  main 
writer,  has  a  peculiar  genius  for  getting  at  things  in  a 
manner  interesting  to  others,  if  not  pleasing  to  those  who 
might  happen  to  be  the  object  aimed  at.     The  Review, 
however,  could  not  be  made  a  financial  success,  and  at 
the  close  of  1897  it  ceased  to  be  among  the  living  news- 


876  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

papers  of  Des  Moines.  Mr.  Clarey  announced  that  it 
would  be  succeeded  by  a  new  publication,  "Illustrated 
Iowa,"  which  he  hopes  to  make  a  more  than  state-wide 
success. 


The  Eecord  for  a  time  was  one  of  the  brightest  of  Sat- 
urday papers.  It  was  established  by  a  printer,  Fred  W. 
Perry,  in  April,  1895,  who  devoted  his  best  efforts  to  its 
success.  Its  design  was  to  occupj^  a  field  of  its  own, 
embracing-  not  only  general  matters,  but  also  making 
specialt'fs — departments  for  women  and  their  clubs, 
society,  drama,  cycling,  base  ball,  and  all  other  athletic 
sports.  It  was  a  bright  paper,  and  Frank  H.  Perry,  who 
was  one  of  tlie  founders  of  the  Saturday  Review,  and  its 
business  manager  for  Ave  j'ears,  became  the  managing 
editor.  Clarence  S.  Wilson,  a  veteran  newspaper  man, 
was  for  a  time  associate  editor.  John  M.  Pope  gave  it 
some  of  his  best  work.  It  had  at  times  a  large  circula- 
tion, but  the  "hard  times"  and  too  many  Saturday  and 
other  newspapers  forced  it,  in  1897,  to  go  out  of  existence. 
That  Record  was  closed,  and  it  is  buried  in  the  Des  Moines 
graveyard  of  newspapers. 


The  Globe,  a  weekly  newspaper,  Avas  established  in  1891 
by  W.  F.  Snyder  and  W.  J.  Pilkingtou.  It  was  started  as 
a  local  county  newspiaper,  and  circulates  iu  every  town- 
ship. In  1896  J.  R.  Jones  &  Co.  became  the  proprietors, 
and  the  Globe  was  much  enlarged  and  improved,  and  is 
now  doing  an  excellent  business.  The  Globe  Publishing 
Companj'  are  now  the  publishers.   "  ' 

Wallaces'  Farmer  and  Dairyman  Avas  started  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1895,  succeeding  a  ])aper  called  the  Farm  anil  Dairy> 
It  i.s  owned  by  Henry  Wallace  and  his  two  sons,  Henry  C. 
and  John  P.  Wallace,  who  constitute  the  Wallace  Publish- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  877 

Ing  Comipany.  The  senior  member  of  the  firm  was  for  ten 
or  twelve  years  the  editor  of  the  Homestead,  an  agricul- 
tural paper  published  in  Des  Moines.  Wallaces'  Farmer 
is  a  general  agricultural  paper  and  has  an  extensive  circu- 
lation among  the  farmers  of  Iowa  and  adjoining  states.  It 
was  made  the  official  agricultural  paper  of  the  state  Jan- 
uary 1, 1896,  and  every  county  auditor  is  required  by  law 
to  subscribe  for  it  and  keep  it  on  file  in  his  oifice.  Wal- 
laces' Farmer  has  already  proved  a  power  in  securing 
legislation  needed  by  farmers  and  jobbers  in  Iowa,  to 
cultural  college.  It  is  very  generally  patronized  by  the 
part  of  the  greatest  agricultural  state  in  the  Union. 


The  Creamery  Gazette  is  a  semi-monthly  devoted  to  the 
dairy  interests  of  the  northwest.  It  is  published  by  the 
Wallace  Publishing  Company,  which  also  owns  Wallaces' 
Farmer,  and  is  edited  by  Henry  G.  Wallace,  who  was  for 
several  years  Professor  of  Dairying  in  the  loAva  State  Agri- 
cultural College.  It  is  very  genrally  patronized  by  the 
creamerymen  of  the  country  and  numbers  subscribers  in 
every  state  in  the  Union. 


In  a  previous  chapter  the  history  of  the  Farmer's  Trib- 
une is  given,  and  is  now  briefly  continued:  Mr.  Crane 
retired  from  it  in  1896,  and  was  succeeded  by  Ed.  T.  Mere- 
dith, whose  uncle,  Thomas  Meredith,  had  transferred  his 
interests  to  him.  He  pushed  the  Tribune  and  was  fairly 
successful,  and  also  established  the  Des  Moines  Gazette, 
for  local  circulation.  In  December  last  Frank  Q.  Stuart, 
a  noted  editorial  writer,  formerly  of  the  Leader,  and  later 
of  the  Chariton  Democrat,  took  editorial  charge  of  the 
Tribune,  and  is  adding  much  to  its  streng'th  and  influence. 


Towards  the  close  of  1897  the  suits  and  other  diffi- 
culties growing  out  of  the  enforced  retirement  of  Henry 
Wallace  from  the  editorial  charge  of  the  Homestead,  were 
finally  settled.     There  were  a  number  of  suits  in  courts 


878  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

aud  iiianv  coluinii.s  of  statements  aud  conuter-stateiiieuts, 
and  charges  for  and  against  the  parties  interested,  pub- 
lished in  the  newspapers.  In  the  final  settlement  Messrs. 
Pierce  and  Stewart  purchased  all  the  interests  held  by 
Wallace  in  the  Homestead  and  auxiliary  newspapers,  and 
peace  if  not  good  will  now  prevails  between  the  former 
contending  parties. 


The  Iowa  State  Bystander  was  established  June  8, 
1891,  and  claims  to  be  the  only  Republican  newspaper  in 
Iowa  publislied  and  owned  by  colored  men.  It  circulates 
in  nearly  every  county  of  Iowa  and  goes  into  many  of  the 
other  states.  It  is  independent  in  religion  and  seeks  the 
elevation  of  tlie  colored  race.  It  is  owned  and  managed 
exclusively  by  colored  men.  The  officers  of  the  Bystander 
Publishing  Company  are:  William  Coalson,  President; 
James  E.  Todd,  Vice  President;  B.  J.  Holmes,  Treasurer; 
J.  L.  Thompson,  Secretary  and  Editor;  J.  H.  Shepard, 
Business  Manager. 

In  March,  1897,  P.  B.  Durley,  one  of  the  three 
proprietors  of  the  Daily  News,  and  its  business  man- 
ager, died  after  a  brief  illness.  lie  wa,s  an  ex'- 
cellent  man  and  his  death  was  deeply  deplored.  His 
widO'W,  Ella  H.  Durley,  one  of  the  most  able  newspaper 
women  of  the  state,  retains  control  of  the  third  interest 
aud  is  associate  editor.  In  September,  1897,  Edwin  A. 
Nye  purchased  the  one-third  interest  owned  by  George  W. 
McCracken,  one  of  the  original  founders  of  the  News,  and 
soon  after  assumed  editorial  control.  Mr.  Nye  is  a  news- 
paper man  of  much  experience  and  ability,  coming  here 
from  Danville,  Illinois,  where,  as  editor  and  oM  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  Daily  Commercial,  he  gained  much 
reputation.  John  J.  Hamilton,  who  has  for  years  been  the 
editor  and  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  News,  is  now  the 
business  manager.  The  News  now  claims  the  largest 
daily  circulation  of  any  newspaper  in  Iowa. 


CHAPIER  LIV. 

POLK  COUNTY  TOWNS. 

AVON. 

The  town  of  Avon  in  Allen  Township  was  platted  in 
Aui;iist,  1855,  ijn  land  belonging  to  Charles  Keeuey,  out' 
of  the  early  settlers  who  had  prerionslj  built  a  mill  there, 
and  had  also  erected  one  of  the  first  brick  farm  houses  in 
the  county.  The  town  was  on  a  beautiful  site,  and  it  be- 
came a  thriving  village  with  considerable  trade,  and  was 
a  religious  and  educationel  center  for  a  considerable  scope 
of  country.  There  was  built  the  first  good  school  house 
in  Allen  township.  A  United  Brethren  Church  was  or- 
ganized there  as  early  as  1S56,  and  early  in  the  '60"s  a  fine 
church  was  erected.  Other  churches  were  also  organiz- 
ed at  an  early  date,  and  have  since  flourished.  When  the 
railroad  came  Avon  Station  was  located  about  one  mile 
from  the  original  town,  and  this  naturally  did  some  injury 
to  tlie  latter.  But  Avon  continued  to  be  a  beautiful  coun- 
try village,  the  center  of  a  magnificent  farming  country. 
The  first  election  in  the  township  of  Allen  was  held  April 
5,  1853,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Trustees, 
J.  P.  Deaton,  John  Watts,  James  S.  Mills;  Clerk,  Henry  O. 
McBroom;  Assessor,  Charles  B.  Flemming;  and  the  first 
meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  John  D.  McGlothlin. 
The  latter  was  one  of  the  early  settlers,  prominent  in 
township  and  county  affaii-s,  and  in  every  way  a  most  ex- 
cellent and  enterprising  farmer  and  citizen.  He  died 
some  years  ago.  In  this  township  was  also  located  the 
Indian  village  of  Keokuk,  chief  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and 
there  he  made  his  home  for  several  years.  Nothing  is  left 
now  but  a  few  traces  of  this  once  large  Indian  village,  but 
the  beautiful  land  thereabouts  yet  retains  the  name  of 
"Keokuk  Prairie." 

ALTOONA. 

Altoona,  now  in  Clay  Township,  originated  from  the 
coming  to  a  close  parallel  at  that  point  of  the  Chicago, 


880  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Rock  Island  and  Pacific  and  the  old  Keokuk  and  Des 
Moines  railroads,  nine  miles  east  of  Des  Moines.  The 
town  was  platted  July  30, 1869,  by  W.  H.,  E.  M.  and  D.  B. 
Davis,  on  land  owned  by  them,  in  Northwest  quarter  of 
Southwest  quarter  of  Section  18,  Township  76,  Range  22. 
In  the  folloAving  year  Ensign's  addition  was  made,  and  ex- 
tended the  town  to  its  present  limits — one-half  by  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile.  The  town  increasing  in  population 
was  incorporated  in  April,  1876,  with  Dr.  F.  E.  English  as 
Mayor  and  W.  E.  Rowland  Recorder.  Altoona  has  from 
the  start  been  a  place  of  considerable  business,  and  situat- 
ed as  it  is  in  one  of  the  finest  belts  of  agricultural  lands  in 
the  state,and  with  its  railroad  facilities,  is  sure  of  its  future 
as  a  thriving  town  and  most  pleasant  place  of  suburban 
residence.  The  population  is  now  near  500.  It  has  an  ex- 
cellent graded  school  of  two  divisions,  with  Professor  Her 
som  as  principal  and  Wilda  Snyder  assistant.  There  are 
three  churches,  the  Methodist  Episcopal,,  Rev.  D.  M.  Hel- 
mick,  pastor;  Christian,  Rev.  H  F.  Lemon;  Disciples  of 
Christ,  Rev.  Zork.  There  is  a  lively  local  weekly  news- 
paper, the  Herald,  published  regularly  by  J.  H.  Kelley, 
who  has  made  a  success  of  it. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  the  town  can  be  mentioned, 
B.  E.  H.  Woodrow,  James  Porter,  J.  E.  Bishard,  James  L. 
^Vest,  H.  Dye,  C.  A.  Crawford,  M.  Wheeler,  J.  A.  Ogden,  T. 
E.  Haines,  William  London,  Daniel  Yant,  and  D.  Beatty. 
Many  of  the  older  settlers  have  passed  away  during  the 
past  few  years. 

A  partial  list  of  those  residing  in  and  now  doing  busi- 
ness in  Altoona  will  show  something  of  the  character  and 
enterprise  of  the  town: 

TOWN  OFFICERS.— Mayor,  E.  R.  Slai;  Recorder,  A. 
H.  Crawford;  Oouncilmen,  N.  Oldfield,  H.  Gifford,  B.  A. 
Pace,  I.  A.  Ogden,  W.  R.  Hughes,  D.  C.  Bishard. 

IN  BUSINESS.— T.  E.  Haines,  grain  buyer;  R.  A.  Craw- 
ford, banker,  and  dealer  in  general  merchandise;  Largey 
&  Stephens,  grocers;  N.  Wheeler,  dealer  in  general  mer- 
chandise; C.  C.  Herrold,  dealer  in  hardware;  M.  L. 
Yarnell,  dealer  in  confectionery;  M.  L.  Nelson,  lunch 
room  H.  Hemstreet  harness-maker;  L.  O.  Shaffer, 
druggist  and  jeweller;  John  Porter,  tinner;  E.  R.  Witter, 
coal  dealer;  H.  Gifford,  City  Meat  Market;  E.  Crawford, 
proprietor  of  Macklin  House;  W.   H.   Carter  and  C.  C. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  881 

Lang,  practicing  physicians,  M.  W.  Wilson,  barber;  Wm. 
London,  blacksmith;  L.  Buckly,  blacksmith;  F.  T.  Smith, 
feed  mill;  T.  E.  Sheppard,  liveryman;  Combs  &  Crawford, 
breeders  of  fast  horses;  N.  C.  Largey,  postmaster. 

SHELDAHL. 

At  an  early  day  a  number  of  natives  of  Sweden,  and 
some  from  Norway,  settled  with  their  families  in  the  Xor- 
thern  portion  of  Polk  and  Southern  portions  of  Boone  and 
Story  counties.  More  immigrants  came  in  later  years, 
and  with  their  increasing  families  compose  a  majority  in 
several  neighborhoods.  They  are  as  a  class  an  indus- 
trious and  thriving  people,  and  have  opened  farms  and 
highly  improved  them,  have  built  churches,  school  houses, 
and  villages,  and  many  of  these  settlers  have  accumulated 
much  wealth  in  land,  stock,  goods  and  money.  When  the 
narrow-guage  road  was  built  from  Des  Moines  to  Ames, 
in  Story  County,  Jeff.  S.  Polk,  of  Des  Moines,  who  was  one 
of  thebuildersoftheroadjin  1874  platted  the  town  of  Shel- 
dahl,  and  in  a  short  time  it  became  a  place  of  considerable 
importance.  It  is  peculiarly  located,  being  in  three  dif- 
ferent counties,  Boone,  Story,  and  Polk,  the  larger  portion 
of  the  original  town  being  in  the  latter  county. 

While  modified  to  some  extent  by  the  passing  years,  the 
dominant  character  of  Sheldahl  remains  Swedish.  The 
town  has  steadily  improved,  and  it  has  been  for  years  a 
noted  business  and  shipping  point.  There  are  a  number 
of  business  houses,  and  all  the  ordinary  trades  are  repre- 
sented. The  much  larger  portion  of  the  population  is  out- 
side of  this  county,  and  yet  the  last  State  census  gives 
nearly  100  of  the  inhabitants  to  Polk.  There  are  good 
schools  in  the  town  and  several  churches.  The  counti-y 
around  is  a  fertile  agricultural  country  and  it  is  being  cul- 
tivated with  industry  and  skill.  The  former  narrow- 
guage  railroad  having  been  made  standard  guage,  and  a 
part  of  the  extended  Northwestern  railroad  system,  gives 
the  town  and  surrounding  country  excellent  railroad  facil- 
ities. 

PEORIA  CITY. 

Peoria  City  is  located  in  the  Northeast  corner  of  the 
county,  in  Washington  Township,  and  touches  the  Story 


882  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

County  line.  It  was  laid  out  in  June,  1856,  by  John  K. 
Hobaugii,  and  Aaron  Pearson.  In  two  years  after  it  was 
established,  the  town  had  a  population  of  two  hundred. 
It  is  farther  from  Des  Moines  than  any  other  town  in  the 
county,  and  Washington  Township  is  a  rich  agricultural 
section,  having  the  Skunk  River  and  Indian  Creek,  plenti- 
ful water,  timbers  and  prairie.  Though  unfortunately  off 
the  immediate  line  of  railroads,  Peoria  City  has  survived 
and  will  continue  to  exist  J.  K.  Hobaugh,  family,  and 
relatives,  were  the  first  inhabitants  of  the  town.  The  first 
physician  was  Dr.  -John  W.  Rawls,  an  Indiana  man  who 
came  there  in  18.59  and  returned  to  his  old  home  in  1860. 
The  first  religious  services  were  held  in  1853  by  Dr.  Jessup 
at  the  house  of  Abel  Pearson.  Now  in  the  town  and  town- 
ship there  are  a  number  of  churches  and  church  buildings,, 
while  school  houses  dot  the  prairie  and  nestle  in  the  tim- 
ber on  every  side. 

POLK  CITY. 

Tliis  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  the  coimty,  having 
been  "located"  or  platted,  in  May,  1850,  by  George  Beebe, 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  that  section,  having  settled 
there  in  1846.  The  town  was  located  on  Section  6,  Town- 
ship 80,  Range  25,  near  the  Des  Moines  river.  It  had  been 
the  site  of  an  Indian  village,  called  Wauconsa.  Around  it 
was  a  fine  country,  and  what  Avas  much  sought  after  in 
those  days,  fine  bodies  of  timber.  It  Avas  on  the  main  road 
to  Boone,  Fort  Dodg-e  and  the  North,  and  much  travel  pass- 
ed through  the  town.  The  township,  Madison,  was  settled 
at  an  early  day  by  many  thrifty  pioneers  who  soon  opened 
up  and  had  in  cultivation  some  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
county-.  Here  was  erected  one  of  the  early  saw-mills,  and 
not  long  thereafter  Geo.  Beebe  built  a  grist  and  flour  mill 
which  supplied  with  bread-stuff"  a  large  scope  of  country. 
Stores  and  shops  were  opened,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
Pollc  City  was  a  thriving-  village. 

Among  the  original  settlers  were  Geo.  Beebe,  C.  M.  Burt, 
Andiew  Messersmith,  James  Wilson,  Heniw  Everly,  Wm. 
Phillips,  Andrew  Groselose,  Alfred  Bownan  and  father, 
Samuel  and  John  Hays,  David  Norris,  Abraham  Hilder- 
brand,  N.  R.  Kuntz,  J.  M.  Walker,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harbour,, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES.  883 

Dr.  R.  B.  Armstrong  and  others.  John  Hays  and  David 
Korris  soon  after  became  residents  of  Des  Moines,  and 
subsequently  Hays  was  county  sheriff,  and  Hays  held  a 
number  of  offices.  Hays  died  a  tew  years  ago,  but  "Uncle 
Davy  Xorris,'-"  as  he  was  affectionately  called,  lived  until 
last  year  (1S97),  lacking  but  a  few  years  of  completing  a 
century  of  life. 

Polk  City  was  regularly  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1875, 
with  the  following  board  of  officers:  Mayor,  A.  D.  Hick- 
man; Recorder,  J.  A.  Kuntz;  Treasurer,  A.  L.  Clingham; 
Assessor,  T.  L.  Dyer;  Aldermen,  N.  R.  Kuntz,  O.  N.  Rogers, 
Wm.  <T.  Swim,  W.  J.  Wilson,  and  R.  B.  Armstrong. 

Polk  City  lies  betn^een  the  two  lines  of  railroad  first 
crossing  the  state,  and  much  of  its  trade  was  drawn 
North  to  Boone  or  South  to  Des  Moines.  But  the  citizens 
of  the  town  and  township  were  anxious  to  have  a  railroad 
and  in  ISTl  secured  the  narrow  gnage  road  from  Des 
Moines  to  Ames,  connecting  at  the  latter  place  with  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad.  Five  years  later  the 
latter  road  secured  control  of  the  narrow  gauge  and  subse- 
quently made  it  standard  gauge,  giving  Polk  City  connec- 
tion with  the  great  railroad  systems  of  the  West. 

To  show  how  Polk  City  has  stood  the  brunt  of  the  fifty 
years  from  its  first  settlement  it  is  well  to  give  the  follow- 
ing exhibit  of  its  present  status,  in  1896. 

The  then  Mayor  was  G.  W.  McLean,  and  Harris  Eggle- 
ston  Recorder. 

CHURCHES.— Polk  City  is  well  supplied  with  churches, 
Methodist,  Episcopal,  Congregational,  and  the  Free 
Methodist  being  represented.  The  Congregational  and 
Methodist  Episcopal  worship  in  their  own  commodious  ed- 
ifices, while  the  Free  Methodists  occupy  the  Christian 
church,  that  church  organization  being  disbanded. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  organized  in  1848, 
has  a  good  membership,  and  was  consequently  the  pioneer 
church.    Rev.  W.  W.  Blood  is  the  present  pastor. 

The  Congregational  church  was  organized  on  April  3rd, 
1858,  and  has  at  the  present  a  membership  of  about  100. 
Rev.  J.  W.  Buck  pastor.  TS\'o  missionary  churches  are  con- 
nected with  it. 

The  Free  Methodist  was  organized  in  1891,  has  a  mem- 
bership of  50.    Rev.  D.  C.  Eddy  is  pastor. 


884  ANNALS  OP  POLE  COUNTY 

PUBLIC  SCHOOLS.— They  occupy  a  fine,  substantial 
two-story  brick  sclioolhouse  and  consist  of  three  depart- 
ments. A.  H.  Taylor,  principal;  G.  Taylor,  intermediate; 
Mrs.  Stella  Burt,  primary.  C.  Hug  is  chairman  of  the 
Board  of  Education;  Cyrus  Burlington,  Treasurer;  G.  W. 
McLean,  Clerk.  The  city  circulating  library  is  owned  by 
The  New  Era  Library  Association,  which  was  organized 
in  1894.     Mrs.  A.  L.  Steadman  is  Librarian. 

Polk  City  is  quite  up-to-date  in  the  matter  of  the  Lodge, 
having  the  following:  "Modern  Woodmen  of  America;" 
Simon  Burlington,  V.  C. ;  Simon  Barrick,  Clerk. 

"Odd  Fellows,"  H.  A.  Ci-abtree,  K  G. ;  Simon  Barrick, 
Secretal*3^ 

"Masonic,"  Lafe  Anderson,  Master. 

"Knights  of  Pythias,"  G.  L.  Schnetz,  G  C;  C.  F.  Schnetz, 
K.  of  E.  and  S. 

BUSINESS  HOUSES.— Christopher  Schroder  is  post- 
master; T.  L.  Dyer,  general  store;  Charles  Crank,  watch- 
maker; W.  H.  Steadman,  general  store;  L.  B.  Jennings, 
general  store;  Henry  Richenbaker,  harness;  H.  B.  Sum- 
maj',  boots  and  shoes;  George  Schnetz,  meat  market; 
Shade  &  Albery,  druggists;  Wm.  Schnetz,  confectionary; 
Sam'l  Schnetz,  restaurant;  G.  E.  Merrill,  barber. 

MANUFACTUPtERS.— Hug  &  Harmon,  brick  and  tile 
works,  and  saw-mill. 

HOTEL. — "Commercial  Hotel,"  P.  Gemricher,  Proprie- 
tor. 

LIVERY. — P.  Gemricher,  Proprietor. 
PIIYSICIAlSrS.- Henry  Matter,   and   Dr.   R.  B.   Arm- 
strong. 

Madison  Township  can  also  boast  of  two  other  towns, 
laid  out  at  an  early  clay,  but  which  never  realized  the 
hopes  of  their  founders.  These  are  what  Avas  generally 
called  Monticute,  but  more  strictly  named  Springfield, 
which  claimed  birth  in  June,  1849,  G.  H.  and  J.  Hauser 
acting  as  sponsors.  Corydon  was  located  at  the  crossing 
of  the.Des  Moines  river  in  May,  18.53,  by  James  Skidmore 
and  Nathan  Matthews,  and  in  18.55  New  Corydon  was 
platted  adjoining  the  old  town.  For  a  time  they  may 
have  been  rivals  of  Polk  City,  but  that  time  was  short. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  885 

JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 

The  year  1851  Jefferson  Township  was  created  out  of 
that  part  of  Madison  lying  west  of  the  Des  Moines  river, 
and  embraced  in  it  the  fertile  country  along  the  Beaver 
valley,  where  liad  been  formed  one  of  the  earliest  settle- 
ments of  the  county.  Here  was  what  was  then  known  as 
the  McClain  settlement. 

Among  the  early  settlers  were  John  and  Jacob  D.  Mc- 
Clain, Nathan  Andrews,  W.  H.  McHenry,  afterwards  Dis- 
trict Judge,  Thos.  H.  Napier,  County  Judge,  the  Hunts, 
William  F.  A.^ers,  Thomas  Murray,  David  Hartman,  Na- 
thaniel Campbell,  Jack  Temple  and  others.  The  first 
township  truslees  were  Samuel  Hunt,  William  Hartway 
and  W.  F.  Ayers,  with  W.  S.  Prouty,  Clerk,  and  J.  D.  Mc- 
Clain, Assessor.  In  1857  William  Frazier  and  Xatlian 
Andrews  laid  out  a  town  about  one  mile  Southwest  of  the 
river,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  Andrews.  Quite  a  little  vil- 
lage was  built,  with  store,  shops,  etc.  This  was  for  years 
frequently  called  "Dogtown."  This  slang  name  was  not 
given,  it  is  said,  because  of  the  number  of  dogs  therein, 
though  there  were  always  enough  of  these,  but  because  of 
the  prominence  of  a  man  named  Doggett  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  town.  But  Andrews  continues  to  survive, 
while  the  once  ambitious  town  of  Lovington,  located  in 
1 854  at  the  mouth  of  the  Beaver  creek,  has  long  since  dis- 
appeared save  in  old  county  records  and  the  memories  of 
early  settlers. 

CAMP  TOWNSHIP  AND  TOWNS. 

Cam])  was  one  of  the  first  settled  and  first  created 
Townslii]is  of  the  County,  embracing  originally  ihe 
entire  Southeast  portion  of  the  same,  and  having 
the  Des  Moines  River  for  its  Western  and  vSouth- 
ern  boundary.  It  Avas  one  of  the  three  election 
precincts  into  which  the  county  was  first  sub-divided.  The 
first  election  in  it  as  a  Township  was  held  at  the  house  of 
Patrick  Kelley.  The  township  was  named  for  Camp 
Creek,  which  flows  through  it.  Subsequently  a  lai'ge  por- 
tion of  its  territory  was  cut  off  to  make  Beaver  Township. 
But  Camp  has  always  remained  one  of  the  imporiant 
townships  of  the  count}'.       Of  the  early  settlers,  James 


886  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Stewart,  George  M.  Stewart,  Patrick  Kelly,  and  a  few 
others  came  in  1846.  The  year  following  came  J.  M.  Mout- 
gomerjr,  Kev.  Eussell,  Valerius  Young,  David  Johnson, 
AN'oodAvard,  Montgomery  MeCall,  Abel  Fouts,  Joseph 
Langdon,  L.  M.  Burke,  Robinson,  Miss  Levina  Hendricks, 
J.  B.  Hempstead,  Oreth  Eenfrow,  Flemming,  and  others. 
Abel  Foutz  wos  one  of  the  first  county  comudssioners  and 
also  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  several  years,  ofliciating  in 
the  first  wedding  in  the  township,  that  of  Mr.  "\^'oodward 
and  Miss  Hendricks.  Early  in  the  40''s  an  importnt  road 
ran  through  the  Township,  being  that  leading  from  the 
Raccoon  Forks  to  Red  Rock,  now  in  Marion  County — Red 
Rock  from  1842  to  1845  being  on  the  line  of  the  reservation 
and  whites  were  not  allowed  to  come  above  it  without 
special  permission. 

The  towns  planned  or  platted  in  Camp  in  the  early  days 
were  not  longdived  or  ver-y  prosperous.  Of  the  town  of 
Lafayette  an  account  is  given  in  another  chapter.  It  was 
once  a  lively  and  prosperous  village,  but  high  waters  and 
other  causes  led  to  its  undoing,  and  it  is  now  said  much  of 
the  original  town  site  has  been  washed  away  and  part  of 
it  through  a  change  of  channel,  placed  outside  of  Polk 
county. 

The  town  of  Adelphi  was  originated  by  Valerius  Young 
and  platted  in  May,  1856.  For  a  time  it  advanced  a  little 
and  then  held  its  own,  but  it  never  became  what  its  san- 
guine projectors  hoped  for.  It  yet  retains  its  place  as  a 
town,  a  small  one,  though  its  inhabitants  are  few. 

AVhen  the  Wabash  Railroad  was  built  along  the  river 
through  Camp  Township,  J.  S.  Runnells,  Jeff  S.  Polk,  F. 
M.  Hubbell,  and  others,  of  Des  Moines,  platted  the  town  of 
Runnells  in  1881.  This  has  become  the  main  town  of 
Camp  Township,  and  though  not  incorporated  has  a  popu- 
lation of  about  600.  The  opening  of  coal  mines  there  and 
near  by,  has  much  helped  the  town,  and  there  is  considera- 
ble business  transacted,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following 
list  of  persons  now  in  business  there:  T.  A.  Deacon,  gen- 
eral store;  C.  I).  Osb(uirne,  general  store;  G.  M.  Lewis,  gen- 
eral store;  W.  A.  Price,  grocery  store;  C.  M'.  Lewis,  geu- 
taurant;  W.  Price;  pool;  George  Hanihg,  barber;  U.  Shaf- 
fer, barber;  E.  C.  Kline,  meat  market;  J.  B.  Pnckett,  drug 
store;  E.  C.  Kline,  Runnells  House  Hotel;  Wallace  i<:  Mur- 
ray, l)lacksmiths;  O.  A.  McKinney,  livery  and  feed  barn; 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  2I0INES.  as7 

Peters  &:  Thompson,  saw  and  feed  mill;  E.  Eeese,  saw  and 
feed  mill;  S.  P.  Thompson,  ticket  and  express  agent ;  Smith 
,V:  Erslcine,  stock  dealers  and  shippers;  W.  W.  Murray,  jus- 
tice of  peace;  O.  A.  McKinney,  constable  of  Puuuells, 
ProAAU  &  Brown,  grain  dealers;  T.  Moth,  grain  dealer, 
grain  elevator;  Acme  Coal  Co.;  Dr.  W.  L.  Pence. 

SC1I()()LS. — Graded  schools,  three  rooms. 

CHUiiCHES. — Congregational,  brick.  Latter  Day 
Saints. 

AXKEXY. 

This  Avas  one  the  toAvns  which  sprung  into  exist- 
ence at  the  time  the  narrow-gauge  railroad  was  built  from 
Des  Moines  to  Ames,  and  is  located  in  Crocker  township. 
Its  existence  dates  from  April,  1875,  and  was  originally 
platted  by  J.  P.  Ankeny.  It  soon  became  quite  a  railroad 
point  and  a  shipping  place  for-  cattle  and  grain.  Coal  was 
also  mined  near  the  town.  Its  growth  has  not  been  rapid, 
but  at  this  time  has  a  population  of  about  200,  with  thirty- 
four  houses  occupied.  There  is  a  good  graded  school,  a 
Methodist  church,  two  general  stores,  one  agriculturaJ 
implement  liouse,  harness  shop,  blacksmith  shop,  two 
wagon  sliojos,  a  barber  shop,  hotel,  and  a  large  gxain  ele- 
Tator. 

H.  E.  Wagner  has  a  large  general  store,  in  which  is  the 
postoftice;  IT.  E.  Haulman:  &  Co.,  groceries  and  hardware; 
M.  P.  Cherrie,  pliysician;  Jno.  AVinterborn,  M.  E.  pastor; 
Lamason  .t  Wagner,  implement  dealers;  Hollowell  & 
Zimmerman,  blacksmiths;  Al.  Gregory  and  H.  W.  Miller, 
wagon  makers;  J.  C.  Ward,  gTain  dealer;  Larnason  & 
Wagner,  harness;  Bryan  &  Brubaker  , contractors;  Burt 
OTveen,  hay  bailer;  H.  Wagner  &  Son,  live  stock  ship])ers; 
IT.  C.  Thomx»son,  barber;  Mi's.  Mary  C'ampbell,  hotel;  C.  C. 
Wand,  boarding  house. 

There  is  a  rich  and  well  tilled  country  around  Aukeny, 
and  its  future  is  assured. 

GEIMES. 

This  is  a  comparatively  new  town,  laid  out  by  the  Union 
Land  Company  of  Des  Moines,  in  ISSl,  upon  the  comple- 
tion of  the  railroad  line  to  Boone.  It  is  located  f:mrteen 


888  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

miles  northwest  of  the  city  in  Webster  township,  and  is 
situated  in  a  most  excellent  farming  couutrj-,  equal  to 
any  in  the  county  or  state.  The  first  house  was  built 
in  ISSl  by  J.  X.  Pressly,  of  the  firm  of  Pressly  &  Ewing. 
In  January  of  the  following  year  Aaron  Mosier,  of  Des 
Moines,  commenced  the  erection  of  a  large  store  building 
for  S.  W.  McClain,  and  when  completed  in  April  it  was  at 
once  occupied  hj  the  latter  as  a  general  store,  which 
has  been  continued  by  him  with  much  success  up  to  the 
present  time.  The  town  has  had  a  steady  growth  from  the 
start,  and  now  has  a,  population  of  about  300.  It  is  a 
large  shipping  point  for  grain  and  stock,  and  having  four 
daily  trains  is  in  close  connection  with  main  railroad 
lines. 

There  are  two  church  organizations  in  the  town,  and 
each  has  a  handsome,  substantial  building  in  which  to 
hold  serxices,  the  Presbyterian,  S.  A.  Scott,  pastor,  Ger- 
man Lutheran,  Rev.  W.  H.  Schoenline,  pastor.  There  is 
also  a  good  school  house  to  accommodate  all  the  pupils 
of  the  district  presided  over  by  Miss  Celia  McCuen. 

In  the  summer  of  1892  a  few  of  the  citizens  of  Grimes 
formed  a  company  and  purchased  the  interests  of  the  old 
company,  and  since  then  the  Grimes  Land  and  Improve- 
ment Company  has  done  much  towards  improving  the 
town  and  advancing  its  interests.  A  new  and  beautiful 
cemetery  has  been  laid  out  into  lots  and  much  improved 
by  the  company.  The  company  is  most  liberal  in  its  deal- 
ings with  all,  and  offers  special  inducements  to  those  who 
desire  to  become  residents.  The  officers  of  the  company 
are:  President,  S.  W.  McOlain;  Vice-President,  C.  L. 
Weiser;  Secretary',  Samuel  Stewart.  Grimes  was  incor- 
porated in  1894  and  the  present  officers  are:  Mayor,  W.  J. 
Stewart;  Marshal,  F.  Coburn;  Recorder,  Q  E.  Black; 
Councilmen,  Andy  Black,  S.  D.  Drury,  Nelson  West  and 
W.  H.  Anderson;  Assessor,  G.  A.  Stewart;  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  F.  Coburn;  Constable,  S.  L.  Wall.  S.  W.  McClain 
was  postmaster  until  recently.  He  served  four  years  of 
President  Cleveland's  first  term,  and  was  subsequently 
reappointed  and  Las  made  a  most  efficient  and  reliable  . 
official. 

The  popular  railroad  agent  at  this  important  shipping 
point  was  G.  A.  Grubbs,  in  1897,  when  this  account  Avas 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  889 

written  and  the  f(jllowiug  persons  and  firuis  A^ere  in  busi- 
ness in  (Irinies:  General  mercliants,  H.  W.  ilcClaiu,  H.  F. 
Eeyuolds,  E.  Barnes;  drugs,  W.  J.  kSteAvart;  grain  and 
stock,  McClain,  Milligan  &  West,  McFarland  Grain  Co., 
Samuel  Stewart,  j^roprietor.  Granger  &  Briggs;  black- 
smiths, S.  D.  Drnrj,  C.  W.  Read;  barber,  J.  W.  Hales; 
butcher,  J.  F.  Ryan;  milliners  and  dressmakers,  Mrs.  M. 
E.  Drurv,  Mrs.  Mollie  Bates.  There  are  two  practicing 
physicians — F.  W.  Ewiug  and  A.  L.  Peacock — and  no 
lawyer. 

The  Grimes  creamery  is  considered  one  of  the  best  in 
the  state,  has  been  most  successfully  managed  and  is  a 
credit  to  the  town  and  great  help  to  the  farmers  around. 
The  MacRae  Brothers  of  Des  Moines  handle  the  products 
of  the  creamery. 

ELKHART  AXD  OTHERS. 

Another  of  the  early  towns  of  the  county  was  Elkhart, 
laid  out  by  J.  W.  Cory  in  October,  1853,  and  named  for 
the  township  in  which  it  was  located.  Its  site  was  on 
section  2,  township  78,  range  23.  For  a  time  its  projectors 
and  friends  had  high  hopes  of  their  town  but  their  hopes 
were  never  realized. 

Three  years  later,  in  185(3,  James  H.  Gray  and  Aaron 
Hartsinger  laid  out  a  town  about  one  and  one-half  miles 
north  of  Elkhart,  and  named  it  Ottawa,  and  this  latter 
town  was  the  successful  rival  of  the  first  named.  It  got 
the  postoflice  finally  and  had  at  one  time  stores,  hotel, 
shops,  etc.,  and  was  something  of  a  village.  But  the  rail- 
road came,  other  towns  were  established  on  their  lines, 
and  Ottawa  remains  but  a  smal  village,  with  a  postoffice, 
though  it  is  in  one  of  the  most  fertile  and  prosperous  sec- 
tions of  the  county. 

SEVASTOPOL. 

Sevastopol,  originally  in  Bloomfield  township,  and  now 
part  of  the  city  of  Des  Moines,  was  originated  by  James 
Sherman  in  1855.  It  was  located  on  land  owned  then  bv 


890       ANNAL:S  of  rOLK  COUNTy 

James  Sheriiiau,  soutU  of  the  IJaccoon  and  named  for  the 
Russian  fortress  Avhich  gained  so  much  celebrity  during 
theCrimean  war, ending  about  that  time.  Some  years  later 
the  tiiwn  «as  incorporated  and  continued  its  local  gny- 
ernmeut  until  gathered  in  as  a  part  of  the  citv  a  few  rears 
ago.  At  an  early  day  one  of  the  largest  breweries  was 
in  operation  and  in  and  about  the  town  were  some  of  the 
best  and  largest  coal  mines  in  the  county.  Col.  Barlow- 
Granger's  farm  was  in  or  close  by  the  town,  and  among 
its  earlier  and  later  residents  were  such  ^"611  known  citi- 
zens as  G.  Munzeumair,  John  Webber,  G.  Van  Ginkel, 
B.  F.  Young,  Valentine  Lehman,  Lawrence  Heidt.  Geo. 
Wfdfinger,  Franz  Adelfinger,  F.  X.  Spitz,  Peter  Flenry, 
Martin  Grosehunt,  John  Nelson,  Chris  and  John  Munzen- 
mair,  Louis  Stehm,  Clark,  Thos.  Beck,  Charles  Wagner, 
Philander  Smith,  Fred  Cramer,  William  Christ,  William 
Jensen  and  others.  Some  of  these  are  dead  or  gone  away 
but  the  most  of  them  are  yet  here  and  in  active  business. 
Many  coal  miners  have  had  their  residence  in  Sevas- 
topol. The  people  there  have  been  enterprisinng  and  have 
good  schools,  churches,  etc.,  and  are  now  no  iihimportant 
part  of  the  city. 

SAYLOEVILLE. 

In  another  chapter  mention  is  made  of  John  B.  Saylor, 
who  was  one  of  the  very  tirst  settlers  of  the  county,  com- 
ing here'  soon  after  the  soldiers  and  having  a  contract  for 
hay,  etc.,  for  the  supplj^  of  troops  and  located  on  the  Des 
Moines  river,  sonn:*  few  miles  above  the  fort,  on  Avliat  has 
ever  since  been  known  as  Saylor  bottom.  The  toAvn  of 
Saylorville  was  not  officially  platted  until  1850,  but  prev- 
ions  to  that  the  location  laid  claims  to  being  made  the 
count\^  seat.  It  was  one  of  the  rivals  of  Fort  Des  iNfoines 
in  those  earliest  days.  As  before  stated  it  was  laid  out 
by  John  B.  Saylor  in  1850,  and  afterward,  in  1855,  he 
idatted  a  tract,  adjoining  the  (iriginal  town,  which  fur  a 
time  was  called  New  Saylorville.  The  toAvn  for  a  number 
of  years  was  one  of  the  best  in  the  county,  and  in  it  were 
stores,  hotels,  churches,  schools,  and  Saylorville  had  its 
influence  in  political  and  local  affairs.  But  gradually 
it  was  weakened  by  its  proximity  to  the  city,  and  its  death 
l)]ow  came  when  the  railroad  Avas  forced  to  pass  some 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  s'Jl 

two  mile  east  of  the  old  town  by  reason  of  the  "hiy  uf  the 
land,"aud  SaylorStation  was  established  on  tlielineof  the 
Dearest  railroad. 

BONDURANT. 

Fourteen  miles  northeast  of  Des  Moines,  ou  the  Chi- 
cago Great  Western  Eailway,  is  situated  the  thriving  and 
rapidly  growing  town  of  Bondurant.  In  1SS2  when  the 
railroad  was  built  a  station  was  located  and  around  this 
has  sprung  up  a  town  of  300  inhabitants.  Mr.  A.  C.  Bon- 
durant, the  founder  of  the  town  which  bears  his  name, 
and  was  surveyed  in  1SS3  by  the  railway  company,  is  an 
old  resident  and  the  first  settler,  having  located  in  Iowa 
in  1857,  when  it  was  j^et  an  open  expanse  of  prairie  land. 

Mr.  Bondurant  was  born  in  Sangamon  County,  Illinois, 
in  the  year  1829,  and  there  resided  until  28  years  of  age, 
when  he  moved  to  Iowa  and  entered  what  is  now  the  town 
site  of  Bondurant,  as  a  homestead.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Margaret  M.  Brooks  October  27,  1861,  to  whom  eight 
children  were  born,  six  of  whom  are  living,  to-wit :  Emma, 
Fannie,  Florence,  Bert,  Nellie  and  Conley.  Eecognizing 
the  unsurpasable  productiveness  of  the  soil,  the  short 
'distance  to  good  markets  and  the  superior  shipping  facili- 
ties afforded,  different  enterprises  were  ventured,  sub- 
stantial building  erected  and  the  place  grew  and  pros- 
pered. The  first  building  erected  was  the  one  now  occu- 
pied as  a  hardware  store  by  -J.  E.  O'Brien,  at  first  owned 
and  used  as  a  mercantile  establishment  by  Messrs.  Bon- 
durant, Kennedy  and  others,  the  upper  floor  being  utilized 
as  a,  church.  In  1885  the  Bondurant  school  was  opened 
with  35  scholars,  presided  over  by  Alex.  Taylor.  In  1SS6 
through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Bondurant,  a  site  was  given  and 
the  Christian  church  erected,  the  first  pastor  being  Bev. 
J.  B.  ^"awter,  with  a  membership  of  10.  Tlii'  (.'imgre- 
gational  church,  with  20  members,  was  erected  in  1803, 
Eev.  Jas.  Steele,  pastor.  Both  of  these  institutions  have 
grown  in  membership  and  have  continued  in  unity  to  ad- 
vance and  uplift  the  cause  of  religion  in  the  town.  The 
Societies,  consisting  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  W.  C.  T.  U.  and 
Ladies  Aid  Societies,  have  extensive  memberships  and  are 
in  a  prosperous  condition. 


892  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

In  1894  the  tile  factory  was  erected  by  A.  M.  Austin  & 
Son.  In  1895  tlie  Farmers'  Oo-operative  Creamery  was 
established,  both  operated  by  steam.  Bowen  &  Eegur 
own  and  operate  two  large  elevators  at  this  point,  and  the 
sales  each  year  exceeds  500,000  bushels.  There  is  more 
grain  shipped  from  this  point  than  any  other  on  the  Great 
Western  Railway.  Besides  the  vast  grain  business  there 
are  the  usual  lines  of  trade  represented  here:  O^  A. 
O'Brien,  i;epartment  store;  Cline  Bros,  and  J.  T.  Ducher's, 
general  stores;  Frank  R.  Davis,  druggist;  Coulter  & 
Thoif,  lumber  dealers;  bank,  B.  F.  Rothrock,  cashier;  also 
furniture  dealer;  two  hotels,  Jas.  Cheney  and  J.  B.  Long, 
proprietors;  restaurant,  S.  G  Landon,  proprietor;  besides 
a  meat  market  operated  by  A.  A.  Campbell,  and  the  two 
blacksmith  shops  of  R.  J.  Polly  and  Jos.  Johnston.  In 
1896  the  Bondurant  Journal  was  established  by  Harold  L. 
Hollister  and  the  paper  is  prospering  and  advertising  and 
advancing  the  town's  interest.  Mr.  IST.  B.  Fulmer  is  the 
attorney  at  law  and  Dr.  T.  F.  Riley  the  practicing  physic- 
ian. L.  H.  Smith  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
brooms;  Chas.  Cheney  conducts  the  livery  business.  There 
is  a  military  band  of  16  pieces  there.  Newton  Hamilton 
is  the  barber.  , 

Mr.  Bondurant  offers  free  sites  to  manufacturing  indus- 
tries and  will  always  be  found  ready  to  assist  and  wel- 
come new-comers.  There  are  good  opportunities  for  gar- 
dening and  fruit  raising  and  the  excellent  land  sold  on 
easy  payments  enables  any  one  of  thrift  and  energy  to 
soon  possess  and  own  a  home  for  himself  amid  the 
best  class  of  people  as  neighbors,  in  a  town  destined  to 
become  one  of  much  importance  in  the  best  state  in  the 
Union,  Iowa.  Good  advantages  are  offered  and  a  helping 
hand  extended  to  men  of  small  capital  who  wish  to  invest 
where  living  is  cheap  and  prospects  certain. 


CHAPTER  LV. 

ITEMS  OLD  AND  NEW. 

Martin  Tucker,  one  of  the  first  landlords,  signed  his 
name  with  an  X  until  he  gained  the  name  of  Martin  X. 
Tucker,  and  it  is  said  he  advertised  his  hotel  as  "haiving 
run  an  avenue  through  it,  and  having  put  up  a  condition 
to  it,  he  would  be  able  to  detain  the  public  in  a  more 
hostile  manner.  Also  stabling  at  right  angles  for  quan- 
tity and  abundance  of  provender  for  horses,  and  plenty 
to  eat." 


The  lots  upon  which  the  Kirkwood  House  now  stands 
was  once  sold  to  Granville  Holland  for  an  old  horse  and 
buggy. 


The  first  sewing  soeiety  is  said  to  have  been  organized 
in  Des  Moines  in  1850,  its  object  being  to  raise  money 
for  church  purposes. 


In  1848,  blackberries  were  gathered  on  Court  avenue, 
and  wild  duck  were  shot  in  the  then  slough  where  the 
Rock  Island  depot  now  stands. 


The  first  velocipede,  or  bicycle,  was  brought  to  Des 
Moines  in  1869  by  Wesley  Redhead.  Charles  Harrington 
and  Joseph  W.  Haskell  were  among  the  first  riders  of  the 
"silent  steed." 


The  first  professional  barber  in  Des  Moines  is  said  to 
have  been  John  Chalmers,  a  Scotchman,  an  intelligent 
and  popular  man.  He  was  filling  his  lamps  one  evening 
with  camphene,  when  there  was  an  explosion,  and  Chal- 
mers was  so  badly  burned  he  died  shortly  afterrvards. 


The  Lamb  Brothers  are  said  to  have  sowed  and  har- 
vested the  first  crop  of  wheat  in  Polk  County. 


89i  ^     ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

It  is  stated  that  Mrs.  Mitcliell,  wife  of  Thomas  Mitchell, 
did  not  see  another  white  woman  for  three  months  after 
the  Mitchells  first  settled  in  their  cabin  in  Polk  Connty. 


It  is  claimed  the  first  sermon  in  the  county  was  preached 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Pardue,  an  itinerant,  in  the  fall  of  1844,  at 
the  cabin  of  Thomas  Mitchell.  There  were  present  Mr. 
Mitchell  and  family,  the  servant  girl  and  a  few  travelers. 


In  July,  1846,  an  official  census  was  taken  in  Polk 
County,  and  it  was  found  the  total  population  was  1,301, 
of  which  Fort  Des  Moines  had  127 — twentj'-three  fam- 
ilies  and  thirty-one  liouses. 


It  is  stated  the  first  frame  building  in  Fort  Des  Moines 
wais  built  by  David  Soleuger  in  July,  1846.  It  wais  18 
x20,  "^fith  nine-foot  story.  The  same  year  Addison  Michael 
erected  a  frame  store  building. 


Mrs.  Sauford  says  of  the  young  men  of  early  Des  Moines : 
"These  Western  dandies  wore  blue  swallow-tailed  coats; 
pantaloons  nearly  as  tight  as  the  skin,  and  strapped  down 
over  the  boots  (sometimes  pumps  instead  of  boots),  and 
always  wide  stocks  made  of  black  silk,  which  tightened 
their  tliroats  like  a  boa  constrictor." 


If  any  person  can  be  called  the  "Father  of  Des  Moines" 
that  title  belongs  to  Byron  Rice.  He  was  the  official 
parent  of  the  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines  which  subsequently 
grew  to  be  the  present  city  of  Des  Moines.  At  the  time 
of  the  first  incorporation  of  the  town  Byron  Rice  was 
County  Judge.  Under  the  then  lawsi  the  petition  of  the 
citizens  asking  for  the  incoi'poration  of  the  town  was  pre- 
sented to  Judge  Rice,  who  through  the  then  recent  death 
of  Judge  Burbridge  had  become  County  Judge.  He  or- 
dered and  fixed  the  date  for  holding  a  special  election  to 
vote  for  or  against  incorporation.  This  being  carried  by 
a  vote  of  42  for,  to  1  against  incorporation,  Judge  Rice 
ordered  another  election  to  be  held  for  the  pui'pose  of 
selecting  three  persons  to  prepare  articles  of  incorpora- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  80-3 

tion  or  charter  for  the  new  town.  Subsequently  this  com- 
mittee reported  arliclesof  incorporation  and  presented  the 
same  to  Judge  R'ce.  The  hitter  then  ordered  another 
election  to  define  boundaries  and  also  to  elect  the  first 
officers.  Judge  Eice  then  declared  the  result  and  officially 
gave  the  breath  of  life  to  the  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines. 
These  facts  of  history  make  it  clear  that,  mote  than  any 
other  person,  was  Byron  Eice  the  "Father  of  Des  Moines." 

*  *  -M-  *  w  -K-  *  vr 

This  story  is  told  as  to  how  it  was  Byron  Eice  became 
the  County  Judge  of  Polk  County.     He  came  here  a  tall, 
slender  young  man,  with  a  very  white  face  and  quiet  man- 
ner.    After  teaching  school  for  a  time  he  commenced 
the  practice  of  his  profession — the  law.     His  first  case 
was  the  defense  of  a  man  charged  with  a  crime  of  misde- 
meanor.    The  then  prosecuting  attorne}-  was  John   M. 
Perry  a  aood  lawyer  but  inclined  at  times  to  be  rough  and 
over  bearing.     Before  the  trial  he  had  told  his  friends 
that  he  would  have  some  fun  with  that  "young  Rice  from 
New  York;"  that  the  latter  had  no  strength  or  snap  to 
him,  etc.    Early  in  the  trial  Perry  commenced  his  rough 
tactics,  and  was  having  the  fun  he  had  promised  himself, 
but  unfortunately  later  on  he  called  young  Rice  a  liar. 
He  immediately  found  himself  sprawling  on  the  floor, 
having  been  knocked  down  and  out  by  young  Rice  in  the 
first  round.     This  prompt  action  on  the  part  of  young 
Rice    met    with    the    hearty    commendation    of    Squire 
Meacham  and  others,  and  especially  of  some  Kentuckians 
and  Tennesseeaus  who  then  resided  here,  and  who  had 
become  tired  of  Perry'  bullying  tactics.    Young  Rice  was 
not  only  presented  with  a  box  of  cigars  by  the  Squire  and 
others,  but  they  also  insisted  that  he  should  become  a 
candidate  for  Perry's  place — that  of  Prosecutng  Attor- 
ney.   They  worked  zealously  for  this  and  the  result  was 
Perry  was  beaten  by  Rice  for  the  democratic  nomination 
Rice  was  elected  Prosecuting  Attorney,  by  the  death  of 
Judge  Burbridge  became  County  Judge,  was  elected  by 
the  people  to  the  office  again,  and  towards  the  close  of  his 
term  resigned  the  office,  went  into  the  business  of  banking 
and  gave  up  all  political  aspirations.    It  looks  very  much 
as  if  that  knock  down  of  Perry  made  Judge  Rice  County 
Judge  and  the  official  daddy  of  the  largest  and  best  city 
in  Iowa. 


896  ANNALS  OP  POLK  COUNTY 

During  President  Grant's  visit  to  Des  Moines,  men- 
tioned in  another  chapter,  he  made  a  short  speech  in 
which  he  alluded  to  the  public  schools.  This  speech 
attracted  much  attention  and  comment.  Subse- 
quently there  was  discussion  as  to  how  the  speech  was 
prepared  and  as  to  Avho  aided  the  President  in  its  prepara- 
tion. To  "set  history  straight,"  Gen.  R.  V.  Ankeny  makes 
this  statement:  "I  was  one  of  the  reception  committee 
and  on  the  morning  of  that  day  was  assigned  to  attend- 
ance upon  the  President  at  the  residence  of  Judge  Cole. 
An  hour  or  so  was  spent  in  introductions,  etc.,  when  the 
President  suggested  a  quiet  drive  to  look  at  the  city.  He 
then  accompanied  by  myself  alone  entered  a  carriage  and 
we  were  driven  north  past  Crocker  school.  He  asked  me 
about  it  and  expressing  the  desire  we  were  driven  to  the 
the  then  Third  Ward  school  house  and  to  the  Catholic  par- 
ochial school.  He  asked  me  a  number  of  further  ques- 
tions about  the  sehools,  to  which  I  gave  the  best  replies 
I  could.  We  then  drove  to  the  capitol,  and  on  our  return 
he  asked  where  he  could  find  a  quiet  place  in  Avhich  he 
might  do  a  little  writing.  I  suggested  the  private  office 
of  Postmaster  Clarkson  and  we  drove  there  and  entered 
the  room.  No  one  was  there  and  I  called  Assistant  Post- 
master Beckwith.  Being  introduced  he  told  the  President 
to  take  the  desk,  and  we  would  see  he  was  not  inteirrupted. 
We  went  out  and  left  the  president  alone  for  about  one 
hour  or  less.  Upon  returning  I  found  he  had  been  writing 
on  a  number  of  slips  of  paper.  We  then  returned  to  Judge 
Cole's  residence.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Army  of  the  Ten- 
nessee the  President  read  that  speech  from  the  slips  of 
paper  he  had  written  in  the  Postmaster's  office.  I  am  cer- 
tain no  one  assisted  him  or  aided  him  in  the  preparation 
of  that  celebrated  speech.    It  was  all  his  own." 


David  Norris  is  mentioned  ais  the  first  butcher  in  Fort 
Des  Moines.  He  died  last  year  in  the  ninety-sixth  year 
on  the  East  Side.  John  Hays  also  did  something  in  this 
line  at  an  early  day.  Then  in  the  '.50s  came  John  Gotts- 
chalk,  Albert  Grefe,  Christy,  John  McManus,  Gus  Wilbur 
and  others.  In  the  'GOs  came  Darby  Gill,  John  Bird  and 
P.  F.  Morrissey,  who  are  in  the  business  to  this  day,  and 
probably  rank  in  the  order  given,  as  the  oldest  butchers  in 


AIS^D  THE  CITY  OP  DE8  MOIXES.  897 

this  cit}-  Avlio  have  stuck  to  it.  Cai-son,  on  the  East  Side, 
can  also  be  counted  among  the  butcliers  who  for  many 
yeairs  accommodated  the  people  with  the  best  of 
meats.  There  were  the  Duffs,  J(jhn  and  Alex.;  and  the 
younger  Alex,  and  Lockett,  who  were  for  years  engaged 
in  the  trade  here.  John  Trostle,  the  well  known  butcher, 
's  also  a  veteran  in  the  business,  and  has  been  one  of  the 
most  successful  of  them  all.  Then  there  was  Henry 
Kuntz,  who  had  hi.^  market  for  many  years  on  Walnut 
street,  near  Third,  and  who  died  much  lamented  a  year  or 
two  ago.  C.  Amend,  who  now  occupies  the  old  Kuntz 
place,  is  among  the  veterans,  having  for  j-ears  done  busi- 
ness on  Second  street.  Others  there  ai^e  of  as  early  and  of 
later  dates  who  deserve  special  mention,  beyond  the  limits 
of  this  brief  paragraph. 


The  town  of  Lafayette,  in  Camp  township,  laid  out  in 
1849  by  Dr.  Hull  and  others,  was  for  several  years  a  hus- 
tling callage,  at  one  time  containing  several  hundred  in- 
habitants. It  was  a,  pleasant  place  in  which  to  dwell. 
Then  came  floods  and  othier  calaniitiesi  aad  the  town  fell 
backward..  The  river  current  afterward  cut  into  the 
banks  and  swept  away  much  of  the  original  town  site,  and 
now  it  is  said  not  a  house  is  left,  while  what  is  left  of  i:he 
original  site  is,  by  change  of  channel,  thrown  south 
of  the  river  and  placed  in  WaiTen  county.  Thus  passed 
awavthis  Lafayette. 


57 


CHAPTER  LVl. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 
ONE  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY. 

There  are  in  the  city  of  Des  Moiues  at  this  time  over 
one  hundred  and  tifty  companies,  incorporated  under  the 
hiws  of  tlie  state.  Some  of  these  are  hirge  and  Avealthy 
institutions  and  the  majorit}^  of  them  are  activelj^  engaged 
in  mining,  manufacturing  or  otlier  brandies  of  business. 

N.  S.  McDonnell,  now  president  and  manager  of  the  Des 
Moines  ^Manufacturing  and  vSupply  Company,  was  born  in 
Ireland  in  1842.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  came  to  the 
United  States,  and  remaining  a.  time  in  Pennsylvania,  he 
went  to  Memphis,  Tennessee,  where  he  learned  the  trade 
of  machinist  and  boiler  malier.  The  war  breaking  out 
he  came  north  in  1S(>1,  and  for  a  time  finding  no  work  at  his 
trade  hunted  for  any  honest  employment,  and  temporarily 
worked  at  harvesting  and  other  farm  lab(U'  in  Walnut 
to^^'nshil^  for  sixty-five  cents  x^t^r  day.  lie  afterwards 
secured  the  job  of  running  the  engine  for  the  foundrj'  of 
Tidrick  iV'  IlemenAvay  for  -If  1.00  per  day.  During  these 
years  he  put  in  his  spare  time  in  study,  and  later  on  took  a 
course  in  Capt.  MufUey's  first  business  college.  In  18G3 
he  managed  to  get  together  a  few  tools  and  started  in  bus- 
iness for  himself  near  the  east  end  of  the  old  Market  street 
bridge.  In  ISIil  he  located  on  the  corner  of  East  First 
and  Court  avenue,  where  the  large  works  of  his  company 
are  now  located.  In  1806  he  took  his  old  shopmate,  James 
Meara,  in  partnership,  and  they  continued  in  business 
together  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Meara,  in  1879.  Then  Mr. 
McDonnell  ])urchased  this  interest  and  continued  the  bus- 
iness, Avhich  has  been  continuously  increased  and  ex- 
tended. In  1880-'2  he  built  the  brick  portion  of  the  works 
and  in  1880  organized  the  Des  Moines  Manufacturing  and 
Sup]dy  Company,  of  which  N.  S.  McDonnell  is  president 
and  manager,  and  his  son,  John  E.  McDonnell,  is  secretary 
and  treasurer. 

Tlie  woi'ks  embrace  a  number  of  departments:  Boiler 
shops,  foundry,  machiiu'  shops,  wood  sho]i,  iiipe'  fitting, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOJyEH.  899 

and  therein  are  manufactured  all  kinds  of  engines,  boilers, 
mill,  electric,  claj-  and  coal  mining  machinerj^,  and  have 
in  use  all  the  later  improyed  modern  machinery.  The  out- 
put each  year  of  the  company  is  very  large,  and  orders  are 
tilled  from  all  over  loAva,  Nebraska,  the  Dakotas,  Kansas 
and  northern  Missouri,  and  they  have  sent  much  ma- 
chinery to  Colorado  and  to  New  and  Old  Mexico.  Froui 
small  beginnings  Mr.  McDonnell  has  built  up  these  large 
and  tloiirishing  v\'orks.  After  a  third  of  a  century  of 
steady,  continuous  and  intelligent  v\^ork,  he  has  not  only 
won  success — he  has  earned  and  deseiwed  it. 

Mr.  McDonnell  has  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  John 
E.,  as  previously  stated,  was  bred  tO'  the  business  and  is  his 
father's  riglit  hand  man  as  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
company.  Frank  is  also  prominent  in  the  management  of 
the  woi'ks,  wliile  William  S.  is  a  trusted  employee  of  tlu- 
Peo])le's  Savings  Bank.  The  only  daughter,  Alice  an  ac- 
complished young  lady,  was  recentl,y  married  to  Louis  C, 
the  soli  of  L.  II.  Kurtz,  the  long-time  hardware  dealer  on 
Walnut  street. 

THE  FIKST  ISRAELITE  MERCHANT. 

William  Kraus  was  the  first  Israelite  in  Des  Moines, 
coming  here  in  the  early  part  of  1848  and  remaining  until 
December,  1853,  engaged  in  merchandising.  Mr.  Krau.s 
was  born  and  educated  in  the  town  of  Demmelsdorf,  Ger 
many,  being  born  in  1823,  and  was  a  young  man  of  twenty- 
five  when  he  canie  to  Des  Moines.  He  was  married  in 
October,  1850,  to  Minna  Mauer.  They  have  had  seven 
children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living.  Mr.  Kraus  has 
been  a  merchant  for  fifty  years,  and  after  leaving  Des 
Moines  was  in  business  for  several  years  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  and  for  the  past  twenty-nine  years  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  New  York  City,  where  he  is  now  head  of  a  large 
wholesale  house.  Of  politics  and  religion  Mr.  Kraus  thus 
writes : 

"I  was  a  Whig  in  my  younger  days,  and  when  they 
turue<1  into-  Republicans,  I  turned  with  the  good  old 
Whigs,  and  I  am  still  what  they  call  a  g0(xl  black  Repub- 
lican. I  was  brought  up  as  an  Isi-aelite,  and  T  am  still 
adhering  to  the  old  faith  to  a  great  extent,  but  as  far  as  my 


'M)  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY, 

personal  views  are  concerned,  I  believe  in  most  any  of  the 
religious  matters  if  they  carry  out  the  doctrine  of  Clirist, 
who  once  upon  a,  time  was  a  Jew  himself,  and  his  doctrine 
was  'You  should  do  unto  others  as  you  would  have  others 
do  unto  you,'  and  this  is  the  biggest  part  of  my  religion 
to-day.  I  have  beeen  merchandising  ^^r  the  past  hfty 
years  or  more,  and  belong  to  the  Masons  and  <)dd  Fel- 
lows, and  have  for  very  many  years." 

Of  his  life  here  during  the  early  days  Mr.  Krau^  writes 
entertainingly: 

"Although  it  is  many  years  since  I  left  Des  Moines,  the 
incidents  of  the  early  days  are  still  fresh  in  my  inind. 
When  I  first  stepped  upon  the  soil  of  yours,  or  rather  my 
city,  it  was  called  "Kaccoou  Forks,"'  and  I  don't  think 
that  we  could  have  counted  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty 
inhabitants.  Later  in  the  fall  of  '48  people  commenced 
to  come  in,  and  upon  taking  the  census  at  the  end  of  that 
year,  we  mustered  up  the  great  number  of  forty-eight 
souls,  and  in  order  to  make  a  larger  shoAA'ing,  we  over- 
stepped the  town  limits  and  counted  in  a  large  respectable 
family  by  the  name  of  Eathbun,  thus  raising  the  number 
to  fifty-three.  A  little  later  on  we  organized  and  made  a 
toAvn  of  it,  and  called  it  'Fort  Des  Moines.'  From  that 
time  on  we  commenced  to  grow  very  rapidly.  A  great 
many  of  the  old  settlers,  as  I  believe,  are  no  more,  but  some 
such  as  Hoyt  Sherman,  P.  M.  Casady,  Frank  AlleU,  and 
others  are  still  in  our  midst,  and  long  life  to  them.  In 
those  early  days  I  was  one  of  the  founders  of  a  ])nblic 
school,  and  was  a  director  in  it.  I  also  aided  in  building 
churches,  and  their  completion  came  in  the  following 
order:  Fii'st,  the  Methodist,  then  the  Presbyterian,  Bap- 
tist and  Universalist,  and  some  years  after  the  Catholic. 
To  each  and  every  one  I  was  a  liberal  contributor.  Thus 
you  will  see  the  grea.t  progress  we  wer'e  making,  even  in 
those  early  days. 

"In  January  1849,  I  was  appointed  as  one  of  the  lobby- 
ists to  Iowa  City,  to  influence  the  legislation  for  the 
removal  of  the  capitol  to  'Fort  Des  Moines,'  and  we  car- 
ried the  day.  Those  who  were  sent  to  the  former  city  on 
that  mission  were  Judge  McKay,  Dr.  Brooks,  Hoyt  Sher- 
man, Mr.  Berkley  and  myself.  My  large  acquaintance  all 
(;ver  the  State  aided  me  materially  in  bringing  my  infiu- 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DEfi  MOIXES.  901 

ence  to  bear  to  fiu-tlier  that  object.  Those  early  days  of 
my  life  are  uot\"  looked  upon  by  me  with  a  great  deal  of 
pleasure,  aud  had  I  the  time  I  could  tell  you  more,  btit  will 
let  the  above  suffice  for  the  preseut.  As  you  request,  I 
seud  you  my  picture.  Although  it  pictures  me  old  and 
gray,  I  am  still  feeling  a.s  voung  and  gav  as  in  the  davs  of 
'48  and  '4:9.'' 

COAL    MINING. 

A  large  portion  of  Pollc  County  is  underlaid  with  veins 
of  coal,  and  this  has  aided  greath'  both  city  and  county. 
The  tirst  mining  was  done  by  direction  of  Captain  Allen, 
while  tlie  troops  were  stationed  here,  one  or  two  banks 
being  opened.  But  during  the  first  few  years,  timber 
being  plentiful,  but  little  was  done  in  the  way  of  opening- 
mines,  aud  these  latter  were  only  in  the  first  veins  and 
mostly  in  tlie  shape  of  drifts  or  entries.  Wesley  Redhead 
was  one  of  the  first  to  go  into  the  business  systematically 
by  sinlviug  shafts  to  reach  the  lower  and  much  better  veins 
of  coal.  The  two  lower  seams  now  worlied  iu  this  county 
range  from  sixty  to  one  liundred  and  sixty  feet  below  the 
bed  of  the  Des  Moines  river,  and  it  is  estimated  there  are 
in  the  county  more  than  12.3,000  acres  of  workable  coal 
lands,  and  the  total  merchantable  coal  existing  in  the 
.same  is  more  than  660,000,000  tons.  The  principal  mines 
in  the  county  are  located  within  three  miles  of  Des  Moines, 
other  mines  are  operated  near  Runnells,  to  the  southeast, 
near  Commerce  to  the  southwest,  at  Polk  City  to  the  nor!  h, 
and  at  Mitchellville  to  the  east.  At  each  of  these  locali- 
ities  the  coal  seams  are  about  equally  important. 

According  to  the  last  report  of  the  State  Mine  Inspectors 
there  are  now  in  Polk  County  twenty-three  mines  in  opera- 
tion and  about  half  a  dozen  coal  pits,  altogether  employing 
at  one  time  over  800  men  and  boys.  In  nearly  all  of  these 
the  coal  is  reached  by  shafts,  while  a  few  use  slopes,  and 
some  eighteen  of  them  use  steam  as  a  motive  power.  Of 
the  3.")."),000  tons  of  coal  mined  last  year,  200,000  tons 
remained  in  the  county,  nearly  all  of  it  being  used  in  Des 
Moines.  The  other  15.5,000  tons  were  either  used  by  the 
railroads  or  shi]iped  west  and  north.  In  the  city  coal  slack 
is  almost  universally  used  for  steam  generation  and  is 
purchased  at  the  mines  for  about  seventy-five  cents  per 


902  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

ton.  Nearlj^  all  the  lump  coal  is  used  for  lieatiiic;'  public 
auci  private  buildiuys,  aud  is  geuerall,y  sold  at  |2  Tn  •'|f3  per 
ton  delivered. 

Among  the  larger  mines  uoav  in  operation  are:  The 
Christy,  Carbondale,  Des  Moines,  Eureka,  Gibsou  1  and  2, 
Maple  Grove,  Van  Ginkel,  Proctor,  Nortii  Riverside,  Key- 
stone 1  and  2,  Lake  Forest,  Flint,  Eagle,  Oak  Park,  Man- 
beck,  C'lifton  Heights,  Acme,  American,  R.  Dale,  Merchant 
and  Rees  Griffith  mines. 


There  were  good  religious  men  and  women  in  tliose 
early  days,  as  there  are  in  these,  and  they  brought  tlieir 
religious  convictions  with  them  to  their  new  homes  in 
tlie  West.  They  did  not  lose  tliem  on  tlie  journey,  nor 
as  the  old  saying  roes,  "drop  them  while  crossing  the 
Mississippi  River."  One  of  the  greatest  hardships  then 
borne,  especially  by  churcli  women,  was  tbe  loss  for  a 
time  of  cliurcii  meeting  and  associations.  In  later  years 
they  often  spoke  feelingly  of  this  as  one  of  the  most 
mourned  for  losses  felt  at  that  time.  Tliis  being  the  case 
it  is  not  surprising  that  the  advent  of  ?,  solitary  preacher, 
minister  or  inissionarj'^,  was  welcomed  with  deliglit  by  the 
few  scattered  settlers  in  P(dlv  Gounty  and  tlie  surround- 
ing country.  While  Fort  Des  Moines  ami  Polk  Gonnty 
had  its  share,  though  never  very  large,  of  wild,  reckless 
aud  irreligious  iteople,  who  often  follow  upon  the  out- 
skirts of  advancing  civilization,  yet  a  large  majority  of  the 
early  settlers  were  a  religious.  God-fearing  and  self-re- 
specting people.  Even  those  who  had  no  religion,  nor 
laid  claim  to  any  special  branch  of  it,  had  a  high  regard 
for  religion  itself,  and  were  often  the  most  libei'al  con- 
tribut(jrs  to  the  support  of  the  ])rea,chers  when  they  did 
come,  and  were  active  and  generous  in  helping  forward 
the  erecticm  of  church  buildings.  All,  Avithout  hardly  a 
single  exception,  had  been  reared  in  societies  where  the 
church  and  the  school  were  imi)ortaut  factors  in  life  aud 
civilization,  aud  they  desired  to  see  churches  and  schools 
spring  up  and  multiply  in  the  new  land  of  their  adoption 
and  of  wliose  future  greatness  and  j^rosperity  they  had 
no  doubt. 

The  honor  of  preaching  the  first  senuon  in  Des  Moines 
is  accorded  to  Rev.  Ezra  Rathbun,  who,  with  his  fathei' 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^  2I0IXES.  903 

and  sisters,  Avere  amuug  the  fii-st  settlers  of  the  ttjwu. 
This  first  sermou  was  at  the  fuueral  of  an  infant  danghter 
of  Lient.  Grier,  an  officer  of  the  United  iStates  troops,  then 
stationed  here.  This  Avas  in  1845.  Kev.  Mr.  llathbun 
was  a  man  of  much  more  tlian  ordinary  natural  ability 
and  had  many  of  the  gifts  of  an  orator.  He  Avas  wliat 
is  termed,  in  Methodist  usage,  a  local  preacher,  and  for 
a  time  was  the  only  preacher  in  the  neighborhood.  For 
some  years  later  on  he  preached  occasionally  in  town, 
and  often  in  the  country  outside.  During  the  week  he 
engaged  in  teaming  and  other  labor,  preaching  on  8un- 
day  and  at  other  times  when  his  services  were  required. 
He  lived  much  respected  among  his  fellow  citizens  and 
neighbors,  and  went  to  his  final  reAvard  some  years  ago. 

In  1845,  KeA'.  Mr.  liussell,  a  Methodist  minister,  AA'as 
given  a  circuit  embracing  Fort  Des  Moines  and  a  large 
territory  adjacent  thereto,  much  of  it  uninhabited.  It  is 
stilted  that  in  ]81tl  he  managed  t(^  make  a  visit  at  least 
once  each  quarter  to  each  of  the  scattered  stations  of  his 
circuit.  There  Avere  no  church  buildings,  the  homes  of 
the  scattered  brethren  being  utilized  for  meetings,  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Russell  must  huA'e  been  a  man  (jf  great  zeal  and 
phj'sical  endurance  to  have  traveled  over  the  vast  ex- 
tent of  sparsely  settled  and  little  improA'ed  country. 

The  other  pioneer  preachers  of  those  early  days  are 
AA^orthy  of  mention.  Located  here  and  using  this  as  a 
base  of  oj^eratious,  they  preached  in  all  the  surrounding 
country.  These  tAvo  Avere  (xem-ge  ^^^  Teas  and  ^'.  P. 
Fink.  Teas  Avas  in  some  respects  an  oddity,  and  Avhile 
doing  good  AA'as  the  cause  of  not  a  little  amusement  among 
a  i)eople  ever  ready  to  enjoy  anything  of  a  humorous  na- 
ture. At  one  time  he  became  dissatisfied  A\ith  his  Meth- 
odist brethren,  or  those  in  spiritual  authority  oA'er  him 
and  joined  another  denomination,  announ('ing  this  liim- 
self  in  the  f(dloAving  couplet: 

"  Let  the  ueAvs  spread  from  shore  to  shore. 
That  George  W.  Teas  is  a  Methodist  no  more." 

Having  in  a  short  time  returned  to  his  old  communion 
some  brother  or  Avicked  outsider  noted  it  in  the  follow- 
ing: 

"Let  the  neAvs  spread  from  Georgia  to  Maine, 
That  George  W.  Teas  is  a  Methodist  again." 


90i       ANNAL^S  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

OUR  COLORED  CITIZENS. 

In  a  previous  chapter  mention  is  made  of  the  colored 
people  of  the  county,  but  before  closing  these  annals  it 
will  be  well  to  write  further  of  those  of  i^frican  descent. 
As  is  there  stated  the  first  colored  j)eople  so  far  as  known 
were  the  two  brought  and  held  here  for  a  time  ah  slaves 
by  Joseph  Smart,  iuterpreter  at  this  U.  S.  agency.  It 
is  true  that  about  that  time  or  previously  thereto.  Judge 
Mason  and  the  Territorial  Court  had  held  that  Iowa  was 
free  soil  and  that  when  a  master  or  owner  voluntarily 
brought  his  slaves  into  Iowa  territory  he  virtually  manu- 
mitted or  made  free  such  slaves.  But  from  all  accounts 
these  first  negroes  here  voluntarily  returned  with  their 
master  to  Missouri,  then  a  slave  state. 

In  the  State  Ousus  Report  of  IS!)"),  for  Iowa, 
which  also  contains  data  as  to  population,  etc.,  in  many 
preceding  years,  Polk  County  is  given  no  colored  popula- 
tion until  the  year  ISGO,  when  the  number  then  in  the 
county  was  placed  at  13.  It  is  true  that  from  1850  to  1860 
and  even  later  than  this  there  were  few  of  the  race  here. 
But  they  were  here  as  the  pioneers  of  the  many  who  have 
since  made  the  county  their  home.  The  late  Judge  M.  D. 
McHenr^',  who  came  here  in  1856,  brought  with  him 
"rncle  Dick"  and  "Aunt  Judy,"  with  their  children,  mak- 
ing them  free.  They  were  well  known  and  much  es- 
teemed, lived  here  many  years  and  some  of  their  children 
are  yet  living  in  the  city.  In  1856-7  John  and  Heni^'  were 
well  known  and  popular  colored  waiters  and  cooks  at  the 
old  Des  Moines  House.  In  1858  Samuel  Cochran  came 
here  with  Senator  Patterson,  of  Muscatine,  and  remained 
here  until  his  death  some  years  ago.  There  were  a  few 
others  whose  names  are  not  remembered,  but  the  census 
figures  of  13  are  probably  correct  as  to  the  number  of 
colored  persons  in  Polk  county  in  1860. 

During  the  civil  war  the  colored  people  began  coming 
in  more  freely,  although  in  1863  the  total  number  in  the 
county  is  placed  at  only  31,  and  in  1865  there  were  91. 
Two  vears  later,  in  18()7,  this  number  swelled  to  263,  in 
1870  the  total  was  323;  1880,  681;  1885,  1,003;  1890,  1,194; 
1895,  1,467.  There  was  a  colored  church  here  as  far  back 
as  1865,  and  not  long  after  the  close  of  the  war  a  brick 
church  was  built  on  East  Fifth  street,  south  of  Court 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  905 

AvGuue.  This  was  used,  foi'  church,  school  aud  sociable 
purposes  for  several  years,  but  was  fiually  abandoned 
as  a  church,  although  other  churches  and  buildings 
soon  folloAved  this  pioneer  one,  aud  the  public  schools 
were  opened  to  the  colored  ou  the  same  terms  as  to  the 
white  children.  And  be  it  said  that  in  a  short  time  little 
complaint  was  made  in  regard  to  these  "mixed  schools." 

Some  years  ago  a  large  frame  church  was  ei'ected  bj' 
the  colored  peojtle  on  Center  street  near  the  dam,  which 
has  since  been  continuously  occupied  by  them.  This  is 
the  St.  Paul  Methodist,  of  which  Kev.  T.  l\eeves  is  now 
the  pastor.  The  Burns  Methodist  church  on  the  East  Side 
218  Des  Moines  street,  is  one  of  the  oldest  if  not  the  oldest, 
colored  church  organization  in  the  city.  There  are  two 
Christian  colored  churches  both  on  the  West  Side,  the  first 
being  held  in  the  building  at  the  corner  of  Tenth  and 
Center,  of  which  Uev.  T.  A.  Clark  is  pastor,  the  other  hav- 
ing a  church  building  of  their  own  on  B  street,  with  Rev. 
R.  A.  Lomas  as  pastor.  The  First  Baptist,  one  of  the 
oldest,  is  located  at  214  East  Second  street,  and  Rev.  C.  M. 
Williams  is  pastor.  Take  the  colored  people  as  a  whole 
they  are  more  of  a  church-going  people  than  are  the 
whites,  as  a  comparison  of  their  numbers  and  the  number 
of  their  churches  in  the  city  will  show. 

Of  the  nearly  two  thousand  colored  people  of  the 
county  only  about  one  hundred  reside  outside  of  the  city 
of  Des  Moines.  Apparently  they  do  not  take  kindly  to 
farming  or  to  a  rural  life,  though  a.  few  of  these  have  been 
successful  and  become  owners  of  good  farms.  But  the 
large  majority  of  the  race  prefer  city  or  town  life.  And 
tf>  their  credit  be  it  said  most  of  them  are  anxious  to  have 
their  children  educated  in  the  schools  and  willingly  make 
personal  sacrifices  to  accomplish  this  and  some  of  the 
brightest  scholars  in  the  schools  of  the  city  belong  to  the 
colored  race.  A  large  proportion  of  the  colored  people  here 
are  industrious,  enterprisng  and  saving,  and  many  of 
them  have  good  homes  of  their  own,  are  successful  in 
business  and  good  citizens.  They  can  be  found  in  all  lines 
of  trade  and  business  and  a  few  have  become  preachers, 
lawyers  or  physicians. 

We  had  intended  to  name  a  number  of  the  prominent 
colored  men  and  women  of  the  county  who  have  honored 


906  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

themselves  and  their  race  by  their  ability,  industry  and 
good  citizenship,  but  at  this  time  space  will  not  permit 

this,  and  slu.nild  we  do  this  and  name  a  score  or  more, 
others  would  say  that  we  made  invidious  distinctions — 
exalted  one  beyond  another — and  tliis  would  not  be  the 
part  of  a  lustorian,  wlio  sliould  write  tlie  facts  as  they 
were  and  are.  The  colored  race  has  been  _nreat]y  liel])ed 
by  the  wliite  race,  and  it  remains  to  be  seen  into  Avliat  they 
will  develop  in  the  future.  While  they  will  never  be  a 
dominant  f(U'ce  in  city  or  county,  in  state  or  mition,  they 
are  and  may  become  a  more  or  less  political  and  (n'onomic 
factor  in  tlu^  affairs  of  the  city,  count}',  and  state.  They 
have  luul  over  tliirty  years  (rf  freedom.  They  must  now 
work  out  and  make  tlieir  own  record,  ydod  or  bail. 


CHAPTER  LVIl.   ■ 

CURRENT  EVENTS 

1895. 

In  March  charges  were  made  against  Mayor  Hillis,  and 
some  little  excitement  was  cansed  thereby.  The  May<iT 
declared  his  readiness  to  answer  any  and  all  charges 
which  might  be  brought  against  him,  declaring  he  had 
been  guilty  <jf  no  conduct  unbecoming  his  office  lu'  his 
character  as  a  law-abiding  and  honorable  citizen.  After 
a  full  hearing  before  the  Council  the  Mayor  was  honor- 
ably acquitted  of  all  charges  made.  Mayor  Hillis  may 
have  made  or  committed  some  errors  while  in  office,  but 
all  now  concede  he  made  an  honorable,  conscientious 
and  high-toned  administration  of  city  affairs  during  the 
two  years  in  which  he  was  the  chief  officer,  and  so  far  as 
was  within  his  power  gave  good,  honest  government  to 
the  city. 

In  March  Ilcuiry  Stivers  .sold  the  Lcadi')-  office  t<i  Sam- 
uel Strauss  and  Allan  Dawson,  and  the  new  ]iro])rietors 
at  once  commimced  making  material  improvements  in 
the  office  and  newspa]jer. 

In  Ajiril  came  the  singular  case  of  Cora  Smith,  who 
plead  guilty  to  the  charge  of  having  caused  the  death  of 
her  stepfather,  Micliael  Smith,  by  administering  i)oison, 
after  her  mother  had  bf^en  convicted  of  the  same  crime. 
A  more  extended  account  of  this  noted'  case  is  given  in 
one  of  the  chapters  on  crime  in  these  Annals. 

In  May  it  Avas  given  out  officially  that  the  total  amount 
of  mortgages  on  the  farms  of  Polk  countv  then  on  record, 
amounted  to  .|!TS5,S07,  and  of  this  .1fn52,8SS  were  mort- 
gages given  to  secure  purchase  mf)ney  of  said  farm  lands. 
Considering  the  financial  depression  of  this  and  previous 
3'ears,  this  was  regarded  as  an  excellent  showing. 

Charles  Bishop  wa.s  assaulted  and  dangerously 
Avounded    Avith   a   knife    bv   Lcav   Warner.     Tin-    culiwit 


!JOS  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

escaped  and  the  wounded  man  recoveved.  Robert  G. 
Harris,  eugiueer  of  tlie  Pipe  aud  Tile  Worlis,  was 
drowned  in  tlie  Des  Moines  River. 

In  Jime  Judge  t-lpurrier,  of  tlie  District  Court,  after  a 
lengthy  hearing,  decided  that  the  petition  for  consent 
under  the  mulct  law  had  not  been  properly  taken,  and 
lience  all  acts  under  it  Avere  invalid.  The  effect  of  this 
\\as  to  in  a  short  time  close  all  the  saloons,  some  fifty  in 
number,  then  in  the  city.  The  saloon  inen  accepted  the 
situation,  and  at  once  took  steps  to  procure  the  neces- 
sary number  of  legal  signers  to  a  new  petition  which 
would  pass  tlie  scrutiny  of  the  court.  In  July  this  new 
petition  of  consent  was  ]ireseuted,  and  nntwitlistanding 
the  eaiiic-t  ojijiosition  of  those  opposed  to  open  saloons, 
the  (-(Mirt  iirunounced  the  new  petition  sufficient  in  fact 
and  lav.-,  and  tlie  saloons  again  opened. 

During  the  time  the  saloons  were  closed  it  was  charged 
the  drug  stores  of  the  city  were  doing  a  large  business 
in  the  sale  of  liquors,  and  to  stop  this  the  friends  of  pro- 
hibition had  fourteen  of  the  driiggists  of  the  city  indicted 
in  July  for  illegal  selling.  Subsequently  a  few  were 
fined  and  the  indictments  against  others  dismissed. 

On  the  night  of  September  3,  there  was  a  total  eclipse 
of  the  moon,  visible  in  Polk  county. 

In  October  the  lai'ge  Des  Moines  elevator  was  burned, 
causing  a  loss  of  over  |.jO,000. 

In  June  the  Sixth  Presbyterian  Church  building  in  the 
western  part  of  the  city,  a  nearly  new  aud  handsome 
structure,  was  almost  wholly  destroyed  by  fire.  It  has 
since  been  rebuilt  and  made  more  handsome  and  com- 
modious than  before. 

At  the  State  Fair  tliis  yeai',  ISOo,  it  was  claimed  that 
on  Thursday,  "Des  iloines  Day,"  tliere  were  more  peo- 
ple on  the  grounds  than  had  ever  previously  gathered 
there  upon  any  occasifin. 

In  August  Michael  IJolleran  was  struck  by  John 
Briggs,  and  died  fi'om  the  effects  of  the  blow.  Briggs 
w.is  arrested. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  909 

December  2J:tli  the  crimes  of  the  year  culminated  in 
the  killing  of  Walter  Scott  by  his  father-in-law,  Dawson, 
an  account  of  which  is  giyeu  in  another  chapter. 

Among  the  suicides  of  the  year  1895,  or  attempts  at 
the  same,  were  the  following:  E.  T.  Clarke,  a  carpenter, 
cut  his  wife's  and  then  his  own  throat,  but  both  recov- 
ered; W.  S.  Smith  killed  himself  with  poison;  Nora  Sta- 
ber,  aged  23,  died  from  poison  taken  by  herself;  J.  J. 
Odeubaugh  suicided;  wife  of  J.  B.  Schemerhorn  killed 
herself  with  j^oison;  Walter  Scott,  a  prominent  young 
druggist,  committed  suicide  with  poison;  Ida  Wert, 
aged  23,  poisoned  herself  and  died;  Lillie  Hicks  died  sud- 
denly from  mistreatment  of  herself;  Peter  Henderson 
hung  himself  from  a  Des  Moines  railroad  bridge;  Mrs. 
J.  W.  Waldron  took  poison  and  died;  Miss  Emma  Har- 
bach  drowned  herself  in  the  Des  Moines  River:  William 
A.  Cooney,  a  well-known  bookbinder,  cut  his  own  throat 
and  died. 

Harry  P.  Walker,  deputy  clerk  of  courts,  while  riding 
a  bicycle,  came  in  collision  with  a  wagon,  was  badly 
injured,  and  subsec|uently  died. 

Among  the  dead  of  the  year  were:  J.  A.  Hammer,  ex- 
alderman  and  deijuty  city  clerk;  Charles  Smith,  an  old 
time  resident  of  the  city;  William  M.  Day,  ex-justice  and 
early  settler;  Dr.  R.  M.  DeWitt,  a  well  known  plhysician; 
Mrs.  West,  wife  of  Capt.  F.  R.  West,  a  resident  of  the  city 
for  more  than  forty  years  and  prominent  in  church  and 
charitable  affairs  and  universally  respected  and  beloved; 
Austin  W.  Webb,  an  early  settler  at  Saylorville;  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  E.  Long,  a  most  esteemed  lady  who  for  years 
bad  managed  hotels  and  boarding  houses  in  the  city;  A. 
Y.  Rawson,  a  prominent  businesis  man  and  capitalist, 
head  of  the  large  pipe  and  tile  works;  Lorenzo  I>.  Sims, 
amo'ng  the  earliest  settlers  and  a  wealthy  and  prominent 
farmer  of  the  county;  W.  S.  Sickmon,  an  able  attorney; 
Ira  Mitchell,  an  old  citizen  and  also  relative  of  Hon. 
Thomas  Mitchell  and  Judge  John  Mitchell;  Ted  Bode- 
•«'3'-ne,  an  early  settler,  who  died  from  injuries  received  on 
the  Great  Western  railroad  track;  A.  R.  Case,  a  noted  real 
estate  agent,  who  was  accidentally  drowned  in  the  Des 
Moines  river;  Erwdn  Caldwell,  killed  by  lightning  at  High- 


'J II)  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

laud  Park;  ^Suloiuou  Hewitt,  au  aged  and  highly  respected' 
citizen;  Mrs.  Marj^  E.  Eiaymo'nd,  wife  of  ex-Supreme  Court 
Ke])(jrter  Ilaymoud,  aud'  daughter  of  ex-President 
Magouu,  of  Iowa  College,  at  Grinnell,  a  highly  educated 
and  accomi)lished  lady  and  writer;  Gen.  Ed,  Wright, 
formerly  member  of  the  General  Assembly,  speaker  of  the 
House,  Secretary  of  State,  Secretary  of  the  Capitol  Coni- 
mis^sion,  etc.,  and  at  the  time  of  hiis'  clieath  one  of  the  two 
members  of  the  city  Board  of  Public  Works;  John  W. 
Flyuu,  a  well  known  young  business  man,  sou  of  John 
and  nephew  of  Martin  Flynn. 

1S!H;. 

One  of  the  excitement^  of  1896  was  the  robbing  of 
gia\rs  at  Sa>'l(>ryille  cemetery.  The  graves  of  Mr-, 
liachel  Townsend  and  Saudy  Bell  were  robbed  of  their 
bodices.  Thiis  being  .«oon  discovered  a  prompt  search  was 
jiiade  and  the  two  bodies  found  in  the  rooms  of  the  Med- 
ical Department  of  the  Drake  Univerisity,  on  Mulberry 
street,  near  the  court  house.  A  number  of  arrests  were 
made  of  medical  students  and  others,  and  criminal  action 
comnreneed,  but  the  bodies  being  returned  and  reburied, 
in  time  the  prosecutions  were  dropped  and  no  one  con- 
victed of  the  crime. 

C.  D.  Davies,  who  had  some  time  before  started  a  bank 
at  Peru,  in  Madison  County,  and  who  had  swindled  depos- 
itiirs  and  those  whom  he  had  iirduced  to  take  stock  in  the 
bank,  was  in  January  brought  back  from  New  York, 
where  he  had  been  arrested.  There  had  been  much  excite- 
ment in  thiat  localit}''  over  liis  robbery  of  the  people,  and 
tlip  officers  feared  the  people  there  would  execute  sunr 
mary  justice  upon  the  robber,  but  they  allowed  him  to  be 
taken  to  the  jail  of  Madison  County.  From  this  jail  he 
escaped  and  has  not  since  been  heard  from,  so  far  as  the 
]»ublic  know. 

The  Pioneer  Law  Makers  of  Iowa  had  a  meeting  of  their 
association  February  22-23,  and  had  able  and  valuable 
addresses  delivered  by  a  number  of  the  members.  Many 
facts  of  history  pertaining  to  the  state  were  brought  out. 
The  Geu'cral  Assembly,  then  in  session,  gave  a  cordial 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE,S  MOIM-:^.  911 

welcome  to  their  pioueer  p rede c ess o-ns.  Such  reunions 
are  not  only  pleasant  to  the  participants,  but  the  associa- 
tion has  done  much  for  the  preservation  and  perpetuation 
of  the  eariv  hiistory  of  Iowa. 

In  February  William  Burton  and  Frank  Murphy,  sen- 
tenced til  the  penitentiary  for  fifteen  and  hve  years 
respectively,  escaped  from  the  deputy  sheriff  in  charge  at 
Keokuk  while  being  taken  to  Fort  Madison. 

Betsy  Ann  Oollinis  wa,s  indicted  for  the  murder  of  her 
child,  a  few  monthis  old.  Her  husbauid  was  a  resident  of 
the  S'outh  side  and  ha^d  left  his  wife  in  his  native  country, 
England,  for  several  years.  lie  then  sent  for  her  to  rejoin 
him,  and  a  few  mouths  after  arrival  tlie  child  was  born, 
whicli  caused  trouble,  and  was  alleged  as  the  reason  f<ir 
killing-  it.  I'pon  further  legal  inA'estigatian  the  woman 
^■as  acquitted  of  the  crime. 

One  Claycomb  was  arrested  for  shi]:)i)ing  bodies  from 
robbed  graves  at  Omaha  and  selling  the  same  to  the  Med- 
ical Department  of  Drake  University.  He  was  subse- 
quently sent  baick  to  Omaha  and  convicted  of  the  crime. 

February  27,  1890,  some  thouisands  of  forfeited  railroad 
lands  in  O'Brien  County  weie  opened  for  homestead  entry 
in  the  United  States  Land  Office  in  this  city.  About  one 
thousand  eager  homesteaders  were  here  at  the  <)pening, 
anxious  to  make  their  filings.  In  a  day  or  two  the  work 
Avas  over  and  the  adjudication  of  conflicting  claims  and 
entries  occupied'  much  of  the  attention  of  the  land  officers 
for  many  months  thereafter. 

In  March  the  community  was  shocked  by  the  announce- 
ment that  Suel  J.  Spaulding,  Secretary  of  the  State  Phar- 
ma.cy  ("ommissiou,  was  a  defaulter  to  the  extent  of  some 
.113,000  of  funds  belonging  to  the  cninmissioners  or  state. 
He  was  subsequently  indicted  and  tried  in  the  District 
Court  and  acquitted  upon  the  ground  that  he  was  not  a 
legal  .custodian  of  the  funds  of  the  commission  of  the 
state.  Spaulding  is  a  young  man  who  was  born  in  the 
county,  his  father  being  ex-sheriff  S.  J.  Spaulding,  one  of 
the  best  of  men,  who  died  years  ago.  Young  Spaulding 
g'ambled  away  the  money  in  board  of  trade  operations, 
and  tliendiy,  like  ton  many  others,  ruined,  let  us  hope  not 


912  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

forever,  a  si>len'Clid  reputatiou.  He  is  now  in  business  in 
tlie  citj-,  and  trying-  to  retrieve  liimself,  and  his  many 
friends  liope  he  may  in  time  do  Sio. 

In  March  C.  B.  Pearson,  a  noted  photographer  on  the 
East  Side,  fell  from  an  outside  stairway  leading  to  his 
gallery,  and  soon  died  from  the  effects  oi  the  fall.  He  at 
the  time  had  been  engaged  in  a  heated  discussion  over  a 
businesis  matter  with  two  brothers,  Charles  and  Henry 
Wilcox,  a-nd  they  were  charged  with  having  been  the 
cause  of  his  death.  They  were  arrested  but  afterwards 
ful].y  acquitted  of  the  alleged  crime. 

In  March  there  was  a  disastrous  fire  in  the  large  brick 
retail  furniture  store  of  Louis  Harbach,  on  Walnut  street, 
and  before  it  could  be  suppressed  damage  was  do'ue  to  the 
amount  of  some  |.50,000  to  the  building  and  valuable 
goods  stored  therein.  The  loss  wais  mostly  covered  by 
insurance. 

The  city  election  in  April  was  one  of  the  most  exciting 
known  for  yeans.  There  was  a  sharp  and  protracted  con- 
test over  the  republican  nomination  for  mayor  between 
John  MacVicar  and  F.  C.  Macartney — the  former  finally 
securing  the  nominatio-n.  The  democrats  and  oppositio-n 
nominated  C.  C  Loo-mis  for  mayor.  The  canvass  was  a 
hot  one  and  party  lines  were  biaidly  broken.  A  big  fight 
wias  made  o-n  electio-n  day  at  the  polls,  and'  the  final  result 
was  the  election  of  MacVicar  by  more  than  1,000  majority 
and  the  whole  republican  city  ticket- 
In  April  the  bottling  works  at  the  east  end  of  Locust 
street  bridge,  owned  by  Seth  Buttler  &  Co.,  were  almost 
wholly  destroyed  by  fire,  enaiiling  a  loss  of  some  .115,000, 
with  partial  insurance.  They  were  soon  rebuilt  and  the 
works  again  in  operation. 

In  the  United  States  Court  Sam-  Mash,  a  colored  attor- 
ney and  a.  notorious  character  of  the  city,  was  convicted 
O'f  usinig  the  United  States  mails-  for  fraudulent  purpose®. 
He  was  sentenced  to  tbe  penitentiary,  but  Judge  Woolson 
s'uspiended  the  same  mth  the  understanding  that  "Col. 
Sam-"  sihould  not  remain  in  Des  Moines-  or  in  the  state. 
The  "Colonel"  left  the  state  and  has  o-nly  once  since 
returned  to  Des  Moine®  and  then  on  the  written  permis- 
sion of  the  judge.    He  is  banished  if  set  free. 


AND  THE  CITY  OP  DES  MOIXES.  913 

A  newspaper  calls  attemtion  to  the  fact  that  the  wife  of 
Bernard  Murphy,  formerly  of  this'  city,  amcl  for  yearsi  the 
■editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Vinton,  Benton  County, 
Eagle,  wa'S  one  of  the  first  few  white  children  born  in  Fort 
Des  Moines.  Her  maiden  name  was  Luella  Baird, 
daughter  of  John  Baird,  mentioned  in  the  earlj'  chapters 
of  these  Annals. 

July  8,  1896,  caiue  the  semi-centennial  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  Polk  Co'unty,  which  was  duly  celebrated,  as 
lecorded  in  another  chapter. 

In  August  there  was  a  destructive  fireat  the  Iowa  Pipe 
and  Tile  Works  ou  the  East  Side,  causing  a  loss  of  about 
.|;2.5,000. 

On  an  evening  in  September  George  Frank  was  stabbed 
in  an  affray  near  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Walnut,  and 
died  next  day.  Two'  .young  men,  brot'hens,  William  and 
McPherson  Harris,  were  arrested  for  the  crime.  In  Octo- 
ber William  Hariis  w-as  inidicted,  tried,  convicted  and  sen- 
tenced to  twenty-five  years  in  the'  penitentiaay.  The 
other  brother  was  set  free. 

October  28th  George  and  Fred  Miller  robbed  a  store  at 
Runnells.  They  were  pursued  and  captured  near  Eising 
Sun,  and  placed  in  the  county  jail.  Novem;ber  9th  they 
were  indicted,  pleaded  guilty,  and  were  sentenced  each  to 
seven  yeans  in  the  penitentiar}'.  In  this  instance,  at 
least,  punishment  swiftly  followed  the  crime. 

Among  the  suicides'  of  the  year  were:  L.  E.  Skinner, 
shot  himself  in  the  head;  Mrs.  Lucy  Wickersham,  by 
poison;  Thos.  Hall,  coal  dealer,  shot  himself  with  pisto'l. 

Some  of  the  fatalitias  were:  Charles  Novinger,  crushed 
to  death  by  a  rolling  log  at  Longshore's  mill;  John  Stew- 
art, killed  in  the  elevator  at  the  Observatory  Building; 
Dr.  W.  C.  Pipino,  a  prominent  physician,  thrown  from  his 
horse  and  killed;  Thomas  Kavanagh,  son  of  Ma.rcus,  and 
I)rother  of  Judge  Kavanagh,  drowned  in  the  Des  Moines 
Eiver. 

Among  the  dead  of  1896  in  the  city  and  county  were: 
Hon.  George  G.  Wright,  ex-supreme  jirdge  and  United 
States  senator,  one  of  the  mrst  prominent  citizens  of  the 
state;  Wm.  M.  Patchen,  carpenter  and  contractor,  and 


914  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

early  settler;  Rev.  John  Newman,  a  noted  minister;  Mrs. 
Harriet  Wilsey  Brandt,  wife  of  Isaac  Brandt,  an  early  set- 
tler and  moist  excellent  woman;  Mrs.  Callie  Smitli  Gard- 
ner, born  in  Desi  Moines,  daughter  of  the  late  John  L. 
Smith  and  sister  of  the  late  Hiram  Y.  Smith;  Henry 
Hirsch,  for  years  a  leading  clothing  merchant;  Henry  O. 
McBroom,  an  earlj  settler  and  prominent  farmer;  Daniel 
B.  Evans,  formerly  a  prominent  merchant  of  Ripley,  Ohio, 
soon  followed  l)y  his  faithful  and  loving  wife,  and  tlieir 
bodies  were  taken  back  to  their  old  Ohio  home  and  there 
buried;  Col.  E.  F.  Hooker,  who-  came  to-  Des  Moines  at  an 
early  day  and  had  charge  of  the  Western  Stage  Com- 
pany's lines  in  this  state  for  years,  and  afterwards  was 
connected  witli  the  Union  Pacific  and  other  railroads; 
John  Parker,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  who  died  in  Dakota; 
Mrs.  Elizabeth,  Avife  of  Judge  Josiah  Given,  of  the 
Supreme  Court. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  ninety-six  was  a  noted  ptditical 
year.  The  excitement  in  the  city  and  county  was  higli 
for  more  than  the  usual  time  in  a  presidential  campaign. 
Tlie  financial  question  over-top]>ed  all  others.  Voters 
were  forced  to-  take  sides  on  the  question  of  the  free  C(nn- 
age  of  silver.  The  Republican  party  in  national  conven- 
tion had  declared  against  this  free  coinage  and  in  favor 
of  the  single  gold  standard,  and  nominated  William 
McKinley.  There  was  stromg  opposition  to  this  declara- 
tion, and  a  number  of  prominent  delegates  refused  to  be 
bound  by  the  action  of  the  convention.  The  Democratic 
national  convention  declared  in  favor  of  the  free  coinage 
of  silver  and  nominated  for  president  William  J.  Bryan. 
A  large  number  of  Democratic  delegates  "bolted"  this 
action  of  the  comvention,  and  wei'e  upheld  in  this  by  Pres- 
ident Clc^'eland  and  his  administration.  These  "bolters" 
subsequently  held  another  convention  and  nominated  the 
aged  Gen.  Palmer,  of  Illinois,  for  president.  The  Peo- 
ple's Party,  in  its  national  convention,  nrnninateil  Will- 
iam J.  Bryan.  The  Silver  Republicams  also  nominated 
him.  Hence  Mr.  Bryan  had  the  support  of  the  regular 
Democrats,  the  Populists  and  the  Silver  Republicans, 
while  Mr.  McKinley  had  the  support  of  the  regular 
Reimblicans,  and  the  efficient,  if  not  open,  support  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  915 

what  were  termed  Gold  Democrats,  of  tlie  Cleveland 
administration,  and  all  other  opponents  of  the  free  coin- 
age of  silver. 

In  this  county  there  were  many  changes  made.  The 
great  majority  of  the  Democrats  and  Populists,  w'ith  a 
number  of  avowed  Silver  Eepublicanis,  united  upon,  in 
oppovsitiou  to  the  Eepublicanis,  a  state  and  county  ticket, 
Avhile  the  Eepublicanis  were  aided  by  man^-  former  Dem- 
ocrats and  a  few  Populists.  For  weeks  aud  months  the 
people  were  eagerly  discussing  political  questions,  and 
daily  and  nightly  crowclis  would  gather  in  the  principal 
streets  dicussing  matters'  pertaining  to  the  political  cam- 
paign. Everybody  seemed  more  or  less  interested.  Large 
meetings  were  held,  prominent  speakers  were  called  upon 
to  take  part;  there  ^\€re  torchlight  procesisions,  brass 
bauds,  and  all  the  paraphernalia  of  an  exciting  political 
campaign,  etc.,  etc.  And  yet,  be  it  written  to  the  credit 
of  our  people,  there  was  but  little  rowdyism  or  fighting, 
or  even  approaches  towards  rioting.  At  the  election  in 
November  the  Eepublicams  carried  the  city  and  county  bj 
large  majorities.     See  table  of  vote  in  another  place. 

1S97. 

In  January  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  met  in 
extra  session  for  the  purpose  of  completing  a  thorough 
revision  of  the  laws  of  JoA-^-a.  After  a  protracted  session 
this  work  wais  completed  and  the  General  Assembly  took 
a  recess  until  July,  when  in  two  days  the  extra  session 
finally  ended.  Th'e  new  code  or  revision  was.  then  taken 
in  charge  by  the  legislative  committees,  editors,  annota- 
tors,  printers  and  binders,  aud  copies  of  the  same  were 
delivered  a  short  time  previous  to  October  1st,  when  the 
new  code  went  into  legal  effect  and  became  the  law  of  the 
state. 

During  this  session  a  number  of  investigations  were 
had  relative  to  the  conduct  of  state  officers  and  other  mat- 
ters, and  especially  as  to  state  printing  and  binding.  An 
effort  was  made  to  abolish  the  office  of  state  printer  and 
state  binder,  but  without  avail,  though  some  reductions 
were  made  in  the  prices  paid  by  the  state  for  .such  work. 


916  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Some  minor  reductions  were  made  also  iu  amounts 
allowed  other  state  officers  for  clerks,  etc. 

The  culture  of  sugar  beets  and  the  erection  of  a  sugar 
mauufactorr  in  or  near  Des  Moines  attracted  much  atten- 
tion for  several  mo^nths,  but  went  over  to  the  future  for 
further  discussion  and  consideration. 

In  February  there  was  a  destructive  fire  in  the  Lathrop- 

Rhodes-McOain  book  and  supply  store  on  Locust  street. 
There  was  a  loss  of  $5,000  on  goods,  while  the  building, 
owned  by  Byron  Rice,  was  considerably  damaged.  The 
Ii.;sses  were  mostly  covered  by  insurance,  and  Judge  Rice 
jtromptlj-  rep-aired  all  damages  to  the  building. 

In  March  the  City  Council  purchased  one  hundred  and 
ninety-five  acres'  of  what  was  termed  the  "Ingersoll 
Tract"  in  the  western  part  of  the  city  for  a  new  cemetery. 

Towards  the  latter  part  of  March  there  were  hign 
waters  in  the  Des  Moines  and  Raccoon  Rivers,  some  of 
the  low  lands  were  submerged  and  a  number  of  families 
driven  from  their  homes.  There  was  considerable  loss 
and  some  suffering.  The  only  loss  of  life  noted  was  that 
of  a  young  man  named  Harry  Cram,  who  was  drowned 
near  the  mouth  of  Beaver  Creek. 

For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  Iowa  legislation  a 
number  of  prominent  women  appeared  before  a  legisla- 
tive committee  and  argued  against  the  extension  of  the 
right  of  suft'rage  to  women  in  Iowa. 

On  the  evening  of  April  6th,  in  an  East  Side  saloon,  in 
an  altercation,  Fred  Riel  struck  with  a  beer  glass  Carl 
Leveke,  and  in  a  day  or  two  afterwiards  Leveke  died  from 
the  effect  of  the  blows.  They  were  both  men  -w^ith  fami- 
lies and  former  friends.  Reil  was  arrested  and  held  for 
murder.  He  was  indicted  and  in  June  tried  for  the  crime. 
He  was  found  guilty  o-f  manslaughter,  and  sentenced  to 
five  years  in  the  penitentiary.  An  appeal  w.as  taken  and 
Reil  gave  bonds.  Subsequently  the  Sui^reme  Court  affirmed 
the  sentence  and  Reil  is  now  in  the  penitentiary. 

Charges  were  preferred  against  Police  Judge  Frank 
Phillips  and  an  attempt  made  to  remove  him  from  office. 
After  a  hearing  before  the  City  Council  he  was  acquitted. 


AJVD  THE  CITY  OF  DEti  MOINES.  1*17 

A  few  mouths  after  Judge  Phillips  resigned  the  office  ou 
aeeouut  of  (ioutiuued  ill  health,  aud  Justice  ►Silvera  was 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  until  a.fter  the  next  regular  city 
election. 

The  women  favorable  to  female  suffrage  appeared 
before  committeevs  and  members  of  the  General  Assembly, 
advocating  an  amenduiient  tO'  lo'wa  lawvs  so  as  to  allow 
women  to  vote  at  lall  elections.  Miss  Susan  B.  Anthony, 
Mrs.  Carrie  Lane-Chapman-Catt,  and  ladies  from  Idaho, 
Colorado  and  Nebraska  were  present  and  urged  favorable 
legislation.  The  Greneral  Assembly  declined  taking  any 
definite  action. 

Hon.  Jameis  Wilson,  of  Tama  County',  having  been  tend- 
ered the  position  of  Secretary'  of  Agriculture  in  the  cabi- 
net of  President  McKinlej',  was  given  a  receptio'n  by  the 
Grant  Club  in  their  rooms. 

In  April  news  was  received  of  the  killing  by  burglars 
in  a  savings  bank  in  New  Hampshire,  of  the  cashier, 
Joseph  A.  Stickney.  He  was  a  well  known  citizen  of  Des 
Moines  from  185G  until  in  the  '60s,  and  was  married  here 
to  Miss  White,  a  teacher,  while  bidding  the  jjosition  of 
principal  of  the  first  graded  school  in  Des  Moines.  He 
and  his  wife  returned  to  New  Hampshire  in  the  early  '60s. 

Mrs.  Catherine  Weisbrod,  an  estimable  aged  lady,  who 
had  resided  in  Des  Moines  some  forty  years,  was  killed  ou 
the  Eock  Island  track  on  the  East  Side,  it  is  supposed 
after  alighting  from  a  Great  Western  coach  upon  which 
she  had  been  returning  to  her  home. 

On  June  23d  the  Democrats,  People's  Party  and  Silver 
Kepublicans  held  state  conventions  and  united  upO'U  the 
same  state  ticket.  The  Democratic  convention  was  a 
very  large  and  enthusiastic  one,  the  Populist  conventioai 
was  also  a  large  one,  and  the  Silver  Republicans  were 
well  represented. 

The  Republican  county  convention  in  July  nominated 
as  county  candidates:  For  senator,  Thos.  A.  Cheshire; 
representatives,  Charles  A.  Stewa-rt  and  George  H.  Carr; 
treasurer,  H.  C.  Murphy;  sheriff,  James  E.  Stout;  coroner, 
II.  Y.  Ankeny;  surveyor,  G.  F.  Lambert;  school  superiu- 
tendent,  James  Brenton. 


918  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

In  July  Governor  Drake  accidentally  fell  on  the  steps 
of  the  capitol,  and  was  severely  injured,  causing  also  a 
reopening  of  old  wounds  received  during  the  Avar.  Delay 
iu  re-eistablishiug  his  health  caused  him  to  make  public 
announcement  that,  he  would  not  be  a  candidate  for 
rcnomination  by  the  Eepublican  convention,  of  which  he 
had  been  previouvsly  asisured.  For  months  following  the 
governor  co'uld  not  spend  but  a  portion  of  his  time  at  the 
capitol. 

In  August  a  singular  occurrence  took  place  in  the  city. 
William  n.  Foster  wa>s  married  one  evening  at  8  o'clock 
and  died  suddenly  of  heart  disea-se  within  one  and  one- 
half  hours  of  his  marriage. 

In  the  city  Mr.  ami  Mrs.  Alexander  Blair  celebrated  the 
■sixty-third  anniversary  of  their  mar-riage,  boitli  in  excel- 
lent health.     They  came  to  Iowa  iu  1851. 

The  statie  fair  held  in  September  ^v'aa  one  of  the  most 
succesisful  ever  held  by  the  State  Society.  The  exhibits 
were  much  above  the  average  and,  the  atteniilauce  of  peo- 
ple wa.s  larger  than  ever  before.  The  society  netted  more 
than  .f  10,000  over  exi'enises. 

Part  of  the  success  of  this  fair  belones  to  the  liberal 
citizens  of  Des  Moines,  who  subscribed  some  flO,000  to 
revive  the  Seni  Om  Sed  celebrations  of  several  years 
Ijefore.  Arches  were  ereeted  on  principal  streetis,  and 
gas  and  eleetrii-  lights,  in  enilless  profusion,  with  tl:igs, 
wreaths  and  other  decorations  made  a.  brilliant  display 
<in  the  principal  streets.  Man^'  business  houses  and  resi- 
dences were  illuminated  and  decorated.  The  throngs  of 
people  O'n  the  streets  were  immense.  On  Mouiday  night 
the  running  of  the  batteries  at  A^iclcsbnrg  was  given  on 
the  river,  making  a,  magnificent  disjday.  On  Wednesday 
evening  came  the  grand  parade  through  the  princii>al 
streets  ,witli  floats,  military,  etc.,  winding  up  on  Friday 
evening  with  the  burlesque  and  fun.  The  streets  were 
(•io\A-ded  with  ]>eo]de  and  all  ])a.sise'd  off  without  accident 
and  in  the  happiest  manner.  A  Seni  Om  Sed  Association 
has  been  formed,  to  be  a-  jsermainent  institntio'n,  and  con- 
duct celebrations  each  year  of  the  futiire. 

Among  the  dead  of  1897  Avere:  William  G.  Madden, 
for  years  a  pfrominent  farmer,  stock  raiser  and  dealer, 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  J/O/A'L^S.  UlU 

and  a  ineuiber  of  the  General  Asisembly;  Captaiu  Isaac 
W.  Griffith,  a  veterau  of  the  Mexican  war,  nearly  fifty 
years  agO',  a  member  of  the  Iowa  General  Assembly,  reg- 
ister of  the  United  Btates  land  office,  sheriff  of  this  county, 
and  holding  other  placas  o-f  responsibility  and  trust,  with 
large  knowledge  of  the  earlj^  and  later  history  of  Iowa; 
C.  C.  Cory,  superintendent  of  the  Girls'  Eeform  School  at 
Mitchellville;  David  Norris,  one  of  the  earliest  settlens, 
kninvn  and  esteemi'd  by  all,  a^nd  at  the  time  of  his  death 
was  in  his  ninety-sixth  year;  Samuel  P.  Ives,  an  early  set- 
tler and  prominent  real  estate  man;  B.  F.  Frederick,  an 
early  .settler  and  farnxer  near  Iiising  Sun,  and  died  in 
Kansas;  Preiston  B.  Durley,  business  manager  and  one  of 
the  proprietors  of  the  Daily  News;  William  K.  Bird,  son 
of  the  pioneer  Presbyterian  minister.  Rev.  Thompson 
Bird;  James  A.  Garrett,  an  early  settler  and  farmer  who 
died  in  California;  in  Xew  Mexico,  Harry  Lyon,  son  of 
Jonathan  Lyon,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers;  William  A. 
Park,  a  prominent  attorney  of  the  city;  Harriet  G. 
Ankeny,  a  noted  woman,  widow  of  Gen.  Ankeny,  Avho 
died  in  her  ninety-seventh  year;  Mits.  Jane  E.  Atmore,  a 
resident  of  Des  Moines  for  more  than  forty  years,  one  of 
the  brightest  of  women;  John  V.  Crum,  a  noted  young 
athlete  amd  pride  of  the  State  University;  Mrs.  Mary 
Steele,  widow  of  Dr.  B.  L.  Steele,  a.  noted  pioneer  physi- 
cian; Mrs.  Wright,  widow  of  Judge  George  G.  Wright, 
one  of  the  best  of  pioneer  women;  Col.  C.  H.  Gatch,  one  of 
the  mO'St  prominent  lawyers,  a  gallant  soldier,  served  one 
term  in  the  Ohio  senate  and  eight  years  in  the  Iowa  sen- 
ate, and  one  of  the  best  of  citizens;  Richard  Ashworth,  a 
pioneer  settler  in  Walnut  Township,  prominent  farmer, 
and  an  honest,  upright  man. 

1S98. 

On  the  evening  of  January  5,  occurred  a  sudden  trag- 
edy, which  startled  the  entire  city.  A  stranger,  subse- 
quently known  to  be  John  W.  Stone,  of  Sioux  (-.'ity,  came 
into  the  large  shoe  store  of  Charles  L.  Kahler  &  Co.,  and 
lingered  about  until  about  G:30,  when  the  clerks  were 
busy  closing  up  the  work  of  the  day.  When  asked  if  he 
desired  anything  he  suddenly  drew  a  revolver  and  com- 


920  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

menced  firing  with  deadly-  intent,  upon  the  startled  clerlis 
and  others  in  the  store.  One  of  the  first  shots  strack  Franlc 
Kahler,  sou  of  the  senior  member  of  the  firm.  Another 
shot  took  effect  in  the  arm  of  Thomas  Arriss,  a  partner. 
Clifford  Childs,  a  clerk,  was  wounded  in  the  foot.  Frank 
Smvth,  a  voung  clerk,  then  closed  with  the  madman,  aud 
after  a  severe  struggle,  -succeeded  in  securing  the  pistol, 
and  other  help  coming  Stone  was  taken  into  custody  bv 
the  officers.  Upon  examination  it  was  soon  found  that 
Frank  Kahler  was  mortall,y  wounded,  aud  died  before 
he  could  be  taken  to  his  home.  He  was  a  young  man,  born 
and  reared  in  Des  Moines,  popular  and  of  excellent  busi- 
ness ability,  and  had  a  Avife  and  two  children.  The  wounds 
of  Arriss  and  Childs,  though  painful,  were  fouud  not  to  be 
dangerous.  Stone,  the  murderer,  was  shortly  afterwards 
identified  as  a  young  man  whose  parents  lived  in  Sioux 
City,  and  was  known  to  be  eccentric,  if  not  insane,  but  had 
not  been  considered  too  dangerous  to  be  allowed  his  lib- 
erty. He  had  no  acquaintance  with,  and  consequently  no 
enmity  against  Kahler  or  the  others  in  the  store.  After 
examination  in  court  he  was  sent  to  the  Anamosa  peni- 
tentiary for  confinement  until  his  mental  condition  could 
be  accurately  determined.  Subsequently  it  was 
announced  that  Stone  has  iK-'come  hopelessly  insane,  and 
the  probabilities  are  tliat  he  Avill  never  be  brouglit  to  trial 
in  our  courts. 

The  first  of  the  year  J.  A.  Lai'S^n,  a  well  known  book 
binder,  a  resident  of  Des  Moiues  for  a  number  of  years  and 
well  esteemed,  left  liis  home  one  evening  in  apparently 
good  spirits,  and  the  next  evening  his  dead  body  was  found 
in  a  room  in  a  hotel  on  the  East  Side,  lie  had  evidently 
committed  suicide  while  in  a  fit  of  mentnl  depression. 

In  January  the  Auditor  auu.ounced  that  the  County  of 
Polk  was  virtually  out  of  debt.  There  were  no  county 
bonds  out,  and  an  aggregate  debt  of  it?13,.512  was  much 
more  than  balanced  by  .^45,(141  in  cash  then  in  the 
treasury. 

In  February  the  Pioneer  Law  Makers  of  Iowa  held  their 
biennial  meeting,  which  was  well  attended  by  members 
of  the  Association,  not  a  few  of  them  coming  from  other 
states,  where  they  now  reside.  On  the  last  day  a  public 
reception  was  given  the  members  by  both  houses  of  the 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  921 

Geueral  Assembly  and  the  Governor.  Major  Hovt  Sher- 
man, of  Des  Moines,  was  elected  President  for  the  eusniug 
term.  The  papers  read  added  mnch  to  the  written  historv 
of  Iowa  and  lowaus. 

In  the  chapter  on  crime  an  acconnt  is  given  of  the  con- 
viction of  Betsy  vSmith  of  the  murder  of  her  liusband  bv 
poisoning,  and  her  sentence  to  imijrisonment  for  life  in 
the  penitentiary.  Also  of  the  subsequent  plea  of  guilty 
made  by  her  daughter,  exonerating  the  mother  from  the 
charge  upon  which  she  had  been  found  guilt.y.  Mrs. 
Smith's  case  had  been  appealed  to  the  Suijreme  Court,  and 
finally  there  decided  that  she  had  been  found  guilty  upon 
insufficient  evidence,  and  a  new  trial  was  ordered.  FoJ- 
lowing  this  decision  in  March  Judge  Conrad,  of  the  Dis- 
trict Court,  ordered  the  return  of  Mrs.  Smith  from  the  pen- 
itentiary to  Polk  County.  It  is  stated  her  health  is  bad, 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  she  is  again  placed  on  trial,  as  many 
of  the  important  witnesses  in  the  former  trial  are  out  of 
the  state  and  grave  doubts  are  entertained  as  to  the  justice 
of  the  former  verdict  against  her. 

Among  the  dead  of  the  first  three  months  of  1898  were 
Alexander  Lederer,  senior  member  of  the  wholesale  mil- 
linery firm  of  Lederer,  Strauss  &  Co.,  who  had  been  in 
business  in  Des  Moines  for  about  one-third  of  a  century, 
respected  by  all;  Theodore  Montgomery,  of  Camp  ToAvn- 
ship,  the  son  of  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  and  himself  an 
old  soldier  and  prominent  citizen;  Thomas  M.  Xagle, 
another  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  county;  Andrew  J. 
Ricke,  a  leading  farmer  near  Rising  Sun;  Garrett  C.  Van 
Ginkel,  son  of  G.  Van  Ginkel,  a  bright  young  man  under 
30  years  of  age,  and  in  a  few  weeks  afterward  died  his 
mother,  Catherine,  a  noble  mother  and  wife,  long  resident, 
know  and  loved  in  Sevastopol,  the  South  Side,  and  where 
ever  known;  Mark  John  Biddle  Priestly,  father  of  Dr. 
James  Taggart  Priestly,  and  an  excellent  man  of  illustri- 
ous lineage;  Mrs.  Metta  Berger,  mother  of  daughters  whn 
are  prominent  teachers  in  the  schools  of  the  city;  John 
McFarland,  for  many  years  a  merchant  and  business  man 
of  Des  Moines. 

The  preceding  canvass  and  the  election  of  Mayor  and 
other  city  officers,  the  election  being  held  March  28,  was 


922  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

one  of  the  most  excitiug  iu  the  history  of  Des  Moines.  The 
Eemocrats  held  tlie  tirst  convention  and  nominated  the 
fclloAving  ticlcet: 

For  Mavoi',  J.  J.  Ilartenbower;  for  Solicitor,  E.  B. 
Evans;  for  Treasurer,  A.  B.  Mc(A)Wu;  for  Auditor,  C.  J.  M. 
Anderson;  for  Police  Judye,  W.  K.  English;  for  City 
Engineer,  B.  X.  Moss;  for  Market  Master,  Louis  Stohl- 
greu;  for  Assessor,  Harry  W.  Iluegle;  for  Park  Commis- 
sioner, W.  J.  Gaston;  for  Councilmau-at-Large,  Des  Moines 
Township,  11.  I).  Cozens;  For  Councilman-at-Large,  Lee 
Township,  A'^'arreu  A^'alker. 

The  great  interest,  however,  was  over  the  republican 
nomination  for  Mayor.  John  MacYicar,  the  Mayor,  was 
a  candidate  for  re-nomination  and  re-election,  and  those 
o]:)po8ed  to  him  united  on  John  Sliernmn  as  their  candi- 
date. This  contest  was  carried  on  for  weeks.  Many  meet- 
ing were  held;  heated  and  often  bitter  discussions  were 
had.  Several  of  the  news])a])ers  took  an  active  part  in  the 
figiit  and  various  chai'ges  and  counter-charges  were  made. 
The  question  of  municipal  ownership  of  electric  plants, 
water  works,  street  railways,  etc.,  was  much  discussed. 
'''.Vlien  the  Republican  primaries  were  held  the  MacVicar 
men  gained  a  swee])ing  victory,  aiul  at  the  following  con- 
vention the  nominations  made  were: 

For  Mayo)-,  John  MacYicar;  for  vSolicitor,  J.  Edward 
Mershon;  for  Treasurer,  A.  B.  Elliott;  for  Auditor,  B.  0. 
Hanger;  for  Police  Judge,  L.  L  Silvara;  f(n"  City  Engineer, 
(Jeo.  M.  King;  for  Market  Master,  Frank  Blagburn;  for 
Assessor,  F.  A.  Frencli;  for  Park  Commissioner,  Sidney 
A.  Foster;  for  Councilman-at-Large,  Des  iloines  Town- 
ship, James  fl.  Olmstead;  for  (.'ouncilman-at-Large,  Lee 
Township,  John  Loveridge. 

The  canvass  which  followed  was  a  very  intei-estiug  one, 
and  both  sides  displayed  much  energy  and  not  a  little  feel- 
ing. Party  lines  were  loosely  drawn.  Hundreds  of  Repub- 
licans supported  Mr.  HartenboAVer,  the  democratic  candi- 
date, a  most  excellent  and  ])o]iular  man,  against  whose 
public  or  private  character  no  ill  word  could  be  truthfully 
said.  On  the  other  hand  hundreds  of  Democrats  openly 
or  secretly  supported  Mayor  MacYicar,  whom  they 
regarded  not  only  as  a  good  man,  but  also  the  champion 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  923 

of  municipal  ownership  and  of  otlier  important  measures 
I)ertaining  to  city  government.  Tlie  election  ^yas  held  on 
Monday,  March  28,  and  resulted  in  the  election  of  Mayor 
MacVicar  by  a  majority  of  some  1,200  votes,  and  the  bal- 
ance of  the  Republican  ticket  by  larger  majorities,  with 
the  exception  of  Frank  Blagburn,  a  young  colored  man, 
for  Market  Master,  whose  majority  was  less  than  200.  Of 
tlie  seven  ward  Aldermen  the  Republicans  elected  four 
and  the  Democrats  three. 

In  April  theState  Agricultural  Society  decided  to  hold 
no  State  Fair  in  Iowa  this  year.  This  was  on  accdunt  of 
the  Omaha  Expo>sition.  The  State  Fair  held  at  the  time  cf 
the  Ohicago  World's  Fair  was  a  sad  failure  pecuniarily, 
and  the  Directors  of  the  Society  were  afraid  to  run  against 
the  Omalia  show. 

Senator  A.,  a  noted  trotting  hor.se,  reared  and  owned  in 
Des  Moineis,  was  sold  for  .f .5,000.    He  was  taken  to  Austria. 

A  new  Dental  College,  in  connection  with  Drake  Fni- 
versitv,  was  opened  in  Des  Moine>s  about  May  1,  with  Dr. 
O.  W.' Miller  aiS  Dean. 

ijt].  Joseph  M.  and  Mrs.  Griffiths,  on  April  2G,  celebrated 
their  golden  wedding  with  a  large  company  of  relatives 
and  friends.  They  have  lived  in  Des  Moines  since  1851, 
forty-seven  years. 

The  Supreme  Court  <lecided  that  the  murderer  of  Frank 
Kaliler  was  jn'operly  confined  in  the  insane  ward  of  the 
penitentiary.  If  he  became  sane  then  he  might  be  placed 
on  trial  for  the  crime. 

Hon.  E.  H.  Conger,  F.  S.  Minister  to  China,  and  a  promi- 
nent citizen  of  Des  Moines,  in  April  left  for  Pekin,  to  there 
enter  upon  the  duties  of  hi.s  otffice.  He  had  previously 
been  V.  S.  Minister  to  Brazil. 

Mrs.  Betsy  Smith,  convicted  of  the  poisoning  of  her 
luisband,  Michael  Smith,  having  been  granted  a  new  trial 
by  the  Supreme  Court,  had  her  second  trial  docketed  to 
commence  June  2,  1898.  Her  daughter,  who  confessed  to 
the  crime,  was  brought  from  the  penitentiary  to  be  a 
witness. 

In  the  latter  part  of  May  the  long  established  house  of 
M.  Riegelman,  or  Riegelman  Company,  wholesale  milli- 


924  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

nei\Y,  went  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver,  with  over  .|100,00(> 
of  liabilities. 

Decoration  Day,  May  30,  was  more  generally  observed 
in  Des  Moines  than  for  years  past.  Two  regimeutK  of 
vsoldiers  from  (Aimp  McKiuley  took  part  in  the  procession 
and  ceremonies. 

Among  the  dead  of  1898  may  be  named:  Charles  Good, 
an  early  settler;  Kichard  Lowe,  IJebecca  Jane  Settlemyer, 
Ealeigh  ( '.  Ward,  son  of  C.  M.  Ward;  James  G.  Day,  Judge 
of  District  and  i^^upreme  Court,  a  noted  jurist;  William 
Matthew;--,  a  well  known  and  popular  citizen;  John 
Buchenau,  an  early  Scandinavian;  Gen.  George  W.  Clark, 
a  distinguished  soldier  and  formerly  U.  S.  Marshal  of 
Iowa,  who  died  in  Washington;  Mrs.  M.  E.  Spauldiug, 
widow  of  former  Sheriff,  D.  B.  Spaulding;  CVipt.  Wilson  T. 
Smith,  an  early  settler,  but  for  a  number  of  years  resi- 
dent of  California. 

These  notices  should  have  appeared  in  the  chapter  on 
Towns,  but  Avere  omitted  and  will  be  printed  here: 

ASHAWA. 

This  town  and  post  office  is  located  on  the  west  half  of 
the  southwest  quarter  of  section  8,  township  78,  range  25, 
and  was  laid  out  in  1878.  It  is  about  eight  miles  from  Des 
Moines,  and  is  on  the  line  of  the  Bock  Island  railroad  to 
Fort  Dodge  and  north,  and  not  far  from  the  Des  Moines, 
Noi-thern  and  Western  railroad.  Though  small,  it  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  rich  country  and  is  a  good  shipping  point. 

GKEEXWOOD. 

This  town  and  post  office  was  located  and  named  a  num- 
ber of  years  ago  and  is  a  prominent  ])oiut  in  Elkhart  Town- 
slii]).  Off  tlie  line  of  railroads,  it  has  always  remained  a 
snuill  place,  with  a  rich  country  around  it. 

MABQUIS^'ILLE. 

Til  is  is  a  coal  town  a  few  miles  north  of  East  Des  Moiiu^s, 
and  was  laid  off  a  few  yeai's  ago  by  B.  W.  Marquis,  a 
Avealtliy  and  enterprising  citizen  of  the  East  Side.  It 
depi  lids  almost  Avholly  upon  the  coal  mines  in  and  near 
it,  ai.u  is  a  very  large  shipping  point  for  coal,  etc. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  il/0/.A'£'»v.  925 

CEOCKER. 

This  town,  some  ten  miles  north  of  Des  Moines,  on  the 
line  of  the  Xorthwestern  railroad,  was  located  some  years 
ago,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  M.  M.  Crocker,  a  citizen 
of  Des  Moines  who  distinguished  himself  dui'ing  the  civil 
war,  and  died  not  many  months  after  peace  was  restored. 
It  was  at  once  given  a  post  office  and  has  grown  to  be  a 
pleasant  country  village,  with  good  local  trade,  and  an 
excellent  shipping  point  for  the  enterprising  farmers  who 
cultivate  the  rich  lauds  of  that  section  of  the  county, 
('rocker  has  a  good  name  and  is  a  good  town. 

June  1,  180S,  the  Cunty  Auditor  returned  to  the  i^tate 
Auditor  the  entire  assessment  for  taxation  of  the  real 
estate  and  personal  property  of  Polk  countv,  as  follows: 

Mitcliellville  realty ' '..|        fiS.SCT.TD 

Altooua ' 34,2T0.(M) 

v*<heldahl (i,478.0l) 

Polk  City  10,258.00 

Valley  Junction 108,080.00 

Grimes 10,507.00 

Des  Moines   11,307,131.00 

County  realty   4,318,2!)8.00 

Total  realty  in  county 18,055,123.00 

Railroad  property  .  .". 1,000,900.00 

Personal  property   2,180,802.00 

Total  assessed  valuation  of  county 22,317,705.00 

Exemption  for  trees   15,185.00 

1 

Total  net  assessed  valuation  of  county |22,302,520.00 

LIVE  STOCK  VALUATION. 

Number.  Taxable 
Value. 

Cattle 25,873  .¥180,132 

Florses 10,054  100,151 

Mules  783  7,401 

Sheep  2,001  1,772 

Swine 28,970  30,344 

Total  1392,100 


CHAPTER  LVlll. 

THE  WAR  WITH  SPAlN-iOWA  SOLDIERS. 

lu  the  latter  part  of  April,  1S9S,  pursuant  to  a  call  issued 
by  the  President,  Governor  i^haw  issued  an  order  for  tlie 
inunediate  concentration  in  this  city  of  the  four  regiments 
of  state  troops,  the  National  Guards  of  Iowa.  This  order 
was  promptly  obeyed,  and  by  the  last  of  that  month  over 
three  thousand  Iowa  troops  were  encamped  on  the  State 
Fair  iiround.s,  busily  engaged  in  drilling  and  perfecting 
their  (U-ganization.  On  Sundaj',  Ma}'  1,  the  railroads  ran 
excursion  trains  from  all  iDoints  of  the  vstate,  and  brought 
to  Des  Moines  on  that  day  more  than  twenty  thousand 
people,  all  anxious  to  see  and  bid  an  encouraging  good-bye 
t(i  tlie  soldiers.  The  following  vSuuday  more  than  fifteen 
thou-sjind  I'eople  were  brought  here  by  the  railroads.  At 
first  it  was  understood  the  government  would  accept  of 
only  three  regiments  of  infantry,  and  the  Governor 
selected  the  Second,  Third  and  Fourth  as  the  ones  which 
were  to  go.  This  left  tlu^  First  at  home,  and  was  the  cause 
of  much  dissatisfaction.  After  much  discussion  and 
excitement  over  the  matter  it  was  finally  decided  at  Wash 
ington  that  all  four  of  the  organized  regiments!  of  guards 
sliould  be  taken,  and  the  two  batteries  of  artillery  pre- 
vii:)Uisly  called  for  would  be  dispensed  Avith.  This  made 
matters  more  satisfactory,  although  the  two  batteries  first 
called  had  been  partly  enlisted  and  organized.  A  maj(U'ity 
of  the  enlisted  men  of  the  batteriekS  joined  tlie  infantry. 

May  21,  the  Second  regiment,  now  the  Fiftieth  Iowa 
Volunteer  Infantry,  embarked  on  three  trains  on  different 
railroads  for  .lacdvsouville, Florida,  where  they  all  arrived 
with(mt  any  accidents. 

On  May  2.^)  the  President  issued  a  call  for  an  additional 
seventy-tivetliousand  men  , making  tlu;*  total  number  called 
for  200,000  men.  This  last  call' would  give  Iowa  about 
2,000  more  men  to  be  suplied,  making  a  total  under  both 
calls  of  about  5, .500  men. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  9  27 

Amoii.L;'  the  appoiEtmeute  made  by  the  President  are  the 
folht'win.ii'  frdin  this  count}-:  Dr.  Lewis  Schooler,  Chief 
Surgeon,  witli  raulv  of  Major;  John  A.  Hull,  Assi.stani 
Judge  Adyocate,  with  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  Colonel; 
Charles  H.  Sweeney,  Assistant  Commissary,  with  rank  of 
Captain;  Dr.  E.  H.  Hutchius,  Assistant  Commissai'y,  with 
rank  of  (^'aptaiu;  C.  B.  ^^'orthing■ton,  Assistant  Quarter- 
master, with  rank  of  Captain;  M.  M.  Marshall,  brigadf 
commissary,  with  rank  of  Captain. 

May  2S  the  Fourth  loAya  Guards,  now  the  Fifty-second 
loAya  V(dunteers,  broke  camp  at  Camp  McKinley  and 
boarded  the  cars  for  Chickamaugua,  where  they  arriyed 
all  right  a  few  (biys  afterwards. 

On  May  3(1,  the  old  Third  Regiment  of  lo^ya  Guards, 
now  the  Fifty-hrst,  Ayas  mustered  into  the  seryice  of  the 
Ignited  States.  On  the  same  day  this  regiment,  with  the 
old  First,  no\y  Forty-ninth,  took  part  in  the  ceremonies  of 
Decoration  Day  in  Des  Moines,  forming  one  of  the  largest 
processi(.ins  eyer  known  here  upon  that  day.  The  Hussars, 
firemen,  IVocdmen,  and  other  bodies,  were  in  line.  The 
address  at  the  cemetery  was  deliyered  by  Hon.  John  >>'. 
Baldwin,  of  Council  Bluffs,  and  was  pariotic  and  eloquent. 

T^yo  companies  of  the  old  Third,  or  Fifty-first  Regiment, 
were  from  Des  Moines.  These  were  (  ompanies  A  and  H. 
F(5llowiug  is  a  complete  list  of  ofiflcers  and  men  comprising 
these  c(imi)anies  at  the  time  they  were  mustered  into  the 
United  States  seryice: 

COMPAXY  A. 

Captain,  William  R.  Gibson;  First  Lieutenant,  Frank  L. 
Kihlhom;  Second  Lieutenant,  Park  A.  Findley. 

Xon-commissioned  Officers:  First  Sergeant,  John  A. 
Graham;  Q  .M.  Sergeant,  Sylyester  L.  Boyleu;  Sergeants, 
Charles  St.  George,  William  E.  Paryin,  Francis  H.  Lincoln, 
Emery  B.  Smith;  Corporals,  Ira  J.  Dresser,  Charles  F.  Sei- 
bert,  Haryey  W.  Penu,  Edward  F.  Confer,  Edward  F. 
Cornell,  Lorin  J.  Roach. 

Musicians,  John  B.  Findley,  Craig  J.  Schramm;  Arti- 
ficer, Clarence  M.  Henderson;  Wagoner,  Charles  M.  Betk. 

Priyates:  William  I.  Brock,  Carey  A.  Cheshire,  George 
R.  Clarke,  Samuel  K.  Earle,  Joseph  A.  Edwards,  Albert  E. 


."> 


mS  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Elder,  ('lareiiee  A.  P^iltou,  Marray  M.  George,  Frederick 
Guiuaii,  Arthur  J.  Guthrie,  Lymau  A.  Hart,  Eufu8  H 
Harvey,  Aksel  H.  Hauc;,  Baruey  Heudorft',  Alleu  Hickev 
Ralph  T.  Holmes,  Edward  E.  Hutchius,  Jr.,  Walter  E 
Hutchison,  Earl  R.  Kimmey,  limanuel  11.  Koesling,  Harry 
M.  Lauterman,  Richard  McCarthy,  John  F.  McKeou, 
Walter  E.  Marsh,  Ralph  T.  Masou,'  Beujamiu  C.  Mather, 
Edward  Melosh,  Will  J.  Merrill,  John  E.'  Miller,  Heury  T. 
Paschal,  Blaine  H.  Patterson,  Jay  W.  Scholes,  George  F. 
Hlhar]),  Anion  M.  Slatten,  Moutford  B.  Spensley,  Wayne  L. 
iStillnian,  John  L.  Swanson,  Andrew  H.  Thomas,  Charles 
W.  Thompison,  Edwin  T.  Tibbetts,  Joseph  H.  Toulouse, 
Jojin  J.  Toulouse,  John  E.  Wall,  George  A.  Whitman, 
Mark  \y.  ^Villiams,  Alfred  Price,  Charles  G.  Cl-owell. 

COMPANY  H. 

Captain,  Emory  C.  Worthington;  First  Lieutenant, 
Ernest  E.  Bennett;  Second  Lieutenant,  Fred  L.  Baker. 

Non-commissioned  Officers:  First  Sergeant,  Alfred  B. 
Pray;'Q.  M.  Sergeant,  Fred  Robinson;  Sergeants,  Frank  E. 
Jt)nes,  Frank  E.  Suddoth,  Hiram  L.  Fickel,  George  L. 
Garton;  Corporals,  John  W.  Heaiviliu,  Delmer  J.  Maricle, 
Ernest  W.  Painter,  Jas.  B.  Hedge,  Jr.,  Frank  B.  Christy, 
Chas.  E.  Stitzell;  Musicians,  Edward  O.  Fleur,  Albert  E. 
Wharff;  .Artificer,  Rufus  M.  Jones;  Wagoner,  Daniel  I. 
Xewquist. 

Privates:  Geo.  H.  Amend,  Claude  J.  Bain,  Christopher 
J.  Bakeman,  Lorenzo  D.  Bates,  Alfred  J.  Bonlenvine,  Guy 
S.  Brewer,  James  W.  Brewer,  Charles  W.  Brown,  Leonard 
DaiHer,  Henry  DeJarnette,  James  W.  Doran,  Ohnarin  T. 
Drake,  Harry  J.  Dunker-,  John  T.  Elkins,  Edward  G. 
Eustis,  Bertrum  H.  Grace,  Fred  P.  Gregg,  Geo.  O.  LTansen, 
Percy  H.  Hess,  Alfred  B.  Hollis,  Otto  Jensen,  Xoel  Kinna- 
man,  Chas.  J.  Kinney,  Chas.  H.  Koppe,  Lars  A.  Larson, 
Robert  H.  Lee,  Chas'M.  Linton,  Claude  A.  Long,  Levi  T. 
Meline,  Fred  C.  Moersliell,  Mvron  D.  Moulton',  ATm.  D. 
McBride,  Alex  W^  McClelland,'Chas.  C.  Nygaar-d,  Edwanl 
R.  Pahre,  Jolin  H.  Ruecker,  H.  D.  Russell,  Percy  O.  Smull, 
Vernon  M.  Smull,  John  Snure,  Berthel  F.  Spry,  Frank  P. 
Suit,  Leroy  R.  Tillotson,  Lawrence  J.  Traver,  Granville  H. 
Twining,  Jolin  Turner,  Chas.  H.  Turbett,  Benj.  S.  Willis. 

The  Fiftv-flrst  Regiment,  formerlv  the  Tliinl  National 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES. 


1129 


<Tuav(l,  left  Des  Moines  June  5,  being  ordered  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, there  to  take  part  in  an  expedition  to  the  Pliilip- 
pene  Islands.  Among  the  field  and  staff  officens  of  this 
regiment  belonging  to  Des  Moines  and  Polk  conntT  vceve 
tlie  following: 

C'Olonel,  John  C.  Lo])er;  Major,  John  T.  Hume;  Surgeon, 
Willard  S.  H.  Matthews;  Batallion  Adjutant,  Lieutenant 
George  A.  Keed;  Q^^artermaster,  Lieutenant  J<ihn  I».  (.'ady; 
Hergeaut  Major,  Claude  M.  Baker;  Hospital  Steward,  Wil- 
bur S.  Conkling;  Members  of  Band,  Clyde  W.  Burroughs, 
Horace  AV.  Dinwiddle,  Herbert  E.  Johnson. 


-^^li^ 


skiagraphies. 


In  the  following  pages  are  given  biographical 
sketches  of  a  few  of  the  early  settlers  and  Pioneers  ol 
Des  Moines  and  Polk  County,  and  also  of  some  who 
came  here  in  later  years.  We  should  have  had  more  of 
these.  The  lives  of  such  men,  truthfully  written,  make 
the  true  history  of  the  town,  city  or  county,  in  which 
so  many  of  their  years  were  passed.  And  these 
men  should  not  be  forgotten.  Many  of  their  works  live 
after  them,  and  why  should  not  their  memories  ?  As 
stated  before,  we  should  have  had  life  sketches  of  many 
more  of  these  past  and  present  workers  in  and  of  our 
city  and  county,  but  for  the  present  our  readers  must 
be  content  with  those  here  submitted. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES. 


983 


I*,  il.  CASADY. 


Hon.  Phineas  JI.  Casaily  i^  one  of  the  eai-licst  pioneei-s  of  tlie 
eijiinry,  lie  liaviim-  arriveil  liei'r  June  11,  lc84G,  ami  lias  made  tbis  his 
home  (■oiitinuously  from  that  i.lay  to  this.  From  the  beginning,  anil 
for  mori'  than  fifty  year.^;.  he  has  been  a  useful  and  honored  citizen 
of  this  town.  city,  county  and  State. 

He  was  liorn  December  •"..  I.SIS.  ne.ir  Connorsville,  Indiana,  and  is 
of  hardy  and  irreproacliable  Scot'  h-Irish  stock.  He  was  reared  on 
a  farm.  In  tlie  early  days  of  Indiana,  when  school  adyanta.i^es  were 
not  as  tliey  are  today,   but  when   a  youth  he  determined   to  have   a 


934  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

good  edueatiou,  and  with  the  steady  persistence  whirh  has  always 
formed  a  prominent  characteristic  of  hts  entire  life,  he  secured  this 
education,  and.  studying  law,  was  admitted  to  practice  February  16, 
1841.  Tlie  tVdlowing  year  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Clerk  of  the  Coiirts 
for  Rush  County,  aud  lield  this  responsible  office  until  May,  1840,  when 
he  determined  to  emigrate  to  Iowa,  and  in  the  following  month  came  to 
Des  Moines.  He  at  once  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  Polk  and 
surrounding  counties,  and  met  with  good  success  for  that  day.  He  was 
fur  a  time  tlie  Postmaster  of  Fort  Des  Moines,  then  but  a  small  office, 
and  re.signed  it  at  the  end  of  the  year  1848.  He  then  formed  a  part- 
nership with  Robert  L.  Tidrick.  which  continued  until  18."i3.  For  eight 
or  nine  months  he  was  School  Fund  Commissioner  of  the  county.  In 
1.848  he  was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Senator  in  this  District, 
then  composed  of  iEarion.  Polk.  Dallas  and  Jasper  counties,  and  em- 
tiraced  all  the  other  coimties.  organized  or  imorganized.  on  the  west  to 
thie  Missouri  Eiyer  aiul  aiorth  to  the  M'iinnesota  State  line.  After  a 
spirited  canvass  he  was  elected  and  served  in  the  Senate  four  years, 
and  in  which  he  was  one  of  the  worlcing  members.  He  has  the  credit  of 
bestowing  names  upon  a  large  number  of  the  counties  in  Xorthern  and 
"Western  Iowa.  He  served  during  two  regular  sessions — the  Second 
and  Third  General  Assembly. 

In  18."i4  Mr.  Cas.ady  was  elected  .Judge  of  the  Fifth  .Tiulicial  District, 
which  then  embraced  within  its  limits,  Polk  and  a  number  of  other 
counties.  He  received  his  commission  and  was  sworn  in,  but  having 
received  from  President  Pierce  the  appointment  of  Receiver  of  Public 
Moneys  for  this  XT.  S.  land  district,  he  resigned  his  .Judgeship  and 
accepted  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  office  of'  Receiver.  He 
held  this  responsitile  office  until  the  spring  of  18.jT.  when  he  resigned. 
He  then  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Gen.  M.  M.  Crocker,  and  m 
18.j9,  .Jelt  S.  Polk  also  liecame  a  memlier  of  the  ttrm.  which  became 
one  of  the  strongest  legal  firms  in  the  State.  In  1801  General  Crocker 
entered  the  Union  service,  where  he  so  brilliantly  distinguished  him- 
self, .and  in  1864  Judge  Casady  retired  from  the  practice,  devoting 
himself  solely  to  liis  extensive  private  business.  In  1S7.">  he  organized, 
^^•ith  othejis,  the  Des  Jloines  Banlc.  ■\'\-liich  haS'  grown  into  one  of 
the  largest  and  soundest  financial  institutions  in  the  city,  under  ins  con- 
tinuous care  as  President. 

On  Jtme  27,  1S4S,  Judge  Casady  was  married  to  Mi.ss  Augusta 
Grimmel.  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  daughter  of  Dr.  F.  C.  Grimmel.  a  iirom- 
inent  early  settler.  This  union  has  been  a  happy  one.  I'liree  children 
were  born  to  them,  Simon,  who  is  cashier  of  the  Des  Moines  P>ank, 
and  ranks  high  as  a  financier  and  citizen;  Frank,  who  is  farmiitg  near 
the  cit.v;  and  Rose,  who  maiTicd  a  pronrinent  lawyer.  Geni'ge  F.  Ilenry, 
and  'diied  several  years  ago,  leaving  two  children.  There  were  other 
children,  who  died  in  infancy. 

.Judge  Casady,  politically,  has  from  liis  first  coming  to  Des  Moines, 
lieen  a  straightforward  and  consistent  Democrat,  and  lias  done  much 
for  the  party.  Though  for  many  years  he  has  refused  to  comply  with 
the  urgent  solicitations  of  1;is  many  friends  to  become  a  candidate 
for  any  office,  he  has  given  cordial  help  to  others,  and  he  is  always  one 
of  the  fin?t  at  the  polls  on  election  day.  He  and  ids  family  have  for 
many  years  iieen  regular  attendants  at  the  I^resbyterian  church. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  JIOiyEhi. 


035 


HOYT  SHEKMAX. 


Few.  if  any.  men  in  the  idunty  :ii'e  lietter  and  more  favorably 
known  than  is  ila.ior  Hoyi^  Sherman.  He  has  helped  to  make  history  for 
the  city  and  county,  ami  he  has  helped  more  than  almost  any  other 
ti)  preserve  that  history  for  the  lieuefit  of  the  present  and  fnture  .u'en- 
erations.  (.'nmin.K  here  anions  the  early  ones,  and  before  attaining  his 
ma.iority,  it  can  be  said  of  him  with  truth  that  from  the  lie,a1nuing-  and 
through  succeeding  years,  he  has  labored  for  the  best  interests  of  the 
city  and  county,  and  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

Hoyf  belongs  to  the  noted  Shei-man  family,  being  the  youngest  son 
of  Hon.  Cliarles  It.  Sherman,  who  was  one  of  th(_'  .Judges  of  the  Stipreme 


936  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Court  of  Ohio  al  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1829.  when  Hoj-t  was  but  two 
years  old.  he  having  been  born  in  Lancaster,  Oliio.  November  1,  1827. 
tie  is  a  brother  of  Hon.  .Tohn  Sherman,  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman,  TJ.  S.  .Judge 
Charles  T.  Sherman,  of  Ohio,  and  of  .Tames  and  Lampson  P.  Sherman, 
early  ^settlers  of  Des  Moines.  Until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age  his 
time  was  divided  between  school  and  a  printing  office.  Following  ;i 
cherished  plan,  he  came  west  earl.y  in  the  spring  of  1818.  and  at  once 
settled  in  I>es  Moines,  and  in  1810  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  His  first 
business  engagement  was  with  tlie  then  School  Fund  Commissioner. 
Th(Jinas  :\IcMiillen,  selling  school  lands  granted  b.v  Congress.  He  became 
connected  with  the  firm  of  Casadj-  &  Tidrick,  served  as  Deput.v  Post- 
master until  March,  1849,  when  he  was  appointed  Postmaster  under  the 
administration  of  President  Zachary  Taylor,  and  held  the  office  until 
IS."::!,  when  he  resigned  and  recommended  the  appointment  of  his  suc- 
cessor, AVesley  Rerhead.  In  1849  he  was  e]ected  Clerk  of  the  I>istrict 
C(jnrt.  and  made  a  most  capable  and  etfieient  officer. 

Prior  to  IS.jO.  the  PostofBce.  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  state, 
was  kept,  with  a  .Justice's  office,  two  Attorneys,  and  two  Land  Agents, 
in  a.  little  shanty  about  12x14  feet.  In  that  year  lie  Ijuilt,  on  the  corner 
of  Second  and  Vine  streets,  a  commodiotis  frame  building,  used  solely 
for  Postoffice  purposes,  thus  giving  the  public  much  needed  accommo- 
dation in  that  respect.  Of  the  four  buildings  used  for  Postoffices  alone, 
he  built  two,  with  Mr.  Casady  built  a  third,  and  was  the  Disbursin.g 
Officer  in  the  construction  of  the  present  I'.  S.  Postoffice  building.  Geo. 
Wliitaker  having  been  the  Snperiutenilent. 

In  IS-jl  he  was  the  leading,  active  member  of  the  well-known  baulv- 
iug  firm  of  Iloyt  Sherman  cV  Co..  and  as  soon  as  tlie  law  iiermitted  he 
took  an  active  part  in  organizing  Ihe  .solid  Iowa  State  Bank,  he  becom- 
ing Cashier  of  the  Des  iloiiies  branch.  He  remained  Cashier  until 
after  the  breakin.g  out  of  the  war,  wlien  he  wrrs  tendered  the  position 
of  T'.  S.  Paymaster  in  the  army,  wifli  the  ranlc  of  Ma.ior,  holding  his 
commission  direct  from  President  Lincoln.  He  acce|)ted  that  responsible 
]iosition  and  'discharged  for  over  tliree  years  its  onerous  duties,  witli 
much  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  high  satisfa(ti(ui  of  the  government. 
After  his  return  fi'nm  the  army  he  for  a  time  engaged  in  mercantal  pur- 
suits. Soon  af  lei-  lie  assisted  in  organizing  the  Eciuitable  Life  Insurance 
Company  of  Iowa,  and  in  18tiS  he  look  the  general  nianagement  of  tlie 
company,  and.  liy  his  aliility  and  lionest  work,  brought  it  up  to  tlie 
high  position  A\-liicli  it  lias  since  occupied.  After  years  of  faithful  lalior 
he  retired  from  its  otficial  control  .ind  has  siiic(>  devoted  himself  to  his 
l.ii-ge  iirivate  business.  At  the  same  time  he  lias  been  aclive  in  liis 
suppori  of  all  i-liarii.-ili!e  and  lielpful  institutions,  and  for  years  has  been 
of  or  attlic  head  of  llie  Associaleil  'Cliarities.  wliicli  have  done  so  much 
.good  in  our  eit.v  for  years  jiast. 

In  18.").j  Jla.i'or  Slierman  was  married  to  Miss  Sara  Moulton.  a  native 
of  Oliio.  and  an  accomplished  lady.  wlio.  as  wife,  motlier  and  neiglilior. 
Avon  (lie  esteem  and  good  will  of  all.  Slie  died  :Marcli  2.  1887.  in  lies 
:\Ioiiies.  leaving  five  cliildren:  I'r.-iid;  Allen,  a  lawyer,  residing  in  Des 
,Moini's:  Aditiiie  M..  married  to  .Mr.  I'^rank  I'..  A\"iliorg.  of  Cincinnati. 
Oliio:  Charles  il.,  now  an  att(iriie.\-  in  (.'liicago:  .\rlhur.  residing  in  Des 
.Moines:  and  Helen  Uny\.  reeeiillv  married  to  .Mr.  Wm.  O  Griffith  of 
A\'.-isliiiigtoii.  D.  C. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES. 


937 


BARI.O'W  GItAXGER. 


d'ljl.  Barlow  Gnuiiger,  who  estal'lisdiiM.!  the  flvs't  iicn'sp.-iiicr  in  l>."s 
Moines,  and  who  has  for  so  long-  a  time  been  so  prominent  a  charaeter 
in  tile  liistory  uf  ciry  anil  eonnty,  was  born  in  ("aynga,  Tin^a  Cunnty. 
New  York,  May  31,  ISir,.  His  paremts,  Erastus  and  Betsey  (Gillett) 
were  also  born  in  that  state,  and  came  of  an  old  English  family.  Col. 
Granger's  parents  removed  to  I-ioehester,  New  York,  in  182S,  and  he 
attended  the  srhools  until  when  he  was  thirti;en  yeai-s  of  age  he  became 
a  printer's  apprentice  in  the  oftice  of  the  Ccjrtland  Advocate,  then  con- 
ducted l)y  Henry  S.  Randall,  tlie  nnted  writer  and  historian.  In  the:  fall 
of  1835  he  went  to  tlie  cit.v  of  Xew  York  and  was  there  at  tlie  time  of  the 
gre.at  fire  of  Decendier  wldcli  destroyed  thousands  of  Iniildings  and 
many  millions  of  propert.v.  Becoming  an  expert  printer  the  Colonel 
worked  as  a  .iourneyman  in  Xew  Haven.  Hudson  and  Clevel.aud.  (Jhio. 
and  in  Detroit.  Michigan.  He;  was  in  the  latter  cir.v  during  tlie  excite- 
ment of  the  "Patriot  war"  in  (.'anada.  Returning  to  X'ew  Yorlc  in  18.".S, 
he  obtained  employment  on  state  worlc  at  .\lliauy.  For  nearly  ten 
ye;irs  he  made:  this  city  his  home,  though  during  that  time  he  went 
south  on  special  work,  and  was  engageil  for  some  timi'  on  the  Cliarles- 


938  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

ton  Coiivier,  one  of  tlio  proprietors  of  the  latter  becoming  bis  best  friend. 
Returning  to  Alliany  and  engaging  again  on  state  worlf,  in  the  spring 
of  1847  he  started  on  a  tour  of  the  then  great  TV'CSt. 

Col.  Granger,  on  ,liis  western  trip,  jiassed  throug-h  Chicago,  over  ^^■is- 
consin  and  into  .Minncsotii,  when  he  visited  St.  Anthony's  Falls.  He  then 
went  down  the,  ilississippi  to  St.  Louis.  There  he  worked  in  the  Repub- 
lican office  during  the  winter  of  1S47-S.  There  he  met  an  old  friend  from 
Albany,  .James  V.  .Tones,  a  son  of  a  prominent  politician  of  his  native 
state,  and  the  two  agreed  to  visit  and  look  at  the  theai  new  State  of 
Iowa.  Traveling  by  boat  to  Keokuk  they  took  stage  to  Faii-field,  and 
there  hiring  a  hoi-sc  and  buggy  tliey  drove  through  (to  Fort  Des  Moines, 
arriving  here;  in  August,  1848.  They  were  not  altogether  pleased  with 
the  pro'spects  of  the  place  and  had  determined  to  hunt  some  other  loca- 
tion, but  Col,  Granger,  casting  his  eyes  over  the  town  and  surroundings, 
suddenly  determined  that  on  a  beatitiful  site  south  of  Raccoon  river 
should  be  his  future  home  and  there  it  is  to-day,  .Tones  and  he  returned 
to  "the  Fort"  and  at  once  opened  up  a  land  office,  dealing  in  lands  and 
land  warrants,  and  soon  e'.staljlished  a  large  business. 

The  next  year  Col,  Gran,ger  established  the  first  newspaper  of  the 
county,  the  Star,  a  full  account  of  whicli  is  given  in  the  chapter  on 
newspapers.  Having  studied  law  in  New  York,  Col.  Grangei-  was  admit- 
ted to  the  liar  of  Polk  county  in  1848,  and  practiced  his  profession  in 
connection  with  ins  land  b\isiness.  He  served  on  the  staff  of  Governor 
Stephen  Hempstcind,  with  the  ranlJ  of  Colonel,  from  IS.oO  to  18.54,  and 
in  18."4  was  elected  prosecuting  attorney  of  the  county,  and  upon  the 
resignation  of  Byron  Rice  was  county  .ludge  in  185.5.  He  also  served 
one  term  as  mayor  of  Des  Moines  and  subsequently  was  twice  mayor  of 
the  town  of  Sevastopol. 

Dctober  7,  1850,  Col,  Granger  married  Mrs.  Lucinda  L.  Rusli.  widow 
of  .Tohn  W.  Rush,  and  daugliter  of  Daniel  and  Abbie  (Van  Sclienk'j 
Powei'S.  (Mrs.  Granger  was  born  in  Montgomery  count?',  Indiana, 
March  12,  1825,  and  came  to  Des  Moines  with  her  first  husband  in  1849, 
he  dying  two  years  later.  After  his  marriage  Col.  Granger  built  his 
present  residence  on  his  farm  of  eighty  acres  now  mostly  within  the 
limits  of  thei  city,  one  of  the  most  sightly  locations  in  the  county,  and 
there  he  and  his  esteemed  wife  have  made  their  home  for  nearly  forty 
years. 

The  Granger  home  is  well  known  and  its  hospitality  is  unboundeirl. 
Col,  Granger  is  known  througliimt  llie  county  and  state  as  .'i  nun  of 
ability,  experience  and  independent  views  upon  all  questions.  He  has 
always  been  a  democrat  in  prditics,  but  at  the  same  time  is  broad  and 
liberal  in  his  opinions  and  never  liesitates  in  freely  exxiressing  them. 
He  enjoys  hinrself  and  does  all  lie  can  to  mnl<e  life  euioyalile  and  iileas- 
ant  to  others.  He  is  known  to  almost  everybody  in  city  and  county,  and 
they  all  highly  resjiect  and  esteem  him. 


AAW  THE  CITY  OF  DES  M01NE;<. 


1J39 


CONUAD  DANIEL  HEINKIXG. 


lie  w;is  iMini,  ihiv  l'.  1S2(I,  in  >\'csl|ilinlia.  I'russia.  nml  e  [iK-aten  in 
the  s-chools  of  'his  native  la.nd.  In  183G,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  eanie 
to  this  i-onutry,  settring  in  Phihidi'liihia.  where  he  learneil  the  traile  of 
cabinet  maker.  He-re  he  made  his  home  until,  in  3842,  he  came  west 
and  in  the  same  year  first  settled  in  Iowa,  at  Fort  jra/:]'isnn.  Here  he 
opened  a  workshop,  and  did  well  for  a  time.  But  he  was  burned  out 
twice,  was  taken  dangerously  ill,  and  only  by  gooai  aiud  kind  nursiug 
was  saved  from  death.  His  friends  In  Fort  Madis(jn.  knowing  his  mis- 
fortunes, offered  to  raise  Ijy  sub.seri))ti(in,  a.s  -was  then  the  kindly 
custom,  a  sufficient  amount  to  .staa-t  liim  again  in  liusiness.  Young 
Eeiuking  was  grateful,  but,  with  the  indepenilenee  which  has  always 


'JiO  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

been  a  iiromiueut  point  in  )ais  cliaracter,  wo'Uld  not  be  placed,  even  by 
implication,  in  the  eba.racter  of  a  b«ggair,  dedlined  the  proffered  help. 
He  snbsequently  wemt  to  New  Orleans,  and  then  retiimed  by  sea  to  his 
old  home  in  Philadelphia,  landing  thei-e  with  only  one  dollar  in  his 
packet.     He  went  into  business  again  there,  and  made  and  lost. 

His  first  venture  west  bald  not  been  a  lucky  one  to  him,  but  he  had 
the  fever  and.  in  1.848.  again  stairteil  west,  stopping  foir  a  tlime  in  St. 
Louis.  Iowa  bad  attractions  for  him,  'amdl  the  same  year  he  came  to 
Osk.aloosa.  and  tlicn  pusljed  on  to  Fort  Des  Moines.  Here  lie  pur- 
chased ,for  .$3(1.  the  two  lots  where  the  Harris-Emery  large  department 
store  now  is.  He  returned  to  St.  Louis,  tlnisibed  «  job  of  work,  pro- 
cured necessary  material,  returned  to  Des  Moines,  October  1,  1848,  and 
opened  a  cabinet  «Uop  on  the  west  slide  of  the  court  house  square.  He 
sooin  afterward  bought  a  lot  o-n  T'hiird  street,  where  Harbaich's  furnituTe 
ware  roon:s  now  ari',  «nd  erected  upon  it  a  log  caliiu  for  a  work  shop. 
Times  were  nijt  very  I_>risk  tlien.  liut  young  Reiuking  was  industrious 
and  pushing.  He  was  always  well  dressed,  and  kept  up  his  courage. 
A  loa.il  of  luml>er  came  to  liim  one  day  when  he  liad  only  one  dodlair  in 
ca.'Sh  (in  hamil,  but  he  sliowed  so  well  bis  credit  was  good,  nii'd  all  were 
sati.S'tic:l.  To  make  certain  of  meeting  bills,  'he  borrowed  ,$200  of  Bar- 
low Gra.nger  at  40  per  cent,  then  the  cuirent  linterest  rate,  but  never 
used  the  borrowed  money.  Aliout  this  time  ihe  bought  a  claim  of 
land  on  Four  Jlile  creelc,  and  afterwards  entered  tlie  swme,  and  this, 
Willi  subsequent  additions,  now  makes  him  a  farm  of  some  four  hun- 
dred acres,  one  of  the  best  in  tlie  county. 

The  California  gold  fever  then  commenced,  and  in  the  spring  of 
184!t  lie,  witli  Isa.TC  Coiumm-.  slarti'd  ncross  rlie  i)l;iins  with  a  wagon 
anil  four  yoke  of  oxen.  After  a,  toilsome  journey  of  four  months,  they 
rebelled  the'r  deslinatiiin  and  went  to  work,  witli  varviiig  succv'ss  and 
failure.  In  18.51  he  returned  to  Des  Jloines  in  bad  health  and  with  only 
about  .fl.flOf)  as  net  results.  He  would  have  made  more  money  if  he 
liad  Kt.ived  bcre.  He  at  once  reopened  hi'S  cabinet  shop,  which  he  had 
originally  left  in  ch,%rge  of  ,T.  E.  .Tewett,  afterwards  one  of  the  well- 
known  early  attorneys  of  this  county,  and  continued  in  liusiness  until 
lie  srihli  out  to  tlie  Ha:rl)aelis.  His  health  continuing  poor,  he  "^vent 
upon  his  farm  on  Four  Mile,  where  lie  made  his  home  until  1876,  when 
he  .-igain  l;ecanie  a  resilient  of  Des  iloines.  He  liiid  bouglit,  in  1.848, 
the  hits  on  the  cornei-  (if  Eislitli  lUid  "Walnut,  and  there  built  the  first 
]>vick  house,  and  subseriupntly  built  the  present  brick  block. 

Jlr.  Itciiiking  has  taken  am  active  part  in  the  poli'tical  and  other 
affairs  of  the  county  for  a  numlier  of  yeairs,  but,  lliougli  nominations 
^^•ei-e  tendered  liini  for  Congress,  Legislatures,  etc.,  lie  dieclined  them 
nil.  He  wns  noted  foi-  his  honest,  outspoken  .-ind  fearless  comment 
upon  iiassing  aiffn.irs,  and  it  was  well  known  lie  could  never  be  iiitim- 
iiln'ted  fir  bouglit.  At  first  a  "Whig,  then  a.  Iteinililican,  and  always  an 
.■inti-iiiii'iiop'olist.  he  was  always  niamly  anli  inJde|ii'iident.  and  stood  by 
the  people.  He  liecame  a  stockliolder  in  the  Fia-sl  ,'^avings  bank,  a 
director  of  the  Citizens'  Xatloiial.  was  fVir  years  n,  director  and  vice- 
president  of  the  Polk  County  Savings  liank,  and  declined  the  presidiency 
■iftrr  till'  death  of  .Tuili;'!'  "\'\'riglit,  and  is  a  stocklioliler  in  the  Peoph-''s 
bank.  And,  it  should  have  be(>n  staled,  he  Was  a  member  of  the  first 
council  of  the  town  of  Fort  Des  Jloines. 

Mr.  Ueinking  was  nian'ied,  in  Iowa  City,  .Tuily  8,  IS.'L!,  to  "Miss 
Eleanor  Shaver.  Four  dilildrcii  wire  born  of  this  marriage,  two  boys 
ani  two  girls:  "Vera,  married  'W.  A.  .Tones,  a  farmer,  and  died  near 
"\'an  Meter.  .Tune  14.  ]8tl7:  Ella,  married  liev.  Towle.  residing  a!  (irin- 
uell:  Ceoige  F.  a  Bapitist  minisler  now  at  Centreville,  Iowa,  and,  mai- 
ried;  Daniel  P..  ■\yho  married  ^liss  Anna  P.rown  in  188l>,  and  has  one- 
bov,  Iliivt  Coiirail,  and  ri'sides  in   lies  Miiines. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0INES. 


941 


JOSEI'II  B.  STEWAUT. 


Loukins-  li.irk  more  tliaii  forty  years  and  juil.uinii'  from  iiei'sonal  aud 
(I'ther  knonieilge  of  men  and  their  motives,  if  asked  today,  tlie  writer 
would  place  anions  the  first  of  strictly  honest  and  lujnnrable  men  he 
had  known  in  Ites  Moines,  tlie  name  «f  Joseph  Buffon  Stewart.  Since 
1S,"3  he  has  lieen  an  iKinor'^d  and  honoring  citizen  of  the  eounf.v,  has 
lieen  interested  in  many  Inisiness  transactio'ns,  and  his  honesty  and 
integritj'  have  never  been  impeached,  and  no  private  citizen  ever 
stofl'd  higher  in  the  general  regard  and  esteem. 

Hi'S  father.  Dr.  Aliram  Siewart.  was  for  many  years  a  surgeon  in 
the  T.  S.  Ai-my  service,  seived  in  the  war  of  1S12,  and  was  wonnded 


942  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

by  the  Indians  at  Rock  Island  in  1814.  He  -was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  emigi-ated  to  Missouri  as  early  as  1805,  immediately  after  the 
United  States  acquired  that  Territory.  He  was  married  in  Missouri, 
in  181(3,  to  Miss  Emily  A/ers,  and  eoutinuel  a  resident  of  Missouri 
until  his  death,  at  Hannibal,  October  11,  1834.  Mrs.  Stewart  was 
born  at  Marietta.  Ohio,  January  27,  1795,  of  ,Xew  England  parentage. 
She  died  July  18,  1879,  at  the   age  of  eigh'ty-four. 

Joseph  Buffon  Stewart  was  born  August  2,  1^21,  near  St.  Charles, 
Missouri.  His  early  education  was  acquired  in  the  log  school  houses 
of  that  day  and  in  1835  he  moved  with  his  mother  to  Fort  Madi'sou, 
and  there  settied.  This  was  than  Michigan  Territory,  subsequently 
Wisco'usiu,  then  Iowa  Territory  and  State.  It  can  be  said  of  Mr. 
Stewart  that  he  has  been  a  resident  of  three  Territories  and  one 
State  witlM>ut  cliauging  lii'S  actual  residence.  Fort  Madison  was  then 
on  what  was  called  tlie  "Blackhawlc  Purchase,"  a  strip  of  land  west 
of  the  Mississipiii  Rver,  and  all  west  of  this  strip  wa.s  then  Indian 
Territory.  There  were  many  more  Indians  than  Whites  to  be  seen 
at  tliat  time.  In  Ju'y  1837,  young  Stewart  sat  at  a  table  with  the 
noted  Black  Hawk  and  listened  to  his  speech.  As  a  boy  and  young 
man  Stewart  engaged  in  the  hard  labor  of  pioueer  farming,  until, 
in  184tl,  he  engaged  in  mercantile  business.  He  carried  this  on  suc- 
cessfully uutil  1853,  when  he  was  induced  to  come  tO'  Dcs  Moines 
and  take  a  resporusible  position  in  the  otiice  of  the  TJ.  S.  Receiver  <if 
Public  Moneys.  He  held  the  position  for  one  year,  and  resigned  it 
to  engage  in  the  business  of  entering,  buying  and  selling  of  lands,  then 
the  leading  business  at  this  point.  He  soon  became  known  as  an 
ever  reliable  and  trustworthv  agent,  and  the  result  was  his  business 
largely  increased  in  scope  and  profits. 

From  the  first  J.  P..  Stewart  had  unshaken  faith  in  Des  Moines, 
and  this  faith  never  f.altered,  even  during  the  "hard  times"  of  the  late 
'50s.  Pie  knew  the  town  would  grow  into  a  city  of  magnificent  pro- 
portions, and  that  flnaueial  crashes  miglit  delay,  but  would  never 
prevent  ultimate  growth  and  prosperity.  He  liad  become  the  owner 
of  large  and  valuable  propertys,  and  had  "laid  out,"  in  1857,  Stewart's 
Addition  to  Des  Moines,  a  tract  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
which  is  now  a  wealthy  and  populous  portion  of  the  city.  The  finan- 
cial trouble  which  soon  followed,  found  him,  like  others,  in  debt, 
but  he  met  the  reverse  with  coirrage  and  industry.  He  had  the  con- 
fidence of  all.  They  knew  he  was  honest  and  true.  Tlie  result  was 
that  he  won.  When  times  financially  improved  his  obligations  were 
full}'  met,  and  he  had  left  to  him,  free  from  all  incumbrance,  the 
foundation  of  a  handsome  fortune. 

October  30,  1861,  Mr.  Stewart  married  Miss  Dora.  Adel  McKay,  a 
native  of  Warsaw,  Wyoming  County,  New  York,  daughter  of  F.  C.  D. 
and  Angelina  J.  (Judd)  McKay.  She  was  of  Puritan  stock,  her  ancest- 
ors having  settled  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts  in  1632.  Four  chil- 
dren were  born  of  this  marriage,  all  in  Des  Moines;  three  daughters 
and  one  son:  Mary  Cecil,  McKaj',  Dora,  and  Emily.  Mary  and  Emily 
were  educated  at  the  famous  Wellesley  College. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOINES. 


943 


WESLEY  REDHEAD. 


Among  the  more  prominent  of  the  enrly  settlers  of  Des  Moines  was 
Wesley  Redhead,  its  tirst  hoolvseller,  for  many  years  its  postmaster,  and 
for  years  prominent  in  its  business  circles.  He  -n'as  born  near  Penrith. 
Cumberland  county,  England,  .Tub'  22,  1.825,  a  son  of  Nicholas  and  Sarah 
(Clark)  Redhead.  In  3829  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Canada.  His 
fatlier  was  a  merchant  in  England  and  continued  in  the  same  business 
in  Montreal  until  his  death  in  1831,  his  mother  having  died  two  weel^s 
before  of  cholera. 

In  company  with  a  brother  Wesley  went  to  live  "n-itli  an  uncle  at 
Cincinnati,  where  he  was  educated  and  began  his  working  life.    His 


dU  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

first  Tvork  was  in  a  printing  office  and  lio  "ivas  one  of  tlie  tivst  newsbo-vs 
of  that  city.  At  tlie  age  of  fourteen  he  AA-ent  to  ^'ermont  where  a 
Ijrother  was  in  the  cahinet  trade.  Becomius'  dissafistiecl  tliere  he  con- 
eludeid  to  run  away,  wliich  he  did  with  only  tiye  cents  in  his  pocket. 
Going  Into  Xew  Yorli  state  he  found  employment  as  a  driver  on  the 
Erie  canal.  M'hen  naAigation  closed  he  worl^ed  tor  a  farmer  and 
attended  school  during  the  winter.  After  two  years  of  this  he  went  to 
Saratoga  and  became  "dipper  boy"  at  the  famous  Congress  Springs. 
Here  he  met  many  of  the  noted  men  of  this  and  other  countries.  Hav- 
ing saved  his  money  he  returned  to  Cincinnati  after  an  absence  of  five 
years.  He  next  started  out  as  a  cabin  boy  on  an  upper  Mississippi  river 
fsteamer.  Rejiching  Bloomington,  now  Muscatine,  Iowa,  in  September, 
1844.  he  determined  to  visit  an  older  l)rother  then  living  in  Iowa  City. 
There  he  secnreil  employment  in  the  ofHce  of  the  Iowa  Capital  Reporter, 
conducted  by  .[esse  Williams,  then  territorial  printer.  The  first  state 
constitution  of  Iowa  was  printed  that  year  and  young  Redhead  worked 
upon  that  document.  In  1S4.'5  he  went  to  Anamosa,  Iowa,  where  lie 
operated  a  eardiug  machine.  His  liealth  failing  he  returned  to  Iowa 
City,  and  finding  himself  unfitted  for  hanl  manual  labor  he  learned  the 
trade  of  tailor.  He  served  at  this  for  throe  years  .and  worked  as  a 
.I'ourneyman  until  the  winter  of  IS.'il  when  he  came  to  Des  Moines. 
Plying  his  trade  for  a  year  he  became  dissatisfied  with  It  and  abandone.l 
it  for  a  clerkship  in  a  general  store  at  .'f;2.5  per  month. 

In  IS."):!  Mr.  Redhead  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Port  Des  Moines 
by  President  Fillmore  to  succeed  Hoyt  Sherman,  who  had  resigned  the 
olfice.  He  filled  the  position  for  nine  years,  during  which  time  the 
office  grew  from  a  small  one  to  be  one  of  the  largest  and  most  import- 
ant In  the  state.  He  made  an  excellent  jjostmaster.  jirompt,  honest  and 
courteous  to  all.  Soon  after  taking  the  office  he  put  in  a  small  stock  of 
l)f)oks  and  stationery.  At  first  his  sales  were  small,  but  they  .gradually 
extended  until  in  ;l:he  course  of  years  tlie  Redhead  book  store  grew  into 
one  of  if  not  the  largest  wholesale  and  retail  book  and  stationery  estab- 
lishment in  the  state.  His  first  partner  was  Richard  T.  Wellslager,  who 
continued  witli  him  a  numlier  of  years,  and  subsequentlj'  came  the 
firm  of  Redhead,  Norton  &  Lathrop,  with  their  immense  stock  .and  trade. 

Mr.  Redliead  has  the  credit  of  being  the  first  co.al  man  of  Des 
iloines  ;tliat  is.  the  first  to  go  into  the  work  in  .a  systematic  and  thor- 
ougli  manner.  He  organized  in  18G4  the  first  company  and  tjie  follow- 
ing year  mining  was  commenced  and  pushed  forward  successfully  1iy 
Mr.  Redhead  for  many  years.  He  was  satisfied  that  better  coal  and 
more  of  it  could  be  found  in  the  deeper  veins  and  he  freely  gave  of  his 
time  and  money  to  prove  the  truth  of  ids  theory.  After  expending  some 
.fS.OOn  of  his  own  money  witliout  success  he  would  not  give  up.  He  per- 
severed and  at  last  near  the  banks  of  the  Raccoon  inside  the  city,  he 
struck  a  five  foot  vein  of  blaclc  diamond  coal.  A  shaft  was  sunk  and 
from  the  mine  came  many  tliousands  of  tons  of  excellent  co.al.  Mr. 
Redhead  at  last  reaped  his  deserve»l  reward,  and  pioneered  the  way  for 
others.  Mr.  Redhead  soon  became  the  proprietor  of  the  whole  mine  and 
pushed  work  thereiiu.  In  1.8S0  he  took  .Tames  P.  Clark  in  with  him  and 
organized  the  Pioneer  Coal  Company.  In  addition  to  his  coal  business 
Mr.  Redhead  organized  the  Pioneer  ITay  Company,  which  did  a  large 
bu.siness  for  several  years.  Hei  was  also  interested  in  banks,  insurance 
and  other  companies,  and  was  the  owner  of  valuable  real  estate  in  the 
city  and  county,  with  an  elegant  residence  on  thei  Ka.st  Side. 

The  first  wife  of  Mr.  Redhead  was  Isabel  Clark,  sister  of  Hon. 
Kzekiel  Clark  and  of  Mrs.  Covernor  Kirkwood.  They  were  married  in 
lown  City  in  lSr.1,  and  slipi  died  in  bS.-8.  In  18r,0  he  married  Miss  Annie 
Seymour,  wlio  was  born  in  Kenlucky  and  came  here  in  ]8.j(;  witli  and  as 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  JiIOIXES. 


945 


a  ward  of  Judge  M.  D.  ^IcH('ur3-.  Of  this  union  eight  children  were 
liorn,  three  of  whom  are  now  liyin.g.  (xeorgo  S.,  Charles  "\V..  and  Her- 
bert S.,  all  living  in  Des  Moines.  Mr.  Redhead  and  his  wife  were  both 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  did  much  for  the  same,  and  were 
always  generous  in  their  help  to  the  unfortunate  or  needy.  In  polities 
Mr.  Redhead  was  a  democrat  until  ISOl,  when  he  .ioined  the  republican 
party  and  remained  with  it.  He  served  one  term  in  the  General  Assem- 
bl.y  as  a  member  from  this  count3-.  and  made  an  excellent  record,  but 
he  was  in  no  sense  an  aspirant  for  or  seeking  after  otflce.  The  busy  life 
of  Wesley  Redhead  closed  .January  O.  1801.  he  then  dying  after  a  long 
illness,  in  the  iSd  year  fif  his  age,  leavin.g  not  onl.v  a  loving  family,  but 
also  scores  and  hundreds  of  warm  friends  to  mourn  his  loss. 


GEN.   .JAMES  A.  WILIAMSON. 


Among  the  prominent  citizens  of  Des  Mcjines  who  in  years  past  aided 
materially  in  its  grnwtli  ami  prosperity  was  Cien.  .James  A.  Wiliannson. 
"While  in  business  in  this  city,  lie  was  noted  for  his  enterprise,   liber- 
ality, and  public  spirit;  as  a  soldier  he  gave  ghn-y  tu  his  town,  county. 
60 


946  AiAWAL»S'  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

and  State,  ami  as  a  pubJic  officei'  won  high  honors.  And  although 
official  and  private  business  has  caused  his  absence  from  itlie  city,  he 
has  always  regarded  it  as  his  true  home,  and  made  as  frequent  visits 
as  pO'Ssil_i!e  to  meet  his  many  Des  Moines  and  Iowa  friends. 

Born  in  Columbus,  Adair  County,  Kentucky,  February  S,  1.s:!2, 
he  came  witli  his  people  to  Iowa  In  184.5,  being  among  tlie  pioneers 
of  ICeokuli  County.  He  engaged  in  fai'ming  aud  merchandising. 
Finishing  liis  education  at  Ivnox  College,  Illinois,  he  studied  law,  and 
when  a  young  man  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  In  18.54-5  lie  be'Came 
interested  in  Des  JMoines,  and  soon  removed  here  with  his  family. 
Here  he  soon  became  prominent  and  influential,  dealt  largel.v  in  real 
estate,  esiiecially  on  the  East  Side,  and  was  one  of  the  main  projectors 
aud  Imilders  of  the  first  capitol  building.  He  also  engaged  to  some 
extent  in  banking  and  mercantile  affairs,  and  was  a  lender,  in  business, 
political    and   social  affairs. 

When  the  war  Ijroke  out,  and  as  soon  as  he  could  arrange  liis  large 
business  affairs,  he  volunteered  for  service,  and  August  8,  18G1,  was 
commissioned  Fir.st  Lieutenant  aard  appointed  Ad.iutairt  of  tlie  noted 
Fourtli  Iowa  Infantry,  ("'ul.  (4.  ,"\f.  Dodge  in  I'mnniand.  lie  aoconipa- 
nied  tills  Regiment  in  Its  marclies  and  skirmislies  in  Missnuri,  .-ind 
distinguished  himself  at  the  fierce  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  where  lie  acted 
as  Aide  fo  Colonel  Dodge,  then  commanding  the  Brig-ade.  Nor  lung 
.■iftei-  iliis  he  was  promoted  to  Lieuitenant  Colonel  of  the  Fourth,  and 
was  siilisi'iiueiitly  promoted  Colonel,  and  took  commaml  nf  llie 
Regiiiiont.  Tlie  following  year  he  led  his  Regiment  in  tlie  furious 
attack  upon  the  enemy  at  Chickesaw  Bayou,  and  again  distinguislievl 
himself  for  gallantry  and  skill  in  this  despei-ate  assault.  The  Fourth 
had  112  men  killed  or  wnainded  out  of  a  total  force  of  350.  Colonel 
AVilliamson  himself  was  among  the  wounded.  He  was,  however,  with 
his  regiment  at  the  subsequent  capture  of  Arkansas  Post.  Soon  there- 
after lie  was  placed  in  command  of  a  Brigade,  which  soon  became 
noted  in  tin'  army  as  tlie  "Williamson  Brigade,"  and  was  in  many 
hard  marches  and  fights,  always  with  credit  to  itsidf  and  its  galhini 
commander. 

Geiiei'al  Williamson  was  with  his  command  in  its  two  assaidts  upon 
and  the  siege  of  Viclcsburg.  in  the  engag<Mnents  ,at  Chattanooga, 
Cherokee  Station,  Caney  Creek,  Tuscunibia,  Lookout  Mountain, 
Ringgold,  siege  of  Atlanta.,  was  wiith  Slierman  on  his  march  to  the 
sea  and  participated  in  the  subsequent  movements  and  engagements 
in  Soulli  and  North  Carolina,  ending  in  the  triumphal  review  at  Wash- 
ingtiiii.  Commanding  a  bi'igade  aud  winning  honors,  yet  his  promo- 
tion was  slow,  and  not  until  ISlIT  wfvr  the  stars  of  ('General  placed 
u|inn  his  shoulders.  His  independence  and  contempt  for  all  truckling 
to  ceri.-iin  liigher  officers  may  have  liad  something  to  do  witli  tli's, 
thougli  as  a  military  man,  he  was  always  oliedient  to  the  commands 
and  I'espectfiil  to  his  isniierior  olHcers,  and  was  on  several  occasions 
heartily  commended  by  Generals  (Jrant  and  Sherman. 

After  the  war  had  closed  General  Williamson  returned  to  his  home 
in  Des  JXojnes,  and  at  once  engaged  in  legal  and  business  pursuits, 
and  was  frequently  mentioned  as  a  Republican  candidate  for  Congress. 
But  becoming  later  on  interested  in  Western  lauds  and  mines,  he  spent 
a  portion  of  his  time  in  the  far  we.st,  and  afterwards  was  some  months 
in  London,  Englaua,  conducting  financial  and  real  estate  operations. 
The  panic  of  1S73  militated  against  them  and  he  returned  home.  About 
this  time  tliere  was  a  ^•acancy  in  the  office  of  Coanmisioner  of  the 
(reneral  Laml  Office  at  Washington,  and  tliis  iiosition  was  tendered 
liim  liy  President  Grant.  This  was  accepted  aud  General  Williamson 
at  once  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  tlie  onenms  duties  of  the  office. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOJXES.  '.H7 

He  contimietl  in  it  tiiroush  'the  administrations  of  Presidents  Grant, 
Hayes,  and  Garfiotd,  and  his  extraordinary  long  service  in  tliis  Depart- 
ment of  tlie  public  service  proved  the  man  and  offlcer  he  was  and  the 
high  esteem  in  vs'hich  ho  was  held.  Finally  resigning  this  high  gov- 
ernment office  General  AVilliamson  became  Laud  Commissioner  of  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  which  became  part  of  the 
great  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  system.  Here  he  had  full  sway, 
at  a  much  larger  salary  than  that  paid  by  the  government,  and  tliese 
large  land  affairs  were  conducted  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Company 
and  of  the  settlers  along  the  I'ue. 

In  18.j4  General  Williamson  married  iliss  Ann  Gregory,  a  mosi 
amiable  and  lovelj'  la.'iy.  They  had  seven  children,  of  whom  four  of 
the  daughters  are  living.  One  lives  witli  her  father  and  the  other 
tliree  are  married.  The  first  wife  died  in  Washington,  and  some  years 
after  General  Williamson  mari-ied  an  agreeable  and  wttilthy  lady, 
with  whom  he  now  resides  In  New  York  City,  tliough  he  generally 
makes  one  or  two  trips  each  year  to  his  old  home  in  Des  Moines.  At 
the  lavst  soldiers'  reunion  in  this  city  he  had  the  pleasure  of  meet- 
ing a  number  of  the  old  soldiers  of  "Wiliiamson's  Brigade,"  and  again 
marching  at  the  liead  in  the  parade. 


948 


ANNALS  OF  I'OLK  COUNTY 


ADAM  IIOWELI., 


Tlii^    W(»ll-kiii)wu    Pi-csiiJent    of    Hie 

])aii'en(s   were 


ir,-nvk(>ye  Mre  Insnraiic-f  Ooni- 
liiiiiy  WHS  Jiii-ni  at  I'l.-v:  II(i|ii',  Canaila,  iu  1S4(I,  and  is  the  sun  (it  rtieliaiM 
ami  Isaliclla  (Shawl  Howell.  His  jiavenls  were  Ivoitli  l)orn  in  Ireland, 
and  liofli  were  of  Welsh  desi-eiit.  They  emijiTated  to  (_'aua.da  in  1S2(). 
and  seitled  at  I'ort  lIoi>e,  Ayhere  Adam,  the  eoaht'li  of  ten  children,  "nnas 
lioi'n.  lie  was  edneatcd  in  tlie  eonnno'n  sch'ool.s  nl:'  his  native  town,  an  1 
comideted  Ins  selnwd  education  at  the  Foft  Edward  Inslitnte.  New 
Yoi'k.  He  then  enteired  into  the  dry  .yood^ 
ried  Jli       '  ' 


--.,   ,^      -       .  aoidi.  In  ISiM,  niai'- 

Mary  Eilizabelli  Sanderson,  elanghter  of  Itev.  Dr.  (4.  E.  San- 
derson ,a  noted  ;\IeMiod:is!-,  iniinster  who,  dtnrin.n-  hi«  active  life,  held  all 
tiie  lii.uiier  positi'ons  within  the  bestowal  of  that 
In  ISCi;  lie  'Sold   ont   his  bnsiness  at   I'ovt 

family,  to  Hes  :\loines.  He  here  entered  at  once  'into  the  business  of 
local  lire  insurance.  He  soon  gained  a.  re]iuta1ion  among  insurance 
men.  and,  in  ISTii.  was  elecleili  Secretary  of  the  Hawkeye  Insuranci> 
Conijiany.  ami  fen-  m'orc  tha,n  twenty-seven  years  'has  lieen  i-miiuecled 
Willi  this  coinitan.i',  which  from  small  beginnins's  has  bccona'  one  of  tile 
largesl.    strongest    and    ntosi    successful  Insurance   I'omiianies   in    Iowa. 


•Imrch  in  Canada. 
Hope  and  lami-.  with  li 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES. 


949 


Much  of  its  success  is  due  to  the  liberal,  able  majiagemeut  of  Adam 
Howell,  wlio  is  regaiiled  as  a  lender  ainoug"  the  liest  of  insurauce  lueu. 
Upon  the  death  of  Presidlent  E.  J.  Ingersoll,  in  ISOl.  Mr.  Howell  was 
elecled  President  of  the  Ilawkeye  Company,  and  is  now  serving  in  that 
capacity. 

Mr.  Howell  i.si  a  Metliodist  in  religion,  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  a 
idain,  unassuming  man  wiio  never  sought  office  in  (-liurch  or  State. 
He  has,  however,  always  been  ready  to  give  his  a.ssistance  to  anything 
whicli  will  advance  the  interests  of  Des  Moines  or  his  fellDW  men,  and. 
with  his  g'o<xt  wife,  has  always  cheerfully  extended  a  helping  hand  to 
any  who  may  be  in  troul>le  or  distress. 

To  Jlr.  and  Mrs.  Howell  have  been  born  five  dhiildren,  (hree  of 
whom  are  now  living.  They  have  a  ple.asaiit  home,  at  which  they 
dispense  a  generous  tajspitality.  and  whieli  they  make  the  center  of 
their  own  lives. 


.T.  ADD.  HETBURX. 


It  is  safe  to  say  tliat  fer\v  men  in  this  county  every  en.ioyed  more 
personal  popularif.v.  tlie  more  universal  gi.rod  ^yi\\  of  men.  w-iunen  anil 


<.I50 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


cliilOren,  than  did  the  subject  of  "this  sketch.  Known  by  all  and  beloved 
by  all,  he  lived  an  active  and  happy  life.  No  misfortunes,  personal  or 
j)e;cuniary,  could  for  long  over-cloud  his  sunny  and  ever  bright  nature. 
Born  in  Olean,  Nev\'  Yorli,  April  20,  1829,  and  there  receiving  a  school 
and  business  training,  lie  came  to  lo'^va  In  18.50,  and  to  Des  Moines  May 
2.3,  185.5,  and  here  he  lived  for  nearly  forty  years.  He  first  eutea-ed  the 
general  store  of  .lames  Cr:uie,  on  Second  street,  and  in  18.50  lie,  in  con- 
nection with  Aleck  Wood^vard,  opemed  a  large  dry  goods  house  oil  the 
same  street,  then  the  center  of  business.  This  was  then  the  leading  dry 
goods  house  of  the  town,  and  owed  much  of  its  trade  to  the  courteuos, 
phasant  manner  and  honest  dealing  of  Aild.  Hepburn.    After  the  dis- 


.Mi;S.  A.\XA   K.  HEI-KTUN. 


s(dulion  of  tliis  llrm  n  few  years  after,  he  became  a  member  of  the 
dry  goods  tirm  nf  Moi'ris  &  llciil)urn,  in  1h(>  Clajip  Block  on  Walnut 
slreet.  He  was  at  different  dates  connected  with  other  firms  In  the 
city,  and  closed  his  mercantile  career  in  the  management  of  a  dry  goods 
store  on  the  East  Side.  In  thei  social  life  of  Des  :\Ioines  for  years  Add. 
Hepburn  was  a  iirominent  character.  He  was  the  life  of  all  social  gath- 
erings.   At  liis  own  home,  with  his  accomplislied  Avife,  he  was  the  best 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  'J51 

of  entertainers,  nnil  at  otlier  homes  ami  in  pulilie  assemblies  he  was 
a  leader  in  helping  otliers  to  enjoy  life. 

Abont  188S  he  was  forced  to  retire  from  active  business  on  account 
(if  an  affection  of  the  right  leg,  which  originated  wheal  he  was  a  youth. 
After  much  suffering,  borne  with  the  genial  patience  of  his  character, 
I  he  surgeons  at  last  decided  to  amimtate  the  leg.  Subseiquent  to  this 
I  wo  other  amputations  were  performed.  His  sufferings  were  at  times 
severe  and  long  cfintinueid,  and  might  have  brol^en  almo.st  any  man's 
hopes  and  spirit.  l>ut  Add.  tiepburn  rose  superior  to  it  all,  and  main- 
tained his  |Own  brave  and  cheerful  spirit.  And  when  able  again  to  get 
around  on  crtuchcs  he  met  his  many  friends  with  the  same  old  genial 
iiianner  and  busied  himself  in  all  woric  whicli  he  could  do  for  the  sup- 
lior:  of  his  family. 

Knowing  tlie  man.  liis  sufferings  and  his  character,  he  was  nomin- 
ated in  1S92  by  the  republicans  for  the  office  of  county  recorder.  The 
democrats  land  other  parties  endorsed  him.  and  he  received  the  highest 
<'ompliment  of  a  unanimous  election  to  this  office.  In  .January.  18fl.3.  he 
was  inducted  into  an  office  which  would  support  well  himself  and  f.am- 
ily.  with  a  I  prospect  of  holding  the  same  for  a  long  term  of  j'ears.  But 
this  Avas  not  to  be.  A  few  months  thereafter  he  was  talion  again  sick 
and  quickly  dtsith  released  iiim  from  all  suffering  on  May  3.  1803.  Thus 
eude(l  the  brave  and  active  life  of  .T.  Add.  Hejiburn.  and  the  deatli  of  no 
man  in  this  county  was  ever  felt  with  more  wide-spread  and  heartfelt 
sorrow.        , 

.Jauuar:^^  2.  1800.  Aild.  Hepburn  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  EInor.a 
.Tordan.  dauglifer  of  X.  P.  .Jordan,  a  then  prominent  citizen  of  r)es 
Moines,  and  sulisnciuenriy  a  resident  of  '1  ennessee.  where  )ie  died  a  few 
.vears  ago.  Tliis  marri.-i.ge  proved  a  very  happy  one.  and  to  them  were 
liornfourcliildreu:  I'rauk,  whoniarried  Miss  Ella  TvCmen  and  now  resides 
in  Colfax.  Iowa:  Xellie.  wlio  married  Harvey  Ingliam.  tlie  well-known 
newspaper  editor  at  Algnua.  Iowa:  (ieorge  and  Alice,  now  at  Inune  with 
their  mother  in  the  old  homestead.  J'pou  the  death  of  her  husband 
Mi-s.  Heplmrn  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  office  of  county 
recorder.  She  so  well  discharged  the  duties  of  this  office  that  she  was 
unanimously  elected  by  vote  of  the  people  in  the  following  November. 
In  1804  she  was  elected  for  a  full  term  and  re-elected  in  1800.  and  will 
ludd  the  office  until  .January.  1800.  She  has  shown  herself  to  be  not  only 
an  admirable  wife  and  mother,  but  also  a  woman  of  markeil  ability  and 
has  administered  tlie  .-iffairs  of  tliis  resyonsilile  cffice  witli  credit  to  her- 
self and  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  pcoiile  of  the  county. 


952 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


(JKOKCE    W.    IMI.LKK 


Ooi.v-c  ^^".  p'ullrr.  I).  I).  S..  Ill'  Uk-  lii'm  of  Hulletl  .V  I'^iller,  Demlisls-. 
is  Ti'i'll  known  in  ciiy  a,nd  ruiinty.  As  Ixiy  ami  man  ho  has  been  livre 
some  fiii'ly-li\'e  yeais.  liis  fallirr  liavin.u'  set:leil  in  lies  Moines  in  Isr).",. 
The  lii's'f  of  tlie  J'^ullers  in  lliis  eonnlry  came  at  or  aliont  the  time  of 
the  iIaylio\yei-.  Benjamin  Fnller,  lather  of  llie  iloie-tor,  emi.^'raleil  to 
Jefferson  Connly.  Xew  Yorlc.  and  lliere  ilie  iloelor  was  l)orn.  'I'lie 
elder  l''nHer  nia:l«'  a  farm  in  llie  then  wilderness,  anil  there  resided  tnilil 
isr.:',.  \\dn-n  he  enni.ui'al ed  witli  liis  I'aniily  1o  whal  \\'!rs  then  reg'arded 
as  the  far  west,  and  settled   in  tiiis  <-ounty. 

(";eor,L;e  was  iHuai  .Tun(j  27.  ls:'„S.  and  wais  hfteen  years  of  age  when 
he  came  iiere.  In  his  e'arly  yonlli  he  emjoyel'  e.xeellen!  edneational  ad- 
vantages, and  ren'e\ved  ids  slndies  U]ion  eoming  to  lies  iloines.  .\t  the 
age  <d'  IS  lie  riimnn'need  te.aidiing  school,  and  iu  Ihis  was  more  than 
ordin;iril.v  sncccssful.  lie  was  also  elected  Tns'tice  of  tlie  Peace  of 
Bloonjtliidd  Townsliiii  and  servedi  one  teian.  lie  then  eonnneneed  the 
stnd,\"  <if  dentislr.v  willi  Iir.  Halleif.  Avori;ing  witli  and  nnder  his  in- 
strui/lion  unlil  1S(;4.  wlien  he  was  admitted  a  iiarlner  in  the  lirni.  and 
tliey  li.-ive  conlinned  in  partnersliip  for  more  tlia  tinrty-lliree  years. 
Tliis   lirm    is   among   lin'    cddes'    Arms   iu    the    jirofessicm.      Hr.   Fuller 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIXES. 


n.j3 


graduated  from  Dental  Department.  State  University,  in  1881!,  is  a 
raemb-er  of  tlie  State  Dental  Assodiation.  ami  Iras  been  president  nf 
the  same.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Amerioam  Dental  Association,  a 
national  insUtutiou.  His  stiidLOUs  habits,  large  experience  and  atten- 
tion to  bnsiiiieS'S.  combined  with  excellence  of  worlv,  lias  placed  him  ia 
the  front  rank  of  his  profession  in  the  State. 

On  Deoemljer  IS.  1SG4,  he  was  married  to  Charlotte  T..  daughter  of 
William  Phillips,  an  early  settler,  who  aa  an  early  day  l.iecauie  .a 
citizen  of  Iowa  Territor.v,  seilling  in  .Tackson  count.v,  where  his  dangli- 
ter  was  one  of  the  first  born  of  that  county.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Fuller 
have  lutd  three  children:  Minnie  E.,  who  died  in  1880.  in  lu'r  flfteenih 
year:  Benjamin  G..  who,  after  graduating  from  Des  Moines  Collem- 
and  the  Law  Department  of  the  State  University,  is  practicing  his 
profe.ssiou  iu  Des  Moines:  and  Edith,  the  youngest  daugliler,  at  h-oiiic 
with  her  parents. 

Dr.  Fuller  is  a  prominent  Jfasou.  a  member  of  the  Knights  Templar, 
and  has  filled  responsil>le  offices  in  the  Commandery.  He  is  also  an 
active  member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  andi  has  acted  as  Chairman 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees  for  several  years.  He  ranks  as  one  of  the 
'•Early  Settlers,"  having,  as  man  and  lioy.  been  here  for  souie 
forf.v-five  years,  and  lie  stands  liigli  as  a  man  and  as  a  i)rogn'ssiv 
nd  enterprising  citlizen.  He  has  always  been  found  ready  to  give  his 
earnest  help  to  eveiy  good  work. 


954 


ANXALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


.KLSKl'II    EIHOKCK. 


Till'  fditoi-  and  iinipi-ici  ui-  nt  tlir  Iowa  Staats  Aiizci.^rr  was  linrn  in 
Hnusary.  l''i'liniar.v  l':'.,  1m:;s,  and  i-anic  with  his  nnitliur  lo  tlir  United 
States  in  1849,  settling  in  Dnbnqne  in  the  spring  of  that  \ear.  After 
attending-  sclioul  for  a  time  he  enlered  a  iirintin.ij;-  ottirc  ilien  owned  by 
the  lalo  <-'ol.  "\"\'.  IT.  .Merrill.  After  serving  his  aiiiirentieeshi|i  he  tanght 
for  a  time  in  public  and  privale  schools.  In  ISoll  he  ;inreliased  the 
I'laylon  Toounty  .lonrnal  and  eonduete'd  this  newsiiaiicr  nnril  August  1, 
1S72,  exei'jit  during  the  finu-  he  served  as  a  soldier  din-ing  the  rebidlion 
in   Comiiany   K,   Ninth   Iowa    Infantry.      In   bsT:;    he    was    bv    (biveruor 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  BIOINE^.  1155 

Cariteutei'  apiiuiuted  as  Ri-epresentatiyt?  of  Iowa  at  the  Wuilifs  Fair, 
lielil  at  A'ieuna,  where  he  remained  some  time  and  traveled  extensively 
in  Europe.    He  also  visited  the  Pacific  coast. 

In  December,  1874,  he  came  to  Des  Moines,  and.  determiuins  to  settle 
here,  he  bought  the  German  newspaper,  the  Iowa  Staats  Anzei.ger,  and 
for  nearly  twenty-five  years  he  'has  been  the  editor  and  iiroprietor  of 
this,  one  of  the  leading-  German  newspapers  of  the  state.  He  has  also, 
during'  tliat  time,  published  several  English  newspapers,  aanong  them 
lieing  the  Herald  of  Liljerty  and  ^tate  Independent.  In  .-ill  these 
newspapers  he  has  steadily  and  ably  advocated  personal  lilierty  and 
opposed  prohibitory  liquor  legislation  and  all  its  attendant  isms.  He 
has  not  only  worked  through  iii.s  newspapers,  but  has  also  made  hun- 
dreds of  speeches  during  i>as't  political,  campaigns.  His  ability,  unfail- 
ing courtesy  and  reeo,gnized  honesty  and  independence,  have  made  him 
thousands  of  warm  friends,  even  among  those  who  ma.v  not  agree 
with  his  views. 

Colonel  Eilioeclc  was  one  of  the  two  National  Commissioners  from 
Iowa,  to  rlie  World's  Columbian  Exiiosition  in  Chicago  in  1.S93.  In 
1878  he  -was  a.  candidate  for  >State  Auditor  on  the  Democratic  ticliet.  and 
running  far  ahead  of  other  candidates  lacked  only  a  few  thousand  votes 
of  being  elected.  Having  lived  nearly  'his  entire  life  in  Iowa,  Colonel 
Eiboeck  has  always  been  ready  to  do  anything  within 'his  power  to 
advance  the  interests  of  the  state  and  the  good  of  the  people  thereof. 
For  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  a  citizen  of  Des  Moines,  he  has 
aided  in  the  material  and  moral  advancement  of  city  and  county.  Warm 
hearted  and  generous,  he  has  always  Ijeen  trm:'  to  his  friends  and  ahvays 
deserved  their  confidence  and  i-espect. 


956 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


(iKX.  It.   V.  AXKEXy. 


Gen.  R.  \.  .Vnkcn.v  ^Yas  l)oni  M:i.v  22,  1830,  on  tlie  sUe  oC  the  first  set- 
tlement and  lUciek  Ilonse  built  liy  his  urandfather  and  two  eonivades 
k\\<>  |>.-ii'lve,l  llieii-  wii.v  Willi  rittes  liver  the  ineuntaiiis  I'roni  AVashinii'ton 
('onnly,  >lar.\i.-inil.  in  177:i.  in  I'enusylvania.  1'lie  city  ol'  Somerset  is 
built  oTi  tills  tract  of  land.  The  deseeudants  have  pioneered  west  to 
the  I'.-iiifie.  His  pai'ents,  Oen.  .Tose]ih  and  Harriet  (;.  Ankeny,  moved 
liy  w  a.uon  iu  Is.".lt(ilIolmes  Cdunry,  Ohio,  where  four  lioys  and  four  ,i;irl'S 
were  .■iCler\\  ard.s  horn  to  them.  There  amid  tlie  primeval  forests  a  home 
wa.s  heweil  out  and  he  distinguished  himself  as  farmer  and  merchant. 
leuisi.'ilor,  senator,  elector  for  Lini'idn  and  messenger  to  Washin.gtou  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  957 

the  state  vote.  As  early  as  1818,  he  with  his  hrothers  and  neiglibors, 
dropped  in  "broad  horns"  down  the  Ohio  to  the  Mississippi  and  into 
Jaclison  County,  Illinois.  He  returned  horsebaclv;  tlirough  the  almost 
traeliless  wilderness,  with  one  comrade,  and  rifles,  for  gaining  subsis- 
tence, reaching  home  in  1820. 

The  man  of  this  sketch  read  medicine  between  hours  by  candle  dip 
not  taken  by  the  regular  duties,  was  partner  in  the  first  drug  store  in 
Millersburg  and  attended  lectures  at  Cleveland  Medical  School.  He 
married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Irvine,  his  preceptor  and  boyhood 
friend.  The  family  joined  the  Free  Soil  agitation  and  merged  among 
the  first  into  the  organization  of  the  Eepublican  party.  The  General 
moved  in  1854  to  a  320  acre  prairie  tract  five  miles  south  of  Freeport, 
Illinois,  improved  it  and  lived  on  it  twenty  years,  participating  actively 
in  forming  the  Farmers'  Club  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Stephenson 
County,  and  was  secretary  and  president.  He  also  took  an  active  part 
in  tlie  Fremont  presidential  and  E.  B.  Washburn's  congressional  cam- 
paign. "\^'as  on  the  committee  at  the  memorable  debate  between  Lin- 
coln and  Douglas.  His  description  of  the  occasion  is  worthy  of  extended 
record.  The  election  of  Lincoln,  the  rusli  to  arms,  the  mustering  of 
armies  found  Gen.  Ankeny  among  the  first  to  i>ush  recuitiug  for  the  11th 
and  15th  Illinois  Volunteers.  Having  his  farm  and  young  family 
arranged  for  his  absence  by  September,  1861,  ho  •\'\'ent  into  camp  at 
Springfield.  Illinois,  with  six  companies  from  Stephenson  County.  He 
was  orderly  sergeant,  1st  lieutenant  and  captain  in  the  Forts  Henry 
and  Donelson  campaign,  serving  under  Col.  Thayer  in  command  of  the 
brigade  on  the  right  of  Wallace's  -Srd  division. 

At  daybreak  on  the  morning  of  the  surrender,  was  ordered  to  Dover 
Landing  to  take  charge  of  the  prisoners  and  see  them  i;iut  on  Ijoats  for 
the  north.  Returning  to  Fort  Hem-y,  the  4Gth  was  brigaded  with  the 
14th  and  15th  Illinois,  25th  and  53rd  Indiana,  under  Brig.  Gen.  "^'encli. 
who  with  Tuttle's  2nd  Iowa  made  the  successful  charge  at  I>nnelson  and 
both  won  stars.  After  Shiloh  this  brigade  is  marked  as  the  originators 
of  the  G.  A.  R.  Dr.  Stephenson,  surgeon  of  the  14th  Illinois,  was  made 
chairman  and  first  head  of  the  great  organization. 

In  the  spring  of  1804  Gen.  Ankeny  was  ordered  home  and  organized 
the  142(1  Illinois  and  continued  in  service  until  mustered  out  a  Brigadier 
(^reueral  for  meritorious  and  valuable  service.  He  then  returned  to  liis 
family  and  farm  home.  He  also  was  partner  and  co-editor  of  the  Free- 
port  .lournal,  chairman  of  the  Republican  County  Committee  for  a  tei-m 
of  years,  and  delegate  to  the  convention  nominating  U.  S.  Grant.  Hav- 
ing interests  in  Iowa,  he  moved  to  Polk  County  in  1879  and  engaged  in 
farming  and  dealing  in  stock.  He  went  with  the  C,  R.  I.  &  P.  R.  R.  to 
Winterset  and  engaged  in  lumber  trade  initil  being  appointed  deputy 
U.  S.  marshal  of  Iowa,  he  came  back  to  Des  Moines  in  1882.  By  reason 
of  iji.iury  in  a  railroad  wreck  near  Sioux  City  he  resigned  and  for  a  per- 
iod was  in  a  critical  condition.  Ever  active,  he  subsequently  went  to  the 
Black  Hills  and  liy  skill  and  judgment  laid  the  foundation  for  a  fortune 
in  several  properties,  now  very  valuable,  which  were  lost  to  liim  by  tlie 
]jerfiily  of  partners,  while  the  General  was  called  to  the  side  (if  liis  taitli- 
ful  wife.  She  died  in  .January,  1879.  Afterward  for  nearly  five  years 
he  served  with  merit  as  a  special  agent  of  the  Department  of  the  Interior 
in  the  land  division,  traveling  extensively  from  Florida  to  Oregon,  and 
the  vast  territories  of  the  southwest. 

Returning  to  the  city  he  now  lives  in  the  city  in  which  he  takes  great 
pride,  and  is  also  serving  as  Assistant  Overseer  of  the  Poor  and  also  Cor- 
oner of  Polk  County.  Gen.  Ankeny,  widely  known  and  highly  esteemed, 
exerts  an  influence,  quiet  but  strong,  for  patriotic  devotion  to  duty  and 
coimtry. 


958  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

The  ancestry  of  Gen.  Ankeny  is  traced  to  the  German  Rhine  with  one 
branch  of  Huguenot  French.  Tlie  name  being  Americanized.  The  Ger- 
man is  Eughien.  They  all  came  to  America  about  ITHO — the  Bonet.s  to 
Westchester  County,  New  Yorli;  the  Baiters  and  AnliOnys  to  Washington 
County,  Maryland;  and  the  Gieses  to  Loudon  County,  Virginia.  All  four 
of  these  families  participated  in  the  Revolution  and  frontier  wars, 
entitling  their  descendants  to  the  rare  first  class,  "Sons  and  Daughters 
of  the  Revolution."  The  tracings  of  the  families  show  about  300  sol- 
diers in  the  Avars  of  this  country.  In  the  war  for  the  Union  out  of 
seventy-eiglit  (four  were  eaptaius  in  Iowa  regiments,  three  ofticers  of 
other  troops)  of  military  age,  fifty-nine  volunteered  and  elghteeu  never 
returned  north.  Gen.  Anla'uy  is  certainly  entitled  to  be  ranlced  as  a 
strong  type  of  the  self-made  man,  whose  days  of  toil  in  war  and  peace, 
travel  and  vi'ide  experience  among  all  classes,  made  many  friend's  among 
eminent  men,  who  receive  of  him  as  much  as  tliey  e.rtend.  and  .lustities 
Gen.  Clarl^scju's  estimate  expressed  below,  given  in  a  letter  to  Director 
General  Davis,  of  tlie  World's  Fair  at  Chicago: 

"He  has  a  line  military  rank  and  made  the  best  of  records  in  the  war 
for  the  Union;  is  a  military  man  by  nature  and  therefore  has  system 
and  power  to  control  men.  Since  the  war  he  has  in  various  capacities 
serveil  iu  tlie  very  line  to  which  he  would  be  called  in  service  for  you. 
He  bore  a  vei-y  prominent  part  in  the  preparations  of  Iowa  for  the  Cen- 
tennial Exposition  at  Philadelphia.  Gov.  Carpenter  (then  our  Iowa  chief 
executive)  placed  in  his  hands  very  largely  the  organization  of  our  state 
for  that  purpose  and  it  was  due  to  Gen.  Ankeny's  efforts  most  largely 
that  Iowa  made  so  creditable  a  display  at  the  Exposition.  He  has 
always  talceu  a  prominent  part  in  state  affairs  and  other  large  occasi(nis; 
lie  Ivuows  how  to  handle  lai'ge  tilings  and  how  to  make  the  management 
of  large  affairs  popular  and  effective.  Personally  he  has  every  merit  to 
commend  liiiii." 


AXD  TIIIJ  CITY  OF  DEH  MOIXJJS. 


'JoiJ 


MAirriX  T.  v.  BOWMAN. 


]ilirtin  T  ^■  Bowman  was  lun-ii  in  Waiervillr.  :Maine.  July  (i.  ls.,s, 
Dn'hi-  fatlifr-s  side  he  is  „f  Eniilish  origin.  The  maternal  ancestors 
c-inie  from  S.-otlaml.  I'oth  families  liavin.c  emigrated  in  the  .'arly  days 
of  the  -Vmeriian  eolonies,  and  settled  at  Martha's  Vineyard.  For  sev- 
eril  fenerations  the  Bowman  family  were  seafaring  people,  engaged  m 
-n-ivile  lislierv  lint  tinallv  abandoned  that  mode  of  life,  setth-d  in  Ken- 
nebe.-  Tounlv.  Maine,  and  devoted  their  attention  to  other  pursuits. 

i-eived  his  education  in  Waterville  and  Hallowell  Academies, 
seventeenth  year  left  his  home  and  native  state,  going  to 


He  1 
and  in 


his 


960  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

western  A'ivyinia,  "where  lie  tan,i;li!:  two  terms  of  school  at  Sistersville; 
then  he  Avas  called  to  teach  at  Sardis.  Ohio.  After  completing  his  con- 
trnc-t  there  he  went  to  Granville  College,  noAV  Dennison  Universitj-, 
whei'e  he  remained  for  a  year.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  he  re- 
tnrned  to  Haine  and  continned  his  sttidJes  at  the  Maine  State  Seminary, 
at  Lewi.ston.  Having  receivc-'d  a  favoratile  ijroposition  from  his  former 
tiehl  of  labor  in  Virginia,  he  decided  to  retnrn.  and  in  1850  he  again 
located  in  tlie  (Jld  Dominion.  On  his  way  tliere  he  passed  through 
narjier's  Ferry  at  the  time  the  celebrated  raid  of  John  Brown  occnrred; 
Ire  was  fortunate  enough,  however,  to  get  through  (all  eastern  people 
on  the  train  following  the  one  he  was  on  being  stojipedl.  He  was  in 
western  Virginia  when  .John  Brown  was  executed.  This  act  of  Brown's 
served  to  intensify  the  feelings  of  hatred  toward  the  North,  and  he 
i-ould  hear  the  mutterings  that  iiresaged  the  coming  storm  of  war,  and 
ilecided  to  again  seek  a  home  in  his  native  state;  and  when  the  war 
brolvc  out  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  the  grammar  .school  in  the  city  of 
Hallowell,  Maine.  He  promptly  offered  his  services  in  defense  of  the 
Cuvernment,  and  entered  the  army  as  a,  Coi-]ioral  in  tlie  First  Maine 
i-avalry,  but  he  wa'S  soon  detaclied  as  Kegimental  <Juartermaster  Ser- 
geant, and  on  the  first  of  May,  1802,  was  appointed  Kegimental  Com- 
missary Sergeant.  In  December.  1863.  he  re-enlisted,  and  was  commis- 
sioned First  Lieutenant  and  Regimental  commissary.  He  was  detaclied 
•■IS  ('nmmissary  of  the  Third  brigade.  Second  division,  of  General  Sher- 
idan's cavalry  corps,  October  0,  1804,  and,  on  March  20,  18G."i,  was 
ordered  to  tai;e  charge  of  tlie  reserve  supply  train,  v^^hich  position  he 
oci-upied  until  General  Lee's  surrender  to  General  Grant  at  Appomat- 
tox. By  order  of  Brevet-General  C.  H.  Smitli  he  took  charge  of  the 
( Vimmissary  <leparlinent  of  tlie  suli-district  of  tlie  Apiiomattox,  relieving 
Captain  M,  A.  Richardson,  C.  S.,  .Tune  l.'i.  l.sO.'i,  and  remained  in  that 
r-a]iaeity,  issuing  rations  to  the  soldiers  and  destitute  citizens,  until  he 
was  nnislered  out.  on  the  1st  of  August.  18(i-'i.  at  Petersburg.  Virginia. 

lie  was  engaged  in  .active  duly  during  the  entire  time  he  was  en- 
rnllcd  in  till-  service,  and.  tliough  connecteil  with  tiie  commissaiy 
deiiartnient,  liis  dulios  -were  Ijotli  arduous  and  dangerous,  and  his  posi- 
tion a  most  i'('s]ioiisiiil-  one.  His  first  important  service  was  at  the 
battle  of  Wini/lu'sier.  May  2."i.  1.S02.  Tliis  was  followed  liy  an  engage- 
ment at  Cedar  Mountain;  tlie  second  liattle  of  Bull  Run.  on  August  29tli 
and  :',()tl],  1802;  Frederickslmrg.  I)eceniber  12,  1802;  Itappahannock  Sta- 
tion, April  ]4,  180:',;  Br.andy  S.ntiipn,  .Tune  0;  Aldie,  .Tune  17;  Middlebnrg, 
.Tunc  l!i;  Geflyslnii-g  July  1.  2  ami  3:  Sliepherdstown,  July  10,  1863;  and 
in  till'  foriitiiaiidus  before  Richmond,  March  1,  1804.  On  the  Tth  and 
stli  i<[  .May.  isiil.  .'Ill  engagement  occurrefl  at  Toild's  Tavern,  which 
was  followed  by  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor  on  the  2d  of  June;  Ream's 
Statiim.  August  2:!,  18ii4;  lvalue's  Cross  Itoads,  April  5,  186.5,  and  on  To 
Apponiallox  Court  House  and  the  surrender  of  General  Lee  on  the  9th 
of  April,  180  1.  With  liis  command  lie  was  then  ordered  to  re-enforce 
S'herman.  and  marched  to  North  Carolina  with  that  ob.ieet  in  view,  but 
.Johnson  had  suiTendered  to  General  Sherman,  and  the  war  was  over. 

As  stated,  his  service  was  an  important  and  hazardous  one.  He  was 
fretinently  a|ipointed  by  the  General  in  command  to  take  charge  of 
scouting  enterprises,  and  never  shrank  from  iluty  however  responsilile 
or  perilous.  (Tn  one  of  his  daring  tri|is  into  the  enemy's  camp  in  the 
darkness  of  night  he  was  hotly  pursued  and  many  bullets  sent  to  arrest 
his  escajie.  Imt  he  eluded  liis  foe  and  reached  his  command  in  safety. 
At  one  time  he  was  three  weeks  in  the  hands  of  the  Guerillas,  but  suc- 
eeeded  in  making  his  escajie  through  the  kindness  of  a  Confederate 
doclor.  at  whose  house  he  was  left  to  die. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  rettn'ued  willi  his  regiment  to  Maine.  an<I 
was  niiislered  out  at  Augusta,  going  theiu'C  to  Boston,  .Massachusetts, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  961 

•n'bere  he  condueteil  a  market  until  the  spi-ing  of  1866,  -n-ben  he  came  to 
loTra.  locating  in  Newton.  Jasper  County.  For  a  time  he  engaged  in  the 
hardware  husine.ss,  and  in  the  spring  of  1807  was  appointed  a  special 
agent  for  the  "Washington  Life  Insurance  Company,  which  position  he 
held  until  the  spring  of  1870.  when  he  resigned  and  accepted  the  general 
agency  of  the  Brooklyn  Life  Insurance  Comi>any.  of  New  York,  for 
Iowa,  remoying  to  and  opening  his  office  in  Des  iloines.  After  working 
for  that  company  eleven  months  and  sending  them  a  large  amount  of 
new  business,  he  accepted  the  general  agency  of  his  former  company, 
the  Washington  Life,  of  New  York.  He  has  represented  that  company 
in  Iowa  for  more  than  thirty  rears  and  as  (jcueral  Agent  and  Manager 
since  1871. 

On  the  1st  day  of  .January.  1864.  he  was  granted  a  fifteen  days  fur- 
lough and  went  East  and  was  married  in  Charlestown  mow  part  of 
Boston!.  Mass..  to  Miss  .Josephine  Wehber.  a  very  estimable  young 
woman,  a  native  of  ilaine.  wlio  died  in  18.84.  8he  was  lovel.y  in  her 
life,  and  her  death  left  a  great  sorrow  to  htisband  and  famil.v.  Of  the 
ei.ght  ciiildren  Ijorn  of  their  marriage  three  died  in  infancy.  Those 
titill  living  are  Leona.  now  married  and  living  in  Sioux  City;  De  Forest, 
associated  witli  his  father  in  the  life  instirance  business:  Harold  M.  and 
Herman  T..  both  at  this  time  sttidents  at  the  L'niversity  of  Michigan, 
and  Josephine  Beatrice,  at  High  School  in  Des  Moines. 

He  was  the  second  time  married,  in  Chicago,  .January  12,  1886;  his 
second  union  being  witli  Miss  Ha.ttie  L.  Stanard,  and  on  their  fourth 
wedding  anniversary  he  was  again  bereft  by  the  death  of  a  beloved 
wife.  Two  children  were  born  of  this  maiTiage,  Dean  Cottle  and 
Ha.ttie  Corinne.  Her  death  was  an  irreparable  loss  to  her  liusband  and 
famil.v.  and  to  all  who  knew  her  a  source  of  sincere  sorrow.  She  was 
educated  at  the  state  school  at  Xormal.  Illinois,  and  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen began  her  laJ)ors  as  teacher;  flr.st  at  Charleston.  Illinois,  after 
that  at  Little  Kock,  Arkansas,  Des  Moines.  Iowa,  and  the  last  ten  years 
at  Omaha,  Nebraska,  where  she  was  Principal  of  the  South  Side 
schools  for  seven  years.  The  summer  of  187.3  she  spent  in  traveling  in 
Europe,  going  abroad  as  representative  of  the  School  Journal,  She 
visited  England  and  Scotland,  and  also  spent  some  time  on  the  conti- 
nent. She  possessed  fine  executive  ability,  a  brilliant  mind,  firm  in  her 
opinion,  and  wa.s  a  lovin.g  wife  and  devoted  mother. 

He  was  married  to  his  present  wife  at  Columbtis.  Ohio.  July  9th.  1.891. 
She  was  the  widow  of  Colonel  J.  "\V.  Holliday.  of  Steubenville.  Ohio, 
who  died  in  1.881.  Slie  received  her  edtication  at  Blairsville  Ladies' 
Seminary.  Pennsylvania,  graduating  at  that  institution  in  1.861.  Mrs. 
Bowman  has  been  an  active  worker  in  the  Woman's  Relief  Corps,  hav- 
ing been  elected  President  of  the  E.  M.  Stanton  W.  E.  C.  in  1.8,84.  and 
the  same  year  was  elected  to  the  Vice-Presidency  of  the  department  of 
Ohio,  and  was  appointed  Assistant  National  Inspector  for  Western 
Virginia  on  the  staff  of  Mrs.  Charit.v  littsk  Craig. 

Ml.  Bowman  has  been  a  successful  business  man.  having  been  con- 
nected witli  several  important  business  enterprises  of  r)es  Moines. 
r)uring  1881  and  18.8'2  he  held  the  First  Vice-Presidency  of  the  Iowa 
Baptist  State  Convention,  and  during  1.8.8.3  and  18.84  was  the  P^-esident 
of  that  organization.  He  has  been  a  director  of  the  Iowa  National  Bank 
since  its  organization,  in  lS7.7i,  and  is  a  director  of  the  Avoca  Bank  of 
Avoea.  Iowa.  He  is  Vice-President  of  the  Des  Moines  lee  Company 
and  Vice-President  of  the  Clifton  Heights  Land  Company.  He  is  a 
charter  member  of  C/rocl^er  Post,  and  served  as  its  second  Commander. 
He  is  Treasurer  of  the  Iowa  Commandery  of  the  Military  Order  of  the 
Ivoyal  Legion  of  the  United  States.  On  the  twelfth  of  February.  1880. 
he  was  commissioned  Lieutenant  Colonel  on  the  staff  of  Governor 
John  H.  Gear,  and,  on  the  seventh  day  of  April,  18.8.3,  he  was  eommis- 

6l 


4)62 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


sinned  with  tlif  sain.'  rank  nii  the  staff  of  Governor  Biirlen  K.  Slienuan. 
He  has  lieen  a  memlM'r  nf  the  order  of  Masonry  for  many  years,  is  Past 
High  Priest  of  Corintliian  ('hapier  No.  14.  R."  A.  il..  and  a  promineut 
Knight  Tenijdar. 

In  edueational  matims  ]ie  has  taken  a  lively  inlerest.  having  been  a 
niemlier  of  thn  Executive  P.oaril  nf  Des  Moine'S  I'uiversit.v  (now  Lies 
:\lnincs  C'ollegin  fi>r  i'ln\Tii  years,  and  was  President  nf  llie  finneral 
Board  nne  .vear.  wlien  lie  resigned. 

He  has  made  liis  way  in  life  unaided  and  has  won  the  resiieet  and 
ennfidenee  nf  Ids  fellow  citizens,  liy  whom  he  is  esteemml  for  integrity 
and  tiiirightness  of  cdiaraeter.  I'olitically  he  i's  a  Iteiiuldican,  and  relig- 
innsly  a  Baptist. 


■^^H 

^^^^Bp'^Rv'^'  M              m^ 

^^^^^^H^^Hr        1    mUKEt' .^^Sl^^^^^^am                              ''^^1 

^H  S^^m      m 

^^^bu^^^K—i^M 

l-.\l!K    M.   :\I.VlflIX. 


<'nl.  L.  .AL  Jlartiii  lias  lieen  for  many  years  iirnminent  in  raih-oart, 
linaiicial  ,ind  i»dilic,-d  idfaii's  in  I»i-s  :\lnines  and  Iowa.  Born  iu  \'ir-, 
giiii.M  snmc  fnrl\-,^i.\  years  ;ii;<i.  he  came  In  ii,\\:\  with  his  iiarents  as  an 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  9(13 

infaut.  His  father  Avas  from  England  and  his  mother  a  German 
woman.  As  a  l)oy  young  Martin  labored  upon  bis  father's  farm  ami 
attended  school  when  iiossible.  In  1870  be  left  the  farm  and  went  int'> 
the  office  of  the  I'ella  Blade,  with  the  intention  of  becoming  a  printer. 
But  acquiring  a  taste  and  having  a  natural  "gift"  in  that  direction,  he 
at  tlie  end  of  a  year  turued  liis  attention  to  telegraphing.  Going  to 
Prairie  City,  in  Jasper  County,  and  entering  the  railroad  office  at  tliat 
place  he  soon  became  one  of  the  most  expert  operators  on  the  line.  He 
remained  at  Prairie  City  some  three  years,  when  he  was  tran.sferreri  to 
and  made  agent  at  Comstoek,  AVapello  County,  on  the  line  of  the  old  Val- 
ley Ilailrcad.  lu  a  short  time  he  was  transferred  lo  Beacon,  and  after 
remaining  there  one  year  was  sent  to  Pella,  where  lie  reinainel  ah.)ut 
three  years,  acting  as  telegraph  operator  and  clerk.  From  Pclla  lii'  -v.is 
sent  to  Des  Jloines  to  act  as  cliii'f  clerk  of  tlie  old  Des  MoiTi.s  A'uIIev 
Ilailroad  office. 

In  1877  the  Chicago.  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Company  leased  the  A'al- 
le,v  road,  and  Jlr.  Martin  was  at  once  made  agent  of  the  Keokidv  and 
Des  Moines  division  of  the  line,  winch  he  held  until  October,  1882.  He 
tlien  resigned  to  talcei  the  position  of  gentral  agent  at  Biione  iif  the 
St.  Louis.  Des  Moines  and  Xorthern  Railroad,  of  which  C.  F.  ileek  was 
the  general  superintendent.  In  1883  Mr.  Meek  became  superintendent 
of  file  \^'a))asll  Railway  and  induced  Mr.  ilartin  to  return  to  Des 
Moines,  where  he  filled  the  doulile  i)Osition  of  freight  and  ticket  agent  of 
l)iitli  lines  until  <)rt<jlicr,  1887,  when  be  became  superintendent  and  gen- 
eral freight  agent  of  tlie  St.  lyouis,  Des  JMoines  and  Northern  and  also 
ciinimereial  agent  of  the  Wabash,  controlling  and  managing  the  freight 
tiusiness  of  the  latter  I'oad  throughout  the  state. 

In  October,  1880,  the  St.  Louis,  Des  Moines  .-md  Northern  was  sold  to 
the  Des  Moines  and  Xorthern,  and  Mr.  Martin  became  the  general  man- 
ager of  the  latter.  Under  his  management  the  road  was  broadened  to 
the  standard  gu.age.  and  through  his  efforts  ])rincipally  an  arrangement 
was  made  with  the  Milwaukee  system  by  whicli  the  road  handled  traffic 
con.iointly.  and  wliich  was  of  immense  advantage  to  Des  Moines  and 
the  territory  tributary  thereto.  Not  long  after  Col.  Martin  conducted 
negotiations  wliicli  resulted  in  the  consolidation  (if  ids  conipaii.^-  nirii 
tlie  Des  Moines  and  Northern.  Both  being  made  standard  guage.  in 
.January.  1S92.  they  were  consolidated  and  known  as  the  Des  Moines, 
Ndrthern  and  AYesteru.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  din^ctors 
Col.  Martin  was  made  general  manager  of  the  consolidated  system. 

These  accomplished  and  successful  works  of  a  young  railroad  man 
gave  him  a  deservedly  high  name  in  railroad  circles,  and  the  genius  of 
Col.  Martin  was  at  once  appreciated.  In  1894  he  was  made  the  general 
manager  of  the  Iowa  Central  Railroad.  Accepting  the  position,  liaving 
his  headquarters  at  Marshalltowu,  he  at  once  entered  upon  the  dis- 
cliarge  of  his  onerous  duties.  Now  in  tlie  fourtli  year  of  his  service  tlie 
Iowa  Central  shows  on  all  its  main  line  and  branches  the  results  of  his 
aide  management.  He  has  more  than  realized  the  highest  expectations 
of  his  warmest  friends. 

Outside  of  railroads  the  business  and  social  connections  of  Col.  Mar- 
tin are  ntimei'ous  and  large.  He  has  been  and  is  now  deeply  intereste'l 
and  holds  Wgli  positions  in  other  financial  and  progressive  companies, 
giving  to  all  the  benefit  of  his  clear  business  knowledge,  broad  views, 
and  kindly,  generous  courtesy.  He  has  always  been  a  friend  of  labor 
organizations  and  free  in  bis  services  and  help  to,  the  Brotherliood  of 
Engineers  and  Firemen  and  other  kindred  organizations.  In  politics 
lie  is  a  democrat,  and  has  been  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  liis  iiartv. 
He  was  the  first  man  afipointed  on  tlie  staff  of  Governor  Boies  with  the 
rank  of  colonel,  and  held  this  position  for  four  years.  He  has  been  men- 
tioned as  a  candidate  fc.r  governor  and  other  high  offices,  but  has  alwa.\-s 


'.H-A 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


refused  to  be.  a  eaudidate  for  any  political  office.  He  was  a  delosate  at 
large  from  Iowa  to  the  democratic  national  conyention,  and  one  of  the 
committee  to  notify  Pn<sldent  ('levcland  of  his  nomination.  He  is  at 
this  time  the  member  from  Iowa  of  the  national  democratic  'Mimmittee. 
and  the  leading  inan  of  that  party  in  Iowa. 

Col.  Martin  was  married  in  (iclober.  1873.  and  his  accomplished  wife 
and  children  form  an  interesting  and  happy  family. 


ALI'.KItT  ]!.  ('T'MMIXS. 


In  liie  Annals  it  is  stated  how.  at  an  early  day,  lies  Moines  attracled 
to  it  young  men  of  more  lli:in  ordinary  ability  and  gaye  to  cacli  and  all 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  0(15 

an  opportuuity  to  show  of  what  material  they  Avere  maile.  A.  B.  Cum- 
mins came,  drawn  by  the  same  attractions,  at  a  later  datp.  January. 
1S7S.  and  in  his  more  than  twenty  years  in  Des  Moines  has  certainly 
liroven,  hy  deeds  as  well  as  words,  that  he  is  made  of  the  best  of 
material,  wears  well,  and  is  always  bright.  He  has,  in  this  single 
score  of  years,  made  for  himself  an  enviable  name,  not  only  in  this  city 
and  county,  but  also  throughout  the  entire  state  of  Iowa  and  beyond  Its 
Ijorders,  and,  being  in  good  health  and  on  the  sunns'  side  of  fifty  years, 
who  knows  what  the  next  score  of  years  may  show  as  the  record  of 
A.  B.  Cummins'? 

He  was  born  in  Greene  county.  I'ennsylvania.  February  1.5.  18.50. 
After  attending  the  common  schools,  he  entered  the  "Wayuesburg  Col- 
lege, in  his  native  county,  and  graduated  from  that  institution  in  1869, 
when  nineteen  years  of  age.  Thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  with  no 
outside  help,  he  had  to  rely  upon  his  own  efforts  to  succeed  in  the 
struggles  of  life.  That  same  year  he  came  to  Iowa,  settling  for  a  time 
in  Elkader.  Clayton  county,  where  he  secured  a  clerkship  in  the  otfice 
of  the  county  recorder.  He  also  worked  for  a  time  as  a  carpenter. 
He  then  made  a  change  by  going  to  Indiana,  where  he  was  division 
and  subseqxiently  assistant  chief  engineer  in  the  construction  of  the 
Cincinnati,  Richmond  &  Fort  Wayne  railroad.  In  .January,  1872,  he 
went  to  Michigan,  and  assisted  in  locating  and  constructing  a  railroad 
between  Janesville  and  Lansing,  called  the  Northern  Central  Michigan 
railroad.  A  portion  of  this  time  he  acted  as  chief  engineer.  Determined 
to  enter  tlie  legal  profession,  Mr.  Cummins  then  entered  the  law  offlci' 
of  MeClellan  lV:  Hodges,  in  Chicago.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
Spring-field,  Illinois,  January  1.  IST-j.  and  immediately  l^egau  the  prac- 
tice in  Chicago,  where  he  remained  until  .January,  bSTS,  wlipii  l\e  came 
to  Des  Moines. 

In  Des  iloines.  Mr.  Cummins  formed  a  law  partnership  with  his 
brother,  J.  C.  Cummins,  which  continued  for  two  years,  when  the  brother 
retired  on  account  of  failing  eyesight  and  engaged  in  insurance  affa:rs. 
In  November,  1881,  A.  B.  Cummins  l)ecame  associated  in  tlie  practii;^ 
with  Judge  G.  <;.  Wright  and  his  sons.  Thomas  S.  and_  Carrdll  "Wright. 
which  became  one  of  the  noted  legal  tirins  of  the  state.  In  1883  Judge 
Wright  withdrew  from  the  firm  and  practice,  and  in  188ti  Thomas  S. 
Wright  went  to  Chicago  as  general  counsel  for  the  Chicago.  Rock  Island 
it  Pacific  Railroad  Company.  Then  was  formed  the  firm  of  Cummin^ 
\-  Wright,  which  existed  f(n-  several  years,  when  Carroll  Wright  retired, 
to  devote  his  entire  attention  to  the  legal  business  of  the  Cliicago,  Rock 
Island  &  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  Following  this  was  formed  tin- 
present  firm  of  Cummins,  Hewitt  A:  Wright,  the  .iunior  being  a  grand- 
son of  Judge  and  son  of  the  late  Thomas  S.  Wright. 

During  these  years  Jlr.  Cummins  has  been  a  leading  attorney  of  tlie 
city  and  state,  ranking  high  in  the  lu'ofession  and  engaged  in  many  very 
important  causes  in  the  state  and  Federal  courts.  District  and  Supreme. 
He  has  been  president  of  the  Polk  County  Bar  Association,  and  has 
for  years  been  general  counsel  and  also  an  officer  and  direclor  of  the 
Des  Moines  Union  Railway  Company,  Des  Moines  &  Northern,  and  Des 
Moines  Northern  &  Western,  and  other  railroad  companies.  Being 
also  at  the  head  of  a  firm  engaged  in  a  large  general  practice  of  the  law. 
Mr.  Cummins  has  been  and  is  now  a  busy,  hard-working  lawyer.  And 
yet  he  takes  time  for  social  enjoyments,  and  is  always  ready  and  gen- 
erous with  his  time  and  money  to  advance  any  worthy  cause.  The 
only  public  office  he  has  held  was  that  of  member  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly', having  been  elected  as  an  independent  reptrblican  candiilate  in 
1,887.  He  wa's  strong  and  popular  in  the  legislature,  but  peremptorily 
declined  a  re-election.  For  several  years  his  name  has  been  mentioned 
for  the  position  of  United  States  Senator,  and  his  many  friends  through- 


1)66 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


(iUt  the  state  are  eoutident  tliat  iu  a  very  few  years  he  will  be  elected 
to  that  high  position. 

In  1874  Mr,  Cnmmius  married,  in  Michigan,  Miss  Ida  Ij.  Oallery,  a 
native  of  Elaton  county,  in  that  state,  and  a  lady  who  has  made  his 
married  life  a  very  hapiiy  one.    They  have  one  daughter,  Miss  Kate, 


HON.  .1.   A.   T.    Ml'LL. 


The  |)resent  memlier  of  Congress  from  this  Disti'ict  can  lie  con- 
sidered an  Iowa  hoy  and  nnin,  allhougli  born  in  Oluo.  May  1, 
1841.       lie     ennie     witli     liis    father    to    I'olk     (.'ounty     in     IS-l'.i.     ami 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINJ^.S.  1)67 

here  ho  b;vs  liveil  almost  constantly  ever  since.  His  father  «'as  one 
of  the  prominent  early  settlers  o  f  the  county,  aided  greatly  in  the  build- 
ing up  of  especially  the  East  Side  of  Des  Moines.  In  the  early  '.50s  he 
was  State  Senator  from  this  district  for  four  years.  He  afterwards 
was  prominent  in  Missouri  and  Colorado,  and  now  resides  with  his 
younger  son  in  Kansas. 

Yuung  Hull  was  mostly  reared  in  Des  iloiues,  aud  here  attended 
the  ptiblic  schooLs,  and  subsetiueutly  studied  at  Asburj-  University, 
Indiana,  and  Iowa  \\'esleyan  College,  Mount  Pleasant,  and  graduated 
at  the  Oinciuiiati,  Ohio,  Law  School  in  the  Spring  of  1862.  He  returned 
to  Des  Moines  and  in  .July  following  enlisted  in  the  23d  Iowa  Infantry. 
He  became  First  Lieuteuaut  and  was  subsequently  promoted  Captain. 
He  made  an  excellent  soldier,  aud  at  the  celebrated  charge  of  the  2.'hI 
at  Hlack  Itivei-  Bridge.  May  17,  lyiio,  was  severely  wounded.  V.hile 
home  on  a  furlough  in  .July,  1S(J3  he  married  Miss  Emma  Gregory,  one  of 
the  most  handsome  and  amiable  ladies  of  the  city.  But  soon  after  his 
marriage  the  Captain  returned  to  his  regiment  in  the  field,  but  his 
wound  and  disability,  incurred  in  the  service,  forced  him  reluctantly  to 
resign  his  command  in  the  following  C»ctober. 

Keturning  to  Des  Moines  3'ouug  Hull  began  to  look  out  for  an 
opening  for  business,  and  subseiiuently  tried  a  ranch  on  the  Yellow- 
stcjue  and  cattle  raising  in  Arkansas.  The  young  couple  Anally  made 
a  home  in  Birmingham,  Van  Bureii  County,  and  published  the  Entcr- 
liiise.  Afterwards  purchasing  control  of  the  Bloomfield,  Davis  County, 
Rcpublivan,  thej'  lived  in  that  town  for  some  time  meeting  Avith  good 
success.  Then  Hull  was  elected  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  State  Sen- 
ate, and  in  1872  he  was  elected  Secretary.  His  ability  and  fitness  for 
the  place  secured  him  re-election  in  '71,  '76  aud  '78.  In  the  latter  year 
he  was  elected  Secretary  of  State,  aud  was  re-elected  in  1880  and  1SS2. 
In  l.ss."i  he  was  elected  Lieutenant  (rovernor  and  re-elected  in  1887. 
In  1889  he  wais  a  'prominent  caurndate  for  Governor,  and  only 
defeated  after  a  long  contest  in  the  convention.  The  following  year, 
1890,  he  was  elected  to  Congress  and  was  re-elected  in  '92,  '94,  '96,  he 
commencing  hi's  fourth  term  in  Congress  March  4,  1897,  where  li>^  has 
attained  liigli  rank,  being  Chairmain  of  the  Committee  on  Military 
AffairN  and  prominent  on  other  important  committees  and  in  the  liusi- 
uess  of  the  House. 

Mr.  Hull  has  for  years  been  more  or  less  identified  more  or  less  with 
several  prominent  banks  and  otlter  financial  institutions  of  the  city, 
-and  for  several  years  has  been  and  is  now  President  of  the  Iowa  Central 
Building  and  Ijoan  Association,  the  largest  and  most  successful  institu- 
tion of  the  kind  in  the  state. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hull  'have  their  children  now  all  grown.  Miss  Auuette, 
Albert,  who  is  a  physician  and  surgeon:  .John  Adley,  who  is  an 
attorney,  aiid  is  now  (,'aiitain  of  Con)i)any  A,  from  Des  Moines,  .-ind  in 
file  s(r\ice  of  the  I'nited  States  in  the  war  witli  Spain.  Thrir  i:onie 
li.'is  always  been  a  pleasant  and  aitractive  one,  and  their  famil)-  a  happy 
an('  tinifed  cui". 


yes 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


.\hVB.KT>   HENRY  McVEY. 


Among  the  leading  attorneys  of  Des  Monies  is  Alfred  Henry  MoVey. 
He  has  made  for  himself  a  high  reputation,  not  only  locally  but  also  in 
and  beyond  the  state  as  a  man  "learned  in  the  law,"  an  able  and  untir- 
ing attnnipy  and  safe  and  lionest  counselor. 

Jlr.  JIc\'ry  is  a  native  of  tlie  Stato  of  Ohio,  liaving  been  born  in  F.-iy- 
olte  County,  and  on  tlu'  iialerual  side  is  descended  frm  an  old  .S(/otc-li 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DEi^  J/O/X^^S'.  969 

family,  which  emigrated  to  America  as  eavly  as  1054.  The  name  was 
originally  spelled  ilacVeagli.  His  grandfather  removed  from  P^nn- 
sylvanie  to  Soiithei'n  Ohio  about  the  Ijeginuing  of  the  present  century. 
On  the  maternal  side  he  is  descended  from  an  old  English  famil.y,  his 
grandfather.  Marmaduke  Eastlaclc,  an  Englisliman,  locating  in  New 
Jersey  nearly  100  years  ago. 

Mr.  MeVey's  preliminary  education  was  acquired  in  the  common 
schools  of  Ohio,  and  he  prepared  for  college  at  the  Soutnwestern  Nor- 
mal School  at  Ijcbanon,  Ohio.  These  studies  were  interrupted  during 
the  civil  war,  when  tliough  a  mere  boj',  he  enlisted  and  served  as  a 
volunteer  in  the;  79th  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry.  After  the  war  he 
entered  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University  at  Delaware,  fi-om  which  he 
graduated  in  1.SG8  with  high  honors.  He  was  immediately  eleicted  a 
teacher  in  that  institution,  but  this  position  he  soon  resigned,  and 
entered  upon  the  further  study  of  the  law  in  the  law  department  of  tin- 
Cincinnati  College,  the  oldest  law  school  west  of  the  Alleghenies.  again 
graduating  with  high  honors. 

Mr.  McVey  first  opened  a  'aw  ottice  at  Wilmington,  0)ii{i.  and 
there  entered  a  successful  practice;  but  later  on  was  induced  to  go  to 
the  City  of  Toledo,  where  in  addition  to  local  practice,  he  devoted  his 
attention  more  especially  to  business  in  the  United  States  courts,  and 
also  was  for  several  years  general  counsel  for  the  Toledo,  Cincinnati 
and  St.  Louis  Railroad  Company.  But  the  west,  and  especially  Iowa, 
had  a  great  attraction  for  Jlr.  ilcYey,  and  in  1,58.3  he  came  in  fics 
Moines  with  the  intent  to  make  it  his  permanent  home;,  and  his  success 
here  has  made  this  intent  a  certainty.  Not  only  as  a  general  practi- 
tioner does  he  .staoKT  high,  but  as  a  corporaition  and  insurance  lawyer  he 
has  a  practice  which  estends  over  Iowa  and  into  Minnesota.  Misisouri, 
Illinois  and  Nelaraiskn,  and  other  'Sitates,  wliere  hi'S  reputation  in  this 
branch  of  the  profe.ssion  is  of  the  highest.  He  now  represents,  perhaps, 
three-fonrth-s  of  the  insurance  companieis  doing  business  in  Iowa  ami 
many  in  other  states.  Their  law  office  in  the  Good  Block  is  commo(;iiiu~ 
and  furnished  with  an  extensive  law  library. 

In  .Tanuary.  1800,  he  was  married  to  Jliss  Anna  Holmes,  a  ladv  ol' 
rare  character  and  scholarship.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Rev.  William 
Holmes,  and  a  direct  descendant  of  Rev.  Obadiah  Holmes,  who  came 
from  England  in  1630,  .settling  at  Salem,  Mais.sachusfJtts.  He  was  witli 
Roger  Williams,  the  founder  of  the  Bapti.S't  Church  in  America,  and  nnr 
of  the  original  proprietors  of  New  .Jersey,  where  he  secured  vpr^• 
extensive  grants  from  the  English  crown.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  MiA'ev 
have  five  children.  Frank  L.  graduated  at  the  Ohio  Wesleyan 
University  in  189.3,  and  Yale  University  in  1896,  witli  tiip  dpgrec 
of  Ph.D.,  and  is  now  a  professor  of  political  economy  in  ilic 
University  of  Jlininesota.  Edmtind  is  also  a  graduate  of  Yale,  wliere 
he  earned  high  honors,  and  iiS  now  a  member  of  his  father's  law  firm. 
William  P.  is  a  graduaite  of  Des  Moines  College  and  of  Drew 
Theological  Seminary  at  Madison,  New  .lersej',  where  he  took  first 
honors,  and  afterwards  was  a  sttident  at  the  University  of  Leipsic,  Ger- 
many, and  is  now  pastor  of  Fowler  church,  Minneapolis.  Minnesota. 
The  daughter,  Kate,  is  a  member  of  the  junior  class  in  The  T^'oman's 
College,  Baltimore,  and  Charles,  the  youngest,  is  a  student  in  the  De-^ 
Moines  College.  The  McYe.y  home  in  Des  Jloineis  is  a  beautiful  one 
■situated  on  north  Fotirth  street,  "v\diere  he  has  a  well  selected  and  exten- 
sive library  abounding  in  rare  and  excellent  works.  The  family  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  best  in  the  city. 


970 


AXXALS  OF  POLK  COINTY 


JAMES  UriOST  BP:RRYmLL, 


.Imiuc's  (Iiu'sl  lii'iTvliill,  I.'i  wyi'i-  .-mil  iiolit  icinii.  is  ,-i  lunivi'  nf 
lown,  born  in  Iowa  City.  Xovciulicr  ri.  isni'.  ;in(l  son  of  Chnrlos  II.  Bor- 
i-yliill,  one  (jf  tlif  jiionrci-.s  cil'  llic  slati',  avIki  ^vas  liurn  in  Harrisburg. 
I'cnn.syh-ania,  in  1M."<.  of  a  faniil.y  noted  from  1hr  early  days  ef  that 
state  and  of  Eii.trb.sli  eriL'in.  lie  came  to  tlie  Territory  of  Iowa  when  a 
yotinj;  man  of  twenty  yiars.  10nL;ai;inj;  in  real  estate  and  moreantile 
litirsnits  at  I<>«'a  t'ity  lie  became  iirominent  in  tlie  liistory  of  tlie  terri- 
tory and  state,  and  aeqnired  for  that  day  a  larne  foi'tune.  lie  died  a 
inimlier  of  ve.-ii's  aire. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MolXES.  '.)Tl 

Ydiius  .Taines  G.  wns  eiUieated  in  the  schools  of  liis  native  city,  and 
then  eutei-ed  the  State  T'niversity.  from  which  he  sradnated  with  honor 
in  1S73.  lie  then  entered  the  hiw  department  of  that  institutio!i  and 
Krailuated  tlierefrom  in  1870.  and  in  the  foUowins  year  settled  in  Des 
Moir.es  and  entered  ujion  the  practice  of  law.  Not  lone  thereafter  he 
fonned  a  partnersliip  with  George  F.  Henry.  The  law  firm  of  Berry- 
«.t  Henry  soon  toolc  his'h  rank  and  has  continued  to  the  present  day. 
Jlr.  Be.i'ryhill  also  devoted  a  portion  of  his  attention  to  other  lines  of 
business  "v-vith  inucli  success,  is  the  owner  of  several  fine  farms  in  tliis 
count.v  and  stat(>  and  also  in  Texas,  and  has  also  aided  greatly  in  th  ' 
development  of  fruit  culture. 

An  ardent  republican,  lie  has  taken  much  interest  in  political  affairs. 
He  was  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  from  Polk  county  iu  188."i.  and 
there  made  his  mark  as  one  of  the:  most  aljle  of  lej;islators  and  yolifi- 
cians.  At  his  first  session  he  was  made  chainuan  of  the  important  coni- 
nuttee  on  aiijiropriations.  and  saved  to  the  state  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  dollars.  An  untirins'  worker  and  fearless  for  what  he  deiemed  right, 
lie  stood  firm  and  won  success  in  his  efforts  to  prevent  extravagant 
approitriations  and  tlie  misuse  of  public  funds.  His  course  was  heartily 
pnilrirsed  liy  the  peo])lei  of  the  county  who  re-elected  him  a  member  of 
the  folloAvins  General  Assembly.  In  tlie  latter  session  he  was  a  leader 
in  the  movement  for  the  state;  control  of  railroads  and  to  him  as  mucli  as 
any  other  man  is  due  the  present  satisfactory  railroad  laws  of  the  state. 
In  isili;.  m-ged  by  his  friends,  he  became  a  camlidate  for  the  republican 
nomin.ation  for  Congress  in  this  district,  and  though  temj^orarily 
defeated  after  one  of  tlie  sharpest  of  struggles,  his  thousands  of  friends 
an,  confident  that  in  tlic  near  future  high  political  honors  await  .Tames 
G.  Kerryhill. 

His  wife  was  Miss  "\'irginia  .T.  Slaglc.  daughter  of  Christian  V.  Slagle. 
t>f  Fail-field,  a  gentleuian  not  only  avcU  l^nown  as  a  lawyer,  legislator 
and  i>i(jneor.  but  also  for  tlie  deep  ami  continuous  Interest  taken  by  ]iim 
in  educational  affairs.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Washington  College.  P(>nn- 
sylvania.  regent  for  many  years  of  the  State  University  and  president  of 
the  same  in  1877-78.  He  died  in  1882.  Mrs.  Berryhill  is  a  graduate  of 
tlie  State  T'niversity.  and  a  lady  of  marked  character  and  force,  and 
niio  of  till:  leaders  among  the  women  of  the  state  in  everj-  good  work. 
Slio  is  a   devoted  wife  and  niotlier. 

:MI;S.  VIRGINIA  .T.  BFRRYHIFT,. 

This  lady,  as  is  her  husliand.  is  a  native  of  Iowa,  liaving  lieeii  biij'n 
in  Fairfield.  .Tefferson  County.  Her  father.  Christian  W.  Slagle.  was  on.' 
of  the  early  sefflers  in  that  town  A  lawyer,  an  educated  and  cultured 
.gentleman,  he  from  tlie  first  took  a  deep  and  enduring  inrerest  in  llie 
State  T'niversity  ai,d.  in  higher  education  generally.  For  many  years 
he  was  one  of  the  re.gents  and  for  a  time  President  of  that  insiif\iti<in. 
At  file  age  of  fifteen,  in  January,  1878,  his  daughter,  Virginia,  became 
a  student  in  the  Fniversity.  She  was  a  quick  and  retentive  student, 
always  standing  high  in  her  classes,  and  soon  became  a  leader  among 
and  popular  with  all  her  fellow  students,  taking  a  deep  interest  in  col- 
lege societies  and  other  work.  Graduating  with  honor  in  1877.  the  fol- 
lowing year  was  sjient  in  travel  in  Europe,  and  studying  in  France  and 
Germany.  T'pon  lier  return  ^Miss  Slagle  for  one  year  taught  in  the 
Pennsylvania  Female  College.  Pittsburg,  with  signal  success. 

Following  close  upon  her  year's  work  as  a  teacher  came  her  marriage 
to  Tames  G,  Berryhill.  also  a  graduate  of  the  State  T'niversity,  and 
then  a  young  lawyer  in  Des  iloines.  Of  their  married  life  it  may 
truly  lie  said  it  has  been  a  more  than  ordinarily  hapjiy  one.  Two  chil- 
dren liave  been  liorn  to  tliem.  and  Mrs.  Berryhill.  good  wife  and  mother. 


972  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

charming  and  gracious,  is  the  mistress  of  a  happy  and  most  artistic 
liome.  A  devoted  home-keeper  and  mother,  she  is  yet  much  sought 
after  in  social  and  literary  circles.  Her  troad  sympathies  and  generous 
nature  also  make  her  active  in  all  charitable  work.  Her  intellectual 
gifts  and  -social  graces  caused  her  to  become  prominent  in  the  early 
history  of  the  Des  Moines  "Women's  Club,  a  leading  director,  and  then 
President,  vs-hen,  under  her  leadership,  the  club  reached  a  degree  of 
usefulness  previously  unknown.  She  labored  for  the  federation  of  all 
the  Ti-omen  clubs  of  Iowa,  and  was  unanimously  chosen  the  first  Presi- 
dent of  the  Federated  Clubs.  She  represented  the  Iowa  Federation  at 
the  Congress  of  Representative  Women  at  the  World's  Fair,  delivering 
one  of  the  most  practical  and  scholarly  addresses  of  the  week.  In  1894. 
as  President  of  the  Iowa  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs.  INIrs.  Berryhill 
went  to  rii  iadelphia  as  a  delegate  'to  the  Second  Biennial  Convention 
of  the  National  Federation  and  there  had  the  honor  of  delivering  an 
address  wiiich  made  a  profound  impression.  She  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Xalional  Executive  Board  and  served  for  two  years  with  dis- 
tinguislied  aliility  and  witli  much  credit  to  tlie  State  she  represents. 

And  yet  while  helpful  to  all.  and  forward  in  all  good  work  for  the 
liettering  of  men  and  women.  Mrs.  Berryhill  never  neglected  the  least 
of  her  duties  as  a  wife  and  mother.  Happy  in  herself,  her  home  and 
her  surroundings  .slie  endeavors  to  promote  happiness  to  all  within  her 
reach  or  influence. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES. 


;j73 


GEORGE   Q.  AVIMGHT. 


Amonc:  tbe  illustrious  pionnfr  citizens  of  Iowa,  do  name  stauds  out 
more  prominently  than  does  lliat  of  George  G.  Wrigiit.  As  a  citizen. 
Lawyer,  Judge,  Legislator,  and  L'nited  States  Senator,  lie  fills  ,i  large 
nil-lie  in  the  History  of  the  State.  His  ability,  learning,  and  more  than 
ordinary  geniality,  made  him  admired  and  respected,  while  Ids  happy 
wit  and  social  ciualities  caused  him  to  be  talien  to  the  hearts  of  the 
penjile. 


974  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Judge  Wriglit  -was  born  in  Bloomiugtou,  ludiaua.  ilareli  24,  1S20. 
His  fatlier  was  ol:  Welsli  descenit,  and  was  one  of  Indiana's  pioneers. 
He  died,  leaving  a  famil.y  of  six  children  when  George  was  but  five 
yeaa-s  of  age.  The  latter  attended  the  schools  of  that  day,  and  though 
through  a  I'heumaLlc  complaint  he  was  lamed  fur  life,  yet  he  retained 
his  cheerfulness  and  love  of  study.  At  an  early  age  he  entered  the 
State  University  of  Indiana,  located  in  his  native  town,  and  graduated 
witli  high  honors  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  He  then  entered  upon  the 
study  of  law  in  the  office  of  his  brother,  Joseph  A.  Wright,  who  after- 
wards became  a  memljer  of  Congress,  G-overnor  of  the  State,  U.  >S. 
Senator,  and  was  twice  U.  S.  Muiister  to  Berlin,  Germany,  where  he 
died   in   ISiiT. 

Before  reaching  his  majority  young  Wright  came  to  the  then  Terri- 
tory of  Iowa,  his  future  home,  locating  .at  Keosauqua,  Van  Buren 
County.  November  14,  1840.  He  was  shortly  after  elected  Prosecuting 
Attorney  for  Van  Buren  County,  and  in  184S  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  State  Senate.  In  IS.jo  he  was  made  Chief  Justice  <if  the 
Supreme  Court,  and  was  almost  continuously  a  memlier  of  that  higli 
court  until  1870.  In  .January  of  that  j'ear  he  was,  by  the  General 
Assembly,  elected  United  Staites  Senator  for  six  years,  and  took  his 
seat  in  tlie  Senate  March  4,  1871.  For-  six  years  he  was  a  member 
uf  till'  Senate,  and.  for  a.  new  Senator,  soon  won  a  most  enviable 
position.  He  was  (ui  tlu'  Finance  and  Judiciary  Committee,  and  was 
Chairman  of  Mie  Committee  on  Claims  and  that  on  retrenchment 
and  refiirm.  The  Judge,  though  strongly  urged  by  his  friends,  declined 
to  tie  'a,  candidate  for  re-election  and  retired  from  the  Senate  volun- 
tarily in  ifai'di  1877. 

Judge  Wright  wa.s  for  five  years  President  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Society,  and  aided  greatly  in  developing  the  Society  and  the  agri- 
culiuj'al  interests  of  the  State.  Previous  to  this  he  had  served  for 
five  years  as  President  of  the  Van  Buren  County  Agricultural  Society, 
and  -iN-as  its  first  Secretary.  He  ^^-'ais  one  of  the  organizers,  in  186.J,  of 
the  Law  Department  of  the  State  University,  and  for  many  years  ^\as 
a  valued  and  popular  lecturer  and  Instructor  in  that  institution,  in 
wtiich  he  always  took  great  interest  and  pride.  He  also  delivered 
lectures  and  addresses  npon  various  topics  in  a  majority  of  the  counties 
of  the  State,  and  these  were  always  in  demand  from  all  sections. 
Plis  eminence  as  a  jurist  was  lacknowledged  by  his  election  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  American  Bar  Associaition  in  1887  and  1888.  Judge  Wright 
was  also  President  of  the  Iowa  Piomeer  Law  Jlakers'  Associati(jn, 
and  held  the  position  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

In  180.5  Juilge  Wriglit  removed  from  Keosauqua,  to  Dcs  iloines, 
which  remained  his  home  to  the  last,  and  here  he  is  buried.  After 
his  retirement  from  the  Senate.  Judge  Wright  again  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  law,  having  with  him  his  son,  Thomas,  and  others. 
The  firm  of  which  he  v\"as  the  head  soon  gathered  much  legal  business, 
and  took  its  place  as  one  of  the  strong  tegal  firms  of  the  State.  After 
some  years  Judge  Wright  retired  from  active  practice  and  became 
President  of  the  Polk  Comity  Savings  Bank,  a.nd  also  the  Security 
Jjoan  and  Trust  Company,  and  the  last  year.s  of  his  life  were  mostly 
devoted  to  the  successful  control  of  these  financial  institutions. 

IVir  Fifteen  years  Judge  Wright  was  one  of  the  Directors  of  the 
great  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  and  wielded 
much  influence  in  the  rn'Onagement  of  tliat  large  corponition. 

October  19.  184.5.  Judge  Wright  married  Hannali  11.  L>il)ble.  daughter 
of  .Judge  Thomas  Dildile.  wlio  had  been  a  member  of  the  New  York 
Legislature  'and  was  a  member  of  the  Iowa  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion in  1840  To  I  hem  were  born  seven  children— five  sons  and  two 
daughters.     One  son  died  in  his  youth.     The  otliers  reached  maturity, 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  }rOIXE>!.  075 

and  are  all  now  man-ietl  aud  living,  wirli  one  exception.  The  oldest 
son,  Thomas,  bee.ime  a  member  of  his  father's  firm;  aCtei'wai'ds 
became  Aittorney  for  the  Chicago.  Eock  Island  and  Pacific  Railroad 
in  Iowa:  was  subsequentlv  made  General  Solicitor  of  the  Company 
in  Chicas'o,  and  wliile  in  Xew  Yorlc  on  Company  business,  died  very 
suddenly!  .Inly   27,   1S04, 

While  in  the  en.ioynient  of  a  ripi-  a^re,  happy  in  his  family,  business 
and  social  relations,  resiiected  and  Ijeloved  by  his  fellow  citizens  aud 
hO'Sts  of  friends,  after  a  brief  illness,  death  came  to  Judge  Wright 
.Tanuar.v  11,  1S9G,  His  unexpected  death  Avas  a  shock  and  grief,  not 
only  to  the  people  of  this  city  and  county,  but  also  those  of  the  entin- 
State.  One  of  Iowa's  greatest  and  best  beloved  citizens  had  fallen. 
But  long  will  hiS  memory  be  lovin.gly  cherished  by  the  people  of  low.i. 

The  next  year,  1897,  Mrs.  Wright  followed  her  beloved  husband 
in  death.  She  was  a  woman  of  strong  and  loving  character,  loved  and 
respected  by  all;  a  nolile  wife  and  mother,  and  always  a  helpful  and 
safe  counselor  to  lier  liusband  and  children. 


'.)7n 


AXXALS  OF  POLK  COVyTY 


ri_>\j.    (.',    H.   (iATCH. 


Till,  family  uf  wliirli  rnniUire  11.  (intcli  is  a  mpiiiber  was  fonucU'd  in 
this  iiiiinli-y  by  (Joilfrey  thatch,  who  emiigrated  fi'om  Prussia  in  1725, 
nuil  si.ftli",l  ill  the  then  Cnliiny  of  >rary]anil.  He  was  the  ureat-iireat- 
:;raiiilf:illirr  ami  CoinHiee  Gateli  tlir  Ki-eat-m-audfa'tlier  of  the  Colouel. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  977 

PMlip  Gaich.  Ms  grandfather,  was  a  member  of  the  First  Conference 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  organized  in  America.  In  early  life 
he  was  a  citizen  of  Virginia  and  held  slaves,  but,  liljerating  the  latter, 
he  removed  to  what  was  then  the  Northwest  Territorj',  locating  near 
Cincinnati,  r)hio.  He  was  a  member  of  the  convention  which  framed 
the  first  eonstituition  for  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  was  for  many  years 
Associate  Judge  of  Clermont  County.  Tlie  Colonel's  father.  Pliiliji.  was 
born  in  179.3,  in  Buckingham  Coun'ty,  Virginia,  and  came  with  his 
father  to  Ohio,  and  devoted  his  life  to  fam-^ing.  His  mother,  Mary 
Dimmitt.  was  born  in  .Jefferson  County.  Virginia,  and  was  a  descend- 
ant of  "William  lOimmitt.  who  emigrated  from  Germany  and  settled  in 
Maryland  Jong  before  the  Jtevolutionairy  fl'ar. 

CVmduee  H.  (iatch  was  born  in  New  ^lilfnrd.  Clennoiit  Ciiuuly. 
Ohio,  July  2.J,  1.S2.5.  Reared;  on  a  farm,  he  engaged,  as  other  fanners' 
Ixiys.  in  this  worlv,  only  attending  school  a  few  months  of  each  year. 
By  close  application,  wliiieh  was  tlie  chairacteristic  of  his  entire  life, 
and  devoling  his  leisure  to  study,  he  was  able,  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
TO  enter  Augusta  College,  in  ICentucky,  where  he  pursued  a  regular 
course  of  study.  On  graduating,  he  entered  upon  the  study  of  law  at 
Xenia,  Ohio,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Ijar  at  C'oliimlius.  the  capital,  in 
1848.  Engaging  in  the  practice  at  Xenlia,  and  having  secured  good 
business,  on  September  5,  ]8.!i0,  at  Cincinnati,  he  married  Miss  Mai'y  E. 
Stewart,  daughter  of  Dr.  James  B.  Stewart.  Mrs.  Gatch  was  born  in 
Monroe.  Ohio,  and  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  In  1849.  Col.  Gatch  re- 
moved to  Iventon,  Ohio,  and  madie  that  his  home  until  'his  removal  to 
Des  Moines.  He  was  elected  Prosecuting  Attorne.v  of  the  eounly,  ami. 
in  IS-'^iS.  .at  the  age  of  thii<ty-tbree.  was  elected  to  the  Stale  Senate  from 
(lie  district  composed  of  tlie  counties  of  Hardin,  JjOgan.  Marion  and 
Union. 

When  war  broke  out.  in  18(11.  Col.  Gatch  was  one  of  tlie  first  to 
respond.  He  mustered  a  company  and  was  chosen  Captain,  joined  the 
Tbirty'-third  Ohio  Infantry,  and  pai'ticipated  in  the  successful  cam- 
paigns which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Bowling  Green.  Nashville, 
Murfreesboro  and  other  strong  posiitions  of  the  enemy.  He  was  ,a 
brave  and  faithful  soldier,  and  was  later  on  made  Lieutenant  Colonel 
of  another  Ohio  regiment. 

Returning  home  when  the  war  was  over.  Col.  Gatch  soon  determined 
to  "go  west."  and,  with  his  usual  good  judgment,  chose  Iowa  as  the 
State  and  Des  Moines  as  the  town  where  his  futtire  home  should  be. 
Coming  here  in  1866,  he  soon  won  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the 
people,  and  Ira.s  .alwa.ys  iiad  ,a  large  practice  in  his  profession.  The 
firm  of  Gatch.  Connor  &  Weaver  was  oi'ganizeil  in  188."!,  and  from  the 
start  has  Ijeen  one  of  tlie  leading  law  firms  of  the  slate.  The  legal 
work  of  the  senior  of  late  years  was  mostly  in  the  higher  courts  of  the 
State  and  in  the  United  States  Circuit  a:nd  Supreme  Courts,  and  some 
of  the  cases  argued  1iy  him  have  involved  very  large  landed  and 
pecuniary  interests.  Recognized  .as  a  lawyer  of  superior  aljility,  thor- 
oughly grounded  in  legal  principles,  he  was  exact  and  thorough  in  his 
prep.arations.  Hone.Sity  of  purpose  and  true  sincerity  were  his  charac- 
teristics as  man,  lavs-yer,  legislator  or  political  speaker. 

Naturally,  t'ol.  Gatch  driftf'd  more  or  less  into  jiolitical  affairs. 
Reared  among  the  staunch  Whigs  of  southern  Ohio,  he  aided  in  form- 
ing the  Reptildican  parly,  and  was  a  delegate,  in  18."i6.  to  the  first 
n.itional  convention  ever  held  by  that  party,  and  was  a  delegate,  also, 
til  the  nation.-il  convention  df  isS4.  As  iireviously  stated,  he  was  a 
prosecuting  attorney  and  State  Senator  in  Ohio,  and,  some  years  after 
comring  here,  he  was  elected  Prosecuting  attorney  of  the  Judicial  Dis- 

62 


978  ANKALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

trict  which  then  included  Polk  Couutj-.  This  office  he  subsequently- 
resigned  because  it  inteifered  with  his  large  private  practice.  lu  1SS5 
he  was  induced  to  lie  a  candidate  for  State  Senator  from  this  county, 
and  was  elected.  Hi-  ^\as  re-elected  iu  1.S.S9.  tieing  for  ei.ylit  ye;ii-s  a 
raember  of  the  State  Senate.  Here  he  made  his  mark  as  one  of  the 
most  capable,  manly  and  honest  Senators  ever  known  in  that  body. 
He  commainded  the  respect  and  eontidence  of  members  of  all  politicail 
parties,  and  he  made  his  mark  upon  the  legislation  of  the  Stale.  Dur- 
ing the  eight  years  of  his  service  in  the  Senate  he  urged  continuously 
a  bill  placing  the  Slaite  institutions  under  the  care  of  a  State  Board  of 
Control.  He  may  lie  said  to  be  virtually  the  originator  ot  this  new 
law.  He  was  a  member  of  the  AVays  and  Means  Committee,  the  author 
of  the  collateral  inheritance  tax.  originated  the  corporation  franchise 
tax;  in  1892  made  a  report  on  the  revenue  bill,  advocating  some  of  the 
best  features  of  the  present  law  and  suggesting  other  improvements 
which  will  come  in  time,  altliougii  he  bas  passed  away;  advocated  the 
exemption  from  taxation  of  liomesteads  to  the  extent  of  ^'l.OOO,  and 
many  nther  important  luea.sures.  When  the  new  oapitol  was  com- 
pleted tlie  grounds  isurrounding  the  same  were  left  in  bad  shape. 
Members  were  reluctant  to  make  the  necessary  appropriation.  Others 
had  failed,  but  Senator  Galeh  determined  to  win.  Twice  defeated,  the 
third  time  he  wim;  tlie  appropriatirms  were  made,  and  the  grounds  were 
properly  imjirrivi'd.  At  tlie  exiiiration  ol'  liis  second  term.  Senator  Oatch 
declined  a  rennniination.  For  years  lie  tnnk  great  interest  in  the 
City  Library  and  devulcd  much  of  liis  aliility  and  time  to  it.  JIucli  of 
its  success  is  due  to  liis  work,  and,  at  tlie  time  of  his  death,  he  was 
president  of  the  Bo.ard. 

After  a  bri<'f  illness.  Col.  Gatrh  dinl,  on  the  first  day  of  .Tuly,  ISriT. 
Hi'S  death  was  a  slnn-k  to  all  citizens.  ]!.■  \\-as  Inved  mid  liomireil  liy 
thousands,  and  they  mourned  his  death.  They  knew  him  a>s  one  of  the 
best  of  men,  able,  honest  and  true. 

Col.  Gatch  had  been  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion 
and  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Mrs.  Gatch  and  all  his  children  survived  him— one  son,  Elwood  S., 
and  four  ilaughtci's.  Mrs.  Wm.  Connor.  Mrs.  Philip  A.  Lauman,  ilrs. 
L.  C.  Swift  and  Ruth  Gatch,  the  youngest.  Col.  Giatch  was  a  great 
favorite  of  his  gi-andchildren.  At  home  or  in  liis  office,  wlierever  they 
fouttit  him.  they  took  possession  of  him;  and  he  wa.s  never  so  occupied 
but  that  the  little  ones  were  welcome. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DKf<  MolXES. 


'.i79 


EDWARD   H.  HUXTEE. 


I'ine  of  thf  brightest  men  c,f  the  city  is  found  in  the  iiersou  of  Edward 
H  Hunter,  and  he  certainly  deserves  a  slcrtcli  in  its  history.  He  was 
born  in  the  state  of  New  York  in  IS-",.",  and  lliere  he  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated -i.t  the  ase  of  seventeen.  ]ST2.  he  came  west  and  located  in 
Iowa  in  the  employ  of  the  Cliicauo,  Burlin.cton  \-  Qnincy  Railroad  Com- 
pany He  had  ambition,  perseverance,  and  more  than  ordinary  quicls;- 
ness  of  perception  and  action,  and  iiersonal  b«bits  of  the  cleanest  and 
best     The  display  of  these  qualitii'S  soon  secured  promotion  with  the 


MO  ANNALki  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

company  and  the  euufidcnce  and  esteem  of  his  superior  officers.  For 
several  years  he  was  stationed  at  Corning  and  while  there  became  so 
popular  with  the  people  that  he  was  twice  elected  treasurer  of  Adams 
county,  though  an  active  member  of  the  minority  party.  He  was  sub- 
sequently transferred  to  Dos  Moines,  where  he  became  the  trusted  rep- 
resentative of  the  company  and  was  charged  with  many  matters  of 
lital  importance  to  the  continued  welfare  of  the  same.  His  popularity 
and  acquaintance  with  members,  and  his  quicii  and  ready  knowledge 
of  corporation  law  and  interests,  caused"  him  to  wield  a  large  iutlueu(.-e 
over  legislation. 

While  in  Corning  Mr.  Hunter  became  a  member  of  the  democratic 
state  committee,  and  for  ten  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  this  com- 
mittee, tvi'o  terms  as  chairman  of  the  samCu  He  was  and  is  a  sound  dem- 
ocrat in  principle  and  never  lagged  in  the  support  of  the  party.  As  a 
member  of  the  committee,  and  as  chairman,  his  splendid  executive 
abilities  were  given  full  play  and  he,  by  his  work,  proved  himself  to  be 
without  exception  one:  of  the  best  political  organizers  ever  known  in  the 
west.  His  marked  ability  in  this  line,  his  shrewd  counsel  and  tactics, 
had  much  to  do  with  the  surprising  victories  of  his  party  in  the  election 
and  re-election  of  Governor  Horace  Boies. 

When  President  Cleveland  commenced  his  present  term  many  demo- 
crats not  only  here  but  throughout  the  state,  demanded  that  :\lr.  Hun- 
ter, having  worthily  earned  should  have  some  good  appointment  at  the 
hands  of  the  president.  There  was  at  the,  time  a  sharp  competition  for 
the  office  of  postmaster  at  Des  Moines,  btit  this  was  fully  settled  by 
President  Cleveland  sending  the  name,  of  Edward  H.  Hunter  to  the 
senate  for  contirniatiou.  Two  days  later  the  senate  conhrmed  the 
appointment,  thus  bestowing  a  high  and  not  frequent  compliment  u])on 
the  nominee.  The  postoffice  at  Des  Moines  is  much  the  largest  in  the 
state  in  point  of  amount  of  mail  matter  received  and  sent  out.  and  in 
receipts  and  disbursments.  Mr.  Hunter  took  charge  of  the  office  and  in 
a  short  time  proved  to  all  he  was  the  man  for  the  place.  He  has  reor- 
g.anized  the  office  force,  extended  and  greatly  improved  the  carrier 
system,  established  several  new  stations,  required  promptness,  diligence 
and  courtesy  on  the  ]iart  of  all  connected  with  the  office,  and  on  tlie 
whole  made  the  Des  Moines  postoffice  one  of  the  best  managed  offices  in 
the  country.  He  has  not  only  won  commendation  from  his  su|ieriors  in 
office,  but  has  also  deserved  and  is  receiving  deserved  praise  from  the 
many  thousands  of  persons  who  havei  more  or  less  business  with  1he 
same.  And  yet,  ardent  ]iolitician  as  he  Is,  there  is  very  little  politics 
talked  in  or  about  tliat  office,  and  all  are  alike  attended  to  courteously 
and  promptly.     With  Jlr.  Hunter,  "a  public  office  is  a  public  trust." 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DE.S  MOJyES. 


'.)bl 


BYRON    RICE. 


Tlif  name  ut  Byron  Rice  has  been  'several  times  mentioned  in.  tliese 
Annals.  He  was  the  first  pulilic  school  teacher  of  Des  >Ioiues,  afterward 
Priisecnting-  Altorney.  and  then  the  second  jndge  cf  Polk  county.  He 
lield  this  latter  po.sition  -when  the  .iudRO  was  "the  one  man  power"  of  a 
cuunty,  and  when  all  of  Northern  Iowa,  to  the  Minnesota  line  and  west- 
ward to  the  Missouri  river,  with  the  exception  of  Boone  and  Iiallas 
counties,  was  attached  t(i  and  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Polk  county. 
He  was  the  first  to  bring  order  out  of  previous  chaos  and  have  the  liodks 
and  records  of  the  county  placed  in  cdrreet  and  business  form.  He 
organized  the  cuunties  of  Marshall  and  Story  and  also  officially  organized 
the  town  of  Fort  Des  Moines.  In  fact,  was  the  official  father  of  the 
prest'nt  citv'  of  l>es  Moines. 

Byron  Riie  was  Ijorn  and  reared  in  Madison  county,  New  York,  and 
after  attending  home  schools,  graduated  at  the  State  Normal  School  in 
Albany.  He  read  law  in  Aulaurn  and  Port  Byron,  New  York,  and  for  sev- 
eral years  was  deputy  postmaster.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the 
Supreme  Court   in  1848.     The  following  year  he  purposed   settling  in 


982  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Texas,  but  reading  some  articles  in  tlie  New  York  .Journal  of  Commerce, 
T\-ritten  )iy  an  Indian,  George  Copway,  relative  to  the  Des  Moines  val- 
ley, he  changed  his  destination  to  Iowa,  and  landed  in  what  is  now  Des 
Jloincs  in  September,  ISJli,  when  the  principal  buildings,  and  not  many 
of  these,  were  those  previously  occupied  by  (he  Untied  States  troops. 
During  the  winter  and  spring  of  1840-50,  for  four  niontlis  he  taught  the 
first  pulilie  school  ever  opened  in  Des  iloines.  He  then  entered  upnn  the 
practice  of  law,  with  .Tosei)li  E,  Jewett  as  liis  partner. 

In  1851  he  ran  on  the  Democratic  ticket  for  prosecuting  attorney  and 
was  elected.  Shortly  after  taking  this  otHce  Judge  Burbi'idge,  then 
county  judge,  died,  leaving  that  otUce  vacant.  He  was  the  first  county 
.iudgi',  and  an  excellent  and  capable  man,  but  he  died  soon  after  liis 
installation,  Hoyt  Shennan  was  at  that  time  Clerlv  of  the  District  Court 
and  cXHitBcio  clerk  of  the  county,  and  did  much  toward  organizing  the 
new  system  of  county  government.  As  the  law  then  provided.  Prose- 
cuting Attorne.v  Rice  became  county  .iudge,  :and  at  once  entered  upon 
the  discharge  of  his  extended  official  'duties.  Here  he  showed  his  aiiil- 
ity  and  correct  business  training.  He  was  elected  by  vote  of  the  peojjle 
in  1S53,  and  held  the  office  until  in  the  summer  of  1S55,  when  lie 
resigned  to  give  his  personal  attention  to  the  banking  house  of  rireen, 
Weare  i^  Rice,  The  same  year  lie  was  one  of  the  parties  who  ereiied 
the  Exchange  block,  the  first  brick  business  block  erected  in  the  city. 
The  Hoyt  Sherman  building,  corner  of  Third  and  Court  avenue,  was 
erected  soon  afterwards.  Judge  Rice  continued  in  lianking  until  18ii2, 
when  he  retired  therefrom  and  subsequently  again  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  law  in  partnersliip  with  D,  O,  Finch.  After  some  years  he 
retired  from  actual  practice  and  devoted  his  time  lo  his  large  farm  in 
Iiallas  county  and  his  property  interests  in  the  city  and  elsewhere. 

Judge  Rice  traveled  much,  having  -spent  some  time  in  the  Y\Vst 
Indies  and  for  three  years  spent  mucli  of  liis  i  ime  on  the  Pacific  cunst, 
in  Washington,  Oregon,  and  California.  He  .always  licld  liis  rcsiih'nc/H 
in  this  city,  where  he  went  on  in  the  even  tenor  of  his  \va,v,  always  keep- 
ing thoroughly  posted  in  the  affairs  of  the  city,  'State  and  nation.  Fur 
fifty  years  and  more  he  was  a  nienilier  of  tlie  Demni-rniic  parly,  l)nt 
after  liis  retii'eiiient  from  the  iuugsliip  over  foi'lv  vears  .-i'.;'!!  souu:iit  no 
office. 

Judge  Rice,  on  September  19,  1.S.54,  was  iii.-irried  to  Miss  11.  r.  (_':ilder, 
of  Cedar  R-apids,  a  -most  estimable  lady  who  lias  lieeii  fur  years  jii'doi- 
inent  in  society  and  a  divoted  wife  and  iiKitlier.  Tlicy  iiave  fmir  eliihl- 
ren — Dr.  Spencer  JI.  l!ii.-e.  nf  Terre  Haute,  Imliana:  J.  E.  Kiie.  nf  A\"liai- 
com  Washingiim;  W,  P.,  Rice,  of  Des  Moines,  ami  ;\Ii's,  Fiizaiicili  (.'li.-ite- 
lain,  of  St,  Louis,  Jlissouri,  There  were  nine  cliildren  imrn  to  them,  of 
whfim  five  died  when  young. 

After  a  brief  illness  Judge  Rice  died  October  14,  1897.  His  death  so 
unexpected  was  a  sad  shock  to  his  family  and  many  I'i'iends  at  lioiiic 
and  abroad  who  deeply  iiKiurned  this  close  of  a  goodly  life. 


AXD   THE  Cirr  OF  7>/;n  MOIXJJS. 


)S3 


JA.MES   SA.MT'KL   CLARK. 


James  S.  <'lark  was  l^in-n  in  .Tdhnsdii  (.'(uuiry,  Indiana.  October 
17.  1S41.  His  father.  (Jlmin  (.'lark,  was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  in 
ISOO,  and  was  one  of  tlic  iiioncers  of  tlie  i-onnty  in  which  his  son  was 
born,  Chirk  Townslii]],  and  tlic  tcjwn  of  Chirkslinri;  in  that  county  being 
named  for  liini.  In  is."i(;  the  family  settled  in  Warren  County,  Iowa. 
Here  .Tames  worked  nimn  the  farm  an.l  during-  a  iiortion  of  the  time 
attended  s(diool.  In  l.Mll.  at  the  breakin;;  ent  of  the  w-ar.  he  was  ii 
student  In  the  colleuc  at  >It.  I'leas.ant.  Iowa,  and  at  the  first  call  yolun- 
teered  in  the  First  Iowa  Infantry.  He  served  with  much  credit  in  this 
regiment  anil  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek.  August  lt>. 
1861,  when  the  gallant  Cen.  Lyen  fell.  In  the  August,  1897,  Midland 
Monthly  is  found  a  well  written  article  by  him,  entitled  ■■i.;en.  Lyon  and 
the  Fight  fur  Missom'i". 

When  this  regiment  had  sei-veil  over  its  term  of  enlistment  and  was 
mustered  out.  young  Clark  retmaied  to  his  home  in  Warren  County.  But 
not  long  to  stay.  He  then  enlisti'd  in  the  Thirty-fourth  Iowa  Infantry, 
was  promoted  to  captain,  ami  sei-ved  with  this  gallant  regiment  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  ( )n  the  afternoon  of  the  day  that  (ien.  Lee  surrendered 
to  Gen.  errant.  Captain  Clai'k  with  his  regiment  took  part  in  a  desper- 
ate charge  on  the  rebel  forts  at  Mobile,  Alabama.     Years  afterward  he 


984 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


was  made  historian  of  tlie  Tliirtj--fourtb.  and  prepared  and  published  a 
most  interesting  and  true  history  of  the  regiment. 

After  lieing  mnstered  out  of  tlie  military  service  young  Clark  took  up 
liis  Interrupteil  studies  again  at  college.  He  became  a  student  at  thi« 
Ohio  "\A'esleyan  University,  and  graduated  in  the  classical  course  in  ISCS, 
and  in  ISiii.i"  from  the  law  department  of  the  Iowa  State  University  as 
valedictoi-ian  (jf  his  class.  He  then  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in 
Des  Moines,  and  continued  in  the  same  with  much  success  until  1890. 
He  was  then  induced  to  take  charge  of  the  E>es  Moines  Insurance  Com- 
pany as  secretnry.  He  is  now  permanently  connected  with  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Capital  Insurance  Company  of  Des  Moines. 

Captain  Clark  was  married  October  IS.  1S7G.  to  Miss  Fannie  Page,  and 
they  now  have  six  children,  three  boys  and  three  girls.  The  Captain 
belongs  to  the  C.  A.  R..  the  Loyal  Legion,  the  alumni  of  two  col- 
leges, the  Masons  and  the  C'ongrcgatioiuil  church.  Politically  he  acts 
wUh  tlie  RepuVilican  p.nrty.  A  lirave  soldier,  good  citizen,  husband  and 
father,  lie  deservedly  i-anlcs  higli  in  tliis  eeiiimunity. 


CLX.  Ci;<l    W.  CL.VKK. 


Gen.  Geo.  AV.  (Jlark  was  boi-ii  in  .Tolnisdii  Count.y,  Indiana,  December 
;,  IS.",.",:  was  tor  a  time  at  Franklin  C(dlege  auil  afterward  at  Wabash 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  985 

Collfge,  Orawfordsville.  Indiana.  He  studierl  law  at  Indianapolis,  and 
went  to  Iowa  in  ISoO.  The  same  yeai-  he  was  elected  prosecuting  attor- 
ney for  "\A'ar-en  County,  and  practiced  law  at  Indianola  until  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war.  He  enlisted  the  first  company  of  volunteers  in  his 
county.  He  was  made  first  lieutenant  of  the  company  whicli  afterwanls 
became  Company  G,  3rd  Iowa  Infantry,  and  with  which  he  served  until 
August,  1802,  taliing  part  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh  and  other  important 
engagements.  September  1,  1802,  he  was  ajipointed  Colonel  of  the  34tli 
Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry,  then  under  orders  to  rendezvous  at  Burlington, 
Iowa.  From  that  time  until  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  continuously  in 
command  of  his  regiment,  or  the  brigade,  or  post  to  which  it  belongeil. 
The  names  of  the  battles  ordered  to  be  inscribed  on  the  flag  of  this  regi- 
ment, as  shown  by  the  records  at  the  Adjutant  General's  office,  are 
"Chiclvasaw  Bayou,"  "Chickasaw  Bluffs,"  "Arkansas  Post,"  "Siege  of 
Vicksburg,"  "Morganze,"  "Fort  Esperanza,"  "Fort  Gaines,"  "Fort  Mor- 
gan," and  "Fort  Blakely."  He  was  breveted  Brigadier  General,  TJ.  S.  A., 
March  13,  lS6o,  and  mustered  out  with  his  regiment  August  15,  1805,  at 
Houston,  Texas.  Soon  after  the  war  General  Clark  was  appointed  by 
President  Cirant  V.  S.  Marshal  for  the  District  of  Iowa,  and  held  that 
office  for  four  .vears.  Afterwards  he  spent  several  j-ears  abroad,  finally 
settling  down  in  "Wa'shington,  D.  C.  where  he  now  resides. 

He  was  married  December  15.  1880,  to  Miss  Sara  Robinson,  of  low.i 
City,  and  has  three  cliildren,  Edith,  Clifford  and  Eleanor.  His  wife  died 
July  4.  1805. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order  and  Loyal  Legion. 


•.ISC) 


ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 


MAUK   MlLbEU 


()u  November  Id,  IsnO.  in  I'l'Ici-liordUgli,  New  Ilaiiipshirr,  >Iark 
Miller  AN'Ms  born,  lie  was  the  second  son  of  Andrew  Miller  and  .Tane 
.Vnies.  Amid  the  pietnresque  seiiiery,  and  under  the  shadows  of  .uranite 
liills  his  childhood  and  youth  was  spent. 

lu  lirielly  speakin;;  of  some  of  tli.e  more  prominent  eharaeteristies  of 
tho  suliject  of  tliis  sketch,  it  is  necessary  to  speak  of  ids  early  life, 
education  and  jjursuits.  1o  the  end  tliat  we  may  better  appreciate  the 
servi<'<'  of  the  man,  wliese  career  we  are  to  consider  as  connected  with 
the  earlier  history  of  Iowa  wldle  her  most  important  industries  were  in 
an  ex]ierimental  condition.     It  has  been  well  said  "that  the  time  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  9 87 

place  of  a  man's  binh,  and  especially  of  his  early  associations,  exert  a 
jiifeat  influence  upon  his  future  character  and  destiny  in  life." 

Among  the  early  New  England  colonists  was  a  company  of  300  fam- 
ilies of  Scotch-Irish,  who  came  over  in  1710  and  settled  in  Hillsborough 
eotmty,  Xew  Hampshire.  In  1720  they  purchased  the  Indian  title  to  a 
large  tract  of  land  and  named  it  Londonderry.  These  people  were 
noted  for  deep  religious  convictions,  thrift,  industry,  indomitalile  per- 
sevi'rauce  and  love  of  liberty.  They  introduced  the  foot-spinning 
wheel  and  brought  a  large  (juantity  of  dressed  flax,  and  made  linen 
cloth— probably  the  first  woven  in  Xe«'  Hampishire.  They  also  intro- 
duced potatoes.  Their  predominating  characteristics  were  indelibly 
implanted  in  their  descendants  and  a  wide  influence  exerted  in  the 
communities  tliey  established  around  them. 

From  .such  ancestry  sprang  the  stilyect  of  this  sketch,  and  the 
leading  traits  of  his  character  were  inherently  fixed  by  early  associa- 
tion with  people  of  frugality,  energy  and  industry.  Boyhood  days  on 
a  rough  Xew  England  farm,  in  a  sparsely  pojitilated  neight>orliood, 
with  few  books  accessible,  and  extremely  limited  educational  facilities 
— as  was  the  case  eighty  years  ago — certainly  Avas  anything  but  encour- 
aging to  an  ambitious  youtli;  yet  we  find  him,  at  twenty-two,  a  suc- 
cessful editor  and  publisher  of  a  political  weekly  paper  in  his  native 
town. 

Aspiring  to  a  wider  field,  lie  went  to  Fitchburg.  Mass.,  continuing  in 
his  chosen  occupation.  In  is3.j  he  removed  to  Rochester.  X.  Y.,  and 
engaged  in  wood  and  copper-plate  engraving  and  printing— being  a 
pioneer  in  that  work  in  central  and  western  Xew  York.  Being  able  to 
illustrate  liy  his  artistic  skill,  he  compiled  and  published  several  bio- 
graphical works.  His  taste  for  historical  and  statistical  wnrlc  was 
gratified  liy  publishing  several  books,  which  Avere  well  received. 

Upon  tlie  admission  of  Wisconsin  to  the  Union,  in  May,  1818,  ho  saw 
a  wider  field  of  usefulness  opening,  and  started  for  the,  then.  "Far 
West",  locating  in  Racine.  There,  in  connection  with  his  printing  and 
book  binding  office,  he  opened  the  only  large  book  store  in  the  state, 
outside  of  Milwaukee.  He  also  founded  the  first  circulating  library  in 
Wisconsin,  consistin,g  of  several  thousand  volumes.  Always  taking  an 
active  interest  in  schools,  his  laljor  and  influence  aided  in  promoting 
the  excellent  educational  system  of  that  state.  In  .January.  1810,  he 
issued  the  initial  number  of  the  Wisconsin  Farmer,  a  monthly  devoted 
to  agricultural  and  horticultural  interests  in  the  new  state.  In  1851  he 
removed  to  Madison,  and.  soon  after,  sold  the  Farmer  to  "go  west". 
The  Weekly  Wisconsin  Farmer,  now  in  its  fmty-ninth  year,  was 
founded  liy  him. 

In  IS.'i.l  he  came  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Puliurjue,  and.  in  .January, 
18."iii,  issued  the  fir.st  number  of  the  X'orthwestern  Farmer,  which  was 
continued  as  a  monthly  tmtil  18(12.  Deciding  that  a  more  frequent 
issue  was  desirable,  and  Des  Moines  offering  better  facilities  for  pub- 
lication, he  came  here  in  1801,  and,  in  Jantiaiy,  18f!2,  established  the 
Jdwa  Homestead,  now  in  its  thirty-sixth  year.  In  1808  he  severed  his 
connection  with  that  paper  and,  in  .January,  3870,  published  the  initial 
number  of  the  Pomologist,  a  monthly,  devoted  exclusively  to  horticul- 
ture and  pomology — sub.iects  in  which  he  was  very  deeply  interested 
in  promoting.  During  the  troublous  years  of  the  great  rebellion  he 
strove  heroically  to  keep  alive  and  foster  an  interest  in  the  most 
important  industries  of  his  adopted  state.  To  study  and  glean  informa- 
tion on  these  important  subjects,  and  disseminate  the  same  for  public 
Itenefit,  became  so  strong  a  passion  of  his  later  years  that  no  sacrifice 
of  time  nor  money  within  his  reach  was  regarded  as  less  tha.n  a  duty 
to  his  readers. 

Xearly  twenty  of  the  ripest  years  of  his  life  were  given  to  advancing 


988  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

the  horticultural  Interests  of  the  Northwest,  especially  to  promotin,;2: 
pomological  science  in  Iowa,  believing  it  would,  in  coming  years,  prove 
one  of  tile  leading  sources  of  profit,  as  well  as  contributing  largely  to 
the  health  and  comfort  of  all  our  citizens.  If  he  seemed  too  enthus- 
iastic and  sanguine  in  the  early  days  of  fruit-growing,  the  results  in 
tliese  later  years  fully  testify  to  the  soundness  of  his  judgment. 

Few  men  have  had  lives  of  as  industrious  labors  and  as  great  useful- 
ness. As  a  horticultural  editor  and  as  a  practical  horticulturist,  Mr. 
Jliller  had,  perhaps,  no  superior  in  the  country. 

He  was  not  only  a  clear  and  fluent  writer,  well  versed  in  practical 
knowledge  in  everytliing  whereof  he  wrote,  but  he  was  also  of  eminent 
reputation  as  a  slvilled  engraver  on  copper  and  wood.  and.  therefore, 
able  to  illustrate  as  well  as  write,  which  gave  his  contributions  to  the 
literature  of  horticulture  an  especial  value,  and  giving  him  a  high  rank 
in  tlie  professiiin  and  lalior  he  loved  so  well  and  served  so  devotedly. 

His  kniiwledge  and  his  advice  were  for  many  years  public  guides, 
and  were  iif  invaluable  service  at  a  time  when  fruit  growing  and  even 
agriculture  in  this  new  state  were  largely  experimental.  He  left  an 
enduring  monument  on  thousands  of  Iowa  farms  and  Iowa  iiomes,  and, 
under  the  bruad.  kindly  shelter  of  trees  and  orchards  and  groves,  his 
hand  or  his  advice  helped  to  make  successful  verities,  'a  grateful  people 
speak  kindly  and  treasure  his  memor.v. 

In  August.  1873.  he  was  prostrated  with  heat  while  working  in  the 
harvest  field  and.  before  recovering  from  tliat  illness,  started  out  to 
collect  fruits  to  exhiliit  before  tlie  American  Pomological  society,  which 
met  in  Boston  in  Septemlier  of  that  year. 

Having  been  appointed  by  Hon.  .T.ames  JIatthews.  president  of  our 
State  Horticultural  society,  a  delegate  to  represent  Iowa's  progress  in 
fruit  raising,  he  entered  into  the  work  of  collecting  fruit  wdth  charac- 
teristic energy  and  labored  far  beyond  his  strength— riding  day  after 
day,  from  orchard  to  orchard,  ^selecting  and  classifying  the  best  to 
show  before  the  noted  members  of  that  august  assembly  that  Iowa  was 
no  whit  liehind  any  other  state  in  tlie  variety  and  magnificence  of  her 
apple  product,  besides  making  a  creditable  display  of  other  fmits. 

But,  in  stiiving  to  liring  deserved  honor  to  Iowa's  fair  name,  he 
had  exhaiisted  his  pliysical  strength  beyond  restoration.  At  the  close 
of  the  convention  lie  visited  friends  in  New  Hampshire,  and  went  to 
the  home  of  his  boyhood,  in  Peterboro,  looking  for  the  last  time  on 
the  house  where  he  was  l>orn  sixty-four  years  before;  upon  the  trees 
he  ilug  ill  the  woods  when  a  young  lad,  anil  planted  near  the  old  home, 
thus  showing  the  boy's  love  for  the  chosen  pursuits  of  later  life. 

Mr.  Miller  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  and  a  daughter  by 
th.at  union  he  buried  in  early  manhood.  By  his  second  wife — who  sur- 
vives him— he  had  six  children,  five  sons  and  one  daughter.  Two  of 
the  sons,  George  A.  and  Charles  B..  are  in  business  in  Des  Moines.  He 
lived  to  rear  an  interesting  and  intelligent  family  and  to  see  all  of  his 
children  in  positions  of  usefulness  and  enjoying  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  all  who  know  them. 

This  was  a  satisfaction  fitly  rrowning  the  excellence  and  usefulness 
of  h's  own  busy  life,  whiih  's\:is  a  huig,  active  and  eventful  one — hi.s 
whole  eai-eer  from  beginning  to  i  lose  was  replete  with  ceaseless  activity; 
possessing  indomitable  resolution  and  an  invincible  determination  to 
overcome  all  oljstacles  and  achieve  success,  he  left  the  world  mucli 
better  for  his  having  lived  in  it.  His  foremost  trait  was  determined 
persevei'ance.     He  ilied  Ajiril  0,  1ST4,  in  the  sixt.v-fifth  year  of  his  age. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  989 


CUESTEIt  C.   COLE. 


Among  the  promiuent  eitizens  of  Des  Moines  for  the  past  forty 
years  has  been  Chester  C.  Cole.  As  a  lawyer.  Judge,  politician  and 
citizen  he  has  always  occupied  a  high  ranii  in  the  community,  and  he 
is  well  known  to  the  people  of  the  city,  county  and  state. 

Judge  Cole  was  born  in  Oxford,  Ohennago  County,  Xew  York, 
June  4,  1824,  and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Alee  iPullinan)  Cole, 
the  former  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the  latter  of  Rhode  Island. 
His  ancestors  came  from  England  at  a  very  early  day.  Chester  C. 
was  reared  in  the  county  of  his  birth,  and  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  and  in  Oxford  Academy,  but  was  not  of  robust  health  while 


990  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

a  boy.  He  lived  on  a  farm  wHli  his  motliei-  until  thirteen  years  of 
age,  and  was  clerk  in  a  store  in  the  town  until  eighteen,  when  lie  again 
entered  school  and  pursued  his  studies  with  ardor  and  success.  After 
completing  a  thorough  course  in  the  Harvard  Law  School  at  Cam- 
bridge, Massachusetts,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  August,  184S. 

He  first  entered  regularly  upon  the  practice  of  'his  profession  in 
Mfa-ion,  Crittenden  -County^  Kentucky,  and  displayed  much  ability  and 
was  successful.  In  1857  he  sought  a  wider  field,  and  after  looking 
around,  ichose  Des  Moines  as  his  'home,  and  here  he  has  remained. 
His  ability,  quiclvness  and  unfailing  courtesy  caused  him  at  once  to 
take  a  leading  position  in  his  profession,  and  this  rank  lie  has  main- 
tained for  forty  years.  Except  while  on  the  Supreme  bench  he  has  been 
in  the  continuous  practice  of  hi-s  profession,  supplemented  by  worlc  in 
law  schools  and  editing  and  writing  for  legal  publications. 

Only  two  years  after  his  arrival  in  Des  Moines  .Judge  Cole  was 
aonimated  as  a  candidate  for  .Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  by  the 
DenKicratic  state  convention,  and  tliotigh  defeated,  made  man.v 
friends  throughout  the  state  during  the  canvass.  The  next  year  he 
Wiis  nominated  as  a  candidate  for  Congress  by  the  Demoicrats  of  this 
district,  then  embracing  the  Southern  one-half  of  the  State,  tlis 
opponent  was  General  Samuel  R.  Curtis.  The  -Judge  made  a  brilliant 
canvass,  successfully  meeting  his  opponent  in  many  joint  discussions, 
often  twice  in  a  day  tor  some  seventy  days.  And  this,  too,  was  at  a 
time  when  tlierc  were  only  a  few  miles  of  railroad  in  the  State.  Gen- 
eral Curtis  was  a  man  of  ability,  a  great  leader  of  his  paity,  Init  hi; 
suffered  when  lie  came  in  cimtaet  witii  his  oppiment,  wlursc  ability, 
quickness  and  reailiness  of  resources  were  more  than  a  match  for  the 
more  slow  and  suiii'wliat  heavy  General.  The  latter  was  elected,  but 
the  honor  of  tlie  noted  canvass  almost  altogether  fell  to  .Judge  Cole. 
The  .Judge  was  what  was  then  termed  a  "Douglas  Democrat,"'  was  a 
strong  Union  man.  and  gave  freely  of  his  time  and  money  to  raise 
troops,  etc.  In  recognition  of  this,  in  18G4,  Governor  Stone  appointed 
him  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court.  The  people  of  the 
State  heartily  endorsed  this  by  twice  electing  iiim  to  the  same  position. 
As  a  judge  he  was  uoted  for  his  perfect  freedom  from  bias,  quick 
comprehension,  and  thorough  knowledge  of  law.  His  opinions  are 
models  of  brevity,  clearness,  vigor  and  sound  law,  and  cause  hiin  to 
rank  with  the  most  able  of  Iowa  -Judges.  Some  time  after  his  second 
election  Judge  Cole  resigned  this  high  office,  and  voluntarily  returned 
to  the  practice.  Upon  his  retirement  from  the  bench,  ,Judge  Cole 
entered  upon  an  extended  'and  luerative  practice,  largely  in  the  federal 
courts,  vvhicli  he  continued  alone  for  several  j'ears.  He  then  formed 
a  partnership,  the  firm  being  known  as  Cole,  jMcVcy  it  Clark,  nftev- 
wards  Mr.  Cheshire  took  Mr.  Clarke's  place  in  the  ttrni,  which  con- 
tinued to  do  an  extensive  practice  down  to  the  period  of  .Judge  Cole's 
retirement  from  the  firm  and  active  practice.  In  1892  he  was  chosen 
Dean  of  the  Iowa  Ccllege  of  J^aw,  a  Department  of  Drake  University, 
a  position  which  he  cow  holds. 

On  .Tune  2.'i,  1848,  .Judge  Cole  was  married  to  Miss  Amanda  M,  Ben- 
nett, a  daughter  of  Egbert  and  Gertrude  (Richtmyer)  Bennett.  They 
have  lind  seven  children,  four  sons  and  three  daughters:  Calvin  S, 
died  in  early  childhood;  William  Watson  grew  to  manhood,  married 
Frances  -Josephine  Chapin,  by  whom  he  had  three  children,  two  of 
them  now  living.  In  1888  he  removed  to  Portland,  Oregon,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  He  died  there  November  17,  1894. 
Gertrude  Alice,  the  wife  A,  C,  Atherton,  of  I^ewiston,  Illinois,  where 
lie  is  SuperintendeiTt  of  a  ra'lroad,  and  they  liave  three  children. 
Mary  E.  married   D.  C.  McMartin,   then  a  lawyer  in  I>es  Moines,  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  2I0INES.  991 

they  had  four  ehilc''''en.  Her  husband  died  August  10,  1S95.  Chester 
C.  died  in  infancy.  Frank  B.  married  Ella  Jenlcins,  have  two  chil- 
dren, and  reside  in  Havana.  Illinois,  vs'here  Frank  is  engage<.l  in  rail- 
roading. Carrie  Stone,  the  third  daughter,  is  the  v\'ife  of  .J.  R.  Hurlljui. 
head  of  the  large  drug  house  of  Htirlbiut  &  McArthur.  They  have 
one  child. 

Judge  Cole  and  'his  wife  have  been  for  many  years  members  of  the 
Presb^-terian  church,  of  which  he  has  been  for  years  an  Elder.  He 
has  been  a  ilason  since  1849,  and  has  also  been  a  Chancellor  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.  Their  home  has  been  for  years  one  of  the  most 
open  and  hospitable  in  the  city,  and  though  their  children  are  non- 
somewhat  scattered  their  elegant  home  in  the  western  part  of  the  city 
gives  a  hearty  welcome  to  their  many  friends.  Judge  Cole  himself  is 
always  busy  with  his  law  school,  his  clients  and  friends,  keeps  a  close 
watch  upon  and  notes  everything  in  the  political  world,  and  i's  always 
ready  to  work  for  the  advancement  and  for  what  he  thinks  will  be 
for  the  best  interests  of  his  fellow  citizens  and  the  people  at  large. 


U'Xl 


AXNALS  OF  POLK  COUXTY 


SAMT'EIv  GREEN. 


Industi  y,  close  attention  to  business  and  perseverance,  will  win  suc- 
cess, ns  is  proven  in  tlie  case  of  Samuel  Green,  head  of  the  well-known 
foundi-y  firm  of  this  city.  He  was  lioi-n  in  Waterloo,  Seneca  County, 
Xew  Yorlv.  on  April  5,  ]S;>!.  He  received  teaching  in  his  youth  in  the  dis- 
trict scliools,  and  also  learned  something  of  shoemaking,  which  was  the 
trade  r.l'  liis  fathers.  "When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  was  a  clerk  in  a  drug 
stnre.  but  after  remaining  in  this  for  some  eighteen  months,  he  readily 
seized  an  opportunity  offered  him,  and  entered  a  foundry  at  Penn  Yan, 
New  York.  Thus  he  commenred  iiis  life  work.  Piemaining  in  this 
foundry  for  five  yc:irs  he  became  an  excellent  workman,  thoroughly 
fanjiliar  with  liis  trade.    Then  lie  started  west.    After  a  short  stay  in 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE^^  MOINES.  993 

Michigan  he  came  to  Des  Moines.  March  2G,  1S5T.  He  fii-st  found  employ- 
ment with  H.  M.  Hemingway,  who  was  one  of  the  first  fonndrymen  of 
the  city,  but  at  that  time  had  only  an  old  frame  linilding  with  but  little 
of  the  necessary  machinery  for  a  first-class  foundry.  Mr.  Green  worked 
tor  him  and  others  until  1S(J9,  when  he  determined  to  start  in  business 
for  himself.  He  had  but  little  capital,  but  he  had  ambition  and  perse- 
verance, and  a  thorough  practical  knowledge  of  the  business. 

He  commenced  in  a  small  waj'  on  a  lot  on  Third  street,  immediately 
west  and  adjoining  his  present  large  plant,  putting  up  a  building  at  an 
expense  of  .f2(i0.  When  his  first  blast  Avas  made  he  found  himself  in 
delit  S70(),  and  fearful  of  debt  as  he  always  lias  been,  he  naturally  was 
fearful  lie  miglit  not  be  able  to  pjaj'  his  creditors.  He  had,  however,  a 
true  helper  in  his  wife,  who,  loving  and  sanguine,  cheerfully  looked  for- 
ward to  the  future  and  liopefully  encouraged  lier  husband  in  his  work. 
He  persevered,  and  in  a  short  time  he  felt  success  Avas  within  his  grasp. 
In  a  not  long  time  tlie  little  foundry  was  too  small  for  the  work.  It  was 
making  money  rapidly,  but  more  room  and  better  facilities  were  needed. 

In  1873  Mr.  Green  purchased  a  portion  of  the  ground  now  oceupieil 
by  him  on  Second  street,  south  of  Vine  street,  and  built  thereon  a  large 
two-story  brielc  building.  This  has  been  added  to  until  he  now  has  a 
ground  area  of  121x132,  covered  with  buildings.  From  time  to  time  he 
has  added  to  tlie  equipments  and  machiupr.v.  keeping  in  full  step  with  all 
advances  and  has  caused  the  Greene  foundry  to  rank  not  only  among  the 
first  but  also  the  best  of  the  skilleil  manufacturing  institutions  of  the 
city. 

September  6,  18G0,  Mr,  Greene  was  married  to  Miss  .Jennie,  daughter 
of  .Tohn  W.  and  Sarah  Owen,  who  came  from  Pennsylvania  to  Des 
Moines  in  l.S.if).  Mrs.  Greene  was  born  in  Perry  County,  Pennsylvania, 
March  28,  1830.  To  her  can  be  awarded  the  highest  meed  of  praise.  A 
godil  wife  and  motlier.  The  two  cliildren  born  are  now  young  men,  and 
associates  of  tlieir  father  in  business.  They  are  Franlv  Owen  and  James 
B.  They  have  been  trained  to  know  the  business,  and  now  the  firm  of  S, 
Greene  &  Sons  does  the  largest  foundry  Ijusiness  in  Des  Moines,  and 
also  maniifaetures  the  best  of  furnaces  for  public  and  private  buildings. 
The  senior  Greene  has  always  been  ,a  Repnl)liean  in  politics,  but  has 
always  declined  and  never  sought  office.  He  is  socially  one  of  the  pleas- 
antest  of  men.  and  in  everj'  respect  a  good  citizen.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow, 
I'nited  Workman  and  Good  Templar,  and  member  of  the  Early  Settlers' 
Association.  He  is  the  oldest  foundryman  in  the  city  in  continuous 
business.  Init  is  not  now  and  hopes  not  for  years  yet  to  be  placed  upon 
the  retired  list.  He  won  his  success  by  work,  and  he  continues  to  be  a 
workman. 

And  Samuel  Greene  came  of  good  stock.  Of  English  origin,  his  fore- 
fathers came  to  America  many  years  ago.  His  father  was  born  in  1800, 
served  on  board  a  man-of-war  during  the  war  of  1812-.5.  for  which  years 
afterward  a  piension  was  granted  him,  ami  upon  his  death  to  his  widow. 
The  latter  was  one  of  the  Holland  families  who  first  settled  New  York. 
Tliree  of  Mr.  Greene's  brotliers  served  in  the  Union  army  during  the  late 
A\"ar. 


994 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


EEtWAlID  It.  >IAsr)N. 


AmniiL;-  the  woll-known  citizens  ot  r>os  >If.ini's  is  Edward  TL  M;iS(in. 
who  has  for  rnnrs  been  proiiiint'iir  in  linsiness  and  social  circles,  an 
active  and  popular  man.  Burn  Dn'cmlier  IS,  1846,  in  Fraiiklinville. 
( 'attaranyus  (/ouiii y.  New  Yo^rk,  he  has.  fniin  his  .vonth.  been  a  residenr 
of  Iowa,  his  fallior.  with  his  famlil.v.  having  settlcil  in  Van  l-'.uren 
Couuly,  Iowa,  in  IS.j.S.  His  father,  Lewis  .lann's  Mason,  was  born  in 
tUienaii:;c>  County,  New  York,  in  March,  lsi\',l  and  w,-is  of  an  old  Xij\\- 
Ensland  family,  of  Ensli-sh  origin.  His  nnitlici-,  Xancy  Winslow.  was 
lM>rn  in  Cdimango  Cunnty,  Xrw  York,  in  Ocinbcr,  ISiis.  ami  wa-^  a  lineal 


AiYZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  3I0INES.  995 

descendant  of  Governor  Edward  Winslow,  the  noted  leader  of  the  Puri- 
tan laand  which  landed  on  Plymouth  Eock  from  the  historic  Mayflower. 
Edward  Randall  Mason  was  the  eleventh  child  of  a  family  of  fourteen 
born  to  his  parents.  The  family  resided  in  Cattarangus  County  from 
1836  to  1858,  when  they  removed  to  Iowa,  locating  at  Bentonsport,  in 
Van  Buren  County.  Here  the  elder  Mason  engaged  in  merchandising 
and  liotel  lieeping,  until  his  death,  in  1867,  of  cholera.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  until  May,  1875.  Several  members  of  the  family  have  be- 
come prominent  men  in  military  and  civil  life.  Edgar  raised  a  com- 
pany of  Pennsylvania  Bucktails  and  served  with  distinction  in  the 
Civil  War.  William  E.  studied  law,  went  from  Des  Moines  to  Chicago, 
rose  in  the  ranks  of  his  profession,  was  a  member  of  Congress  several 
terms,  and  in  March,  1897,  commenced  a  six  years'  term  as  United 
States  Senator  from  Illinois. 

Eilward  K.  attended  the  common  schools,  and  rapidly  acquired  an 
edmcation,  but  was  forced  into  business  at  an  early  age.  When  only 
fifteen  he  entered  the  large  drug  house  of  F.  H.  O'Connor  .at  Keokuk. 
When,  in  May,  1804,  a  call  was  made  for  one  hundred  day  men,  the 
boy  promptly  enlisted  and  served  his  term  in  the  Forty-fifth  Iowa  In- 
fantrj'.  He  then  wanted  to  rd-enlist  for  the  war,  but  his  father  would 
not,  on  account  of  liis  youth,  give  his  consent.  He  then  was  a  clerk  iu 
a  general  store  at  his  home  town  for  three  j^ears,  pursuing  also  the 
study  of  medicine,  until,  in  1869,  he  determined  to  make  Des  Moines 
his  future  home.  His  first  employment  was  in  the  gi'ocery  house  of 
Gus  Smith,  where  he  remaiined  until  the  following  year. 

May  31,  1870,  in  Des  Moines.  Mr.  Mason  was  united  to  Miss  Alice 
Loisie,  daughter  of  Sinclair  Losie,  and  a  native  of  Elmira,  New  York. 
Immediately  after  his  mamiage  he  removed  to  Missouri,  but  returneil 
during  the  following  July,  and  was  soon  after,  August  5,  1870,  appointed 
deputy  clerk  of  the  United  State's  Circuit  Court  under  Col.  George  B. 
Gorkliill,  who  subsequently  was  the  prosecuting  attorney  in  the  trial  and 
conviction  of  the  assassin  of  President  Gailield.  Col.  Corkhill  resigning 
his  office  of  clerk  in  1875,  Mr.  Mason,  who  had  won  the  reputation  of  be- 
ing one  of  the  best  court  clerks  in  the  country,  was  appointed  to  fill  the 
vacancy.  For  over  twenty-one  years  he  has  tilled  this  responsible  iiosi- 
tion.  and  can  hoW  it  until  he  resigns  or  dies.  He  has,  also,  during 
almost  this  entire  period,  been  deputy  clerk  of  the  United  St.ates  Dis- 
trict Court.  He  has  also  continuously  held  the  office  of  Standing  Mas- 
ter in  Chancery-  and  United  States  Circuit  Court  Commissioner.  While 
acting  as  deputy  clerk  he  studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  iu 
1872,  and  licensed  to  practice  in  the  United  States  Supreme  Court. 

Active  and  energetic,  Mr.  Mason  has  been  engaged  in  large  business 
affairs  outside  of  his  official  duties.  He  was  for  a  number  of  years 
largely  engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  jobbing  of  tinware,  sheet  iron 
anil  metals.  In  1883  he  became  connected  with  the  Merchants'  Union 
Barb  Wire  Company,  which  largely  controlled  th.at  business.  In  1887 
he  became  interested  in  cotton  manufactures,  and,  in  connection  with 
his  brother.  J.  F.  Mason,  and  George  H.  Cowiles,  of  Osceola,  organized 
the  r)es  Moines  Cotton  Mill  Company,  E.  E.  Mason  becoming  the 
president.  This  comijany  at  one  time  employed  one  hundred  hands  and 
turned  out  5,000  yards  of  sheeting  each  day.  Mr.  Mason  retired,  and 
fire  and  other  causes  closed  the  works.  More  than  twenty  years  ago, 
Mr.  Mason  became  much  interested  in  the  breeding  and  training  of 
trotting  horses,  and  also  in  .Te'-sey  cattle,  and  has  done  much 
to  improve  various  kinds  of  Iowa  stock.  For  three  years  from  1885  Mr, 
Mason  was  the  receiver  of  the  Des  Moines,  Osceola  &  Southern  rail- 
road, now  the  Des  Moines  &  Kansas  City.  By  superior  management 
he  kejit  tlie  road  numing.  improved  its  condition  and  finances,  and 
then  turned  it  over  in  good  shape  to  the  new  company.     Politically  Mr. 


996 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


Mason  lias  been  from  the  .staa't  a  i:-(insistenit  and  istra.ightforward  Ee- 
pub'lieau.  He  has  belonged  to  the  Odd  FeHows,  and  -Is  a  member  of 
the  Myslie  Shrine.  He  holds  membership  in  Capital  Lodge,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M..  Cnrrithian  Oliapter,  E.  A.  JI.,  and  Temple  Comimandery,  K.  T. 

Mr.  Maison  ilost  his  wife  by  death  in  September,  1877.  She  bore  him 
two  children,  Carrie  M..  born  April  11,  1871.  and  Etta,  born  September 
li,  1S75.  The  latter  died  in  May,  1876.  Carrie  wa.s  married,  on  Decem- 
ber ill.  189."!,  to  James  A.  Stewart. 

Mr.  Mas'on  ^vas  again,  nmirried,  August  22,  1888,  to  Miss  Fannie 
Kiefer  Eider,  a  native  of  Norwich,  Clienango  t;'nunty.  New  York,  and  a 
da-ughter  of  George  Eider.  She  is  a  most  estimable  and  aceomplish,ed 
lady,  and  a  prominent  member  of  St.  rani's  Episcopal  Church.  Slie 
has  liorne  her  hiisband  two  cliildren,  George  Eider,  born  May  0,  1800, 
and  Edward  Win.s]ow,  born  February  10,  1802. 

Jlr.  M.a.sion.  a«  public  officer,  as  an  enterprising  business  man,  and 
as  a  citizen,  has  shwwn  mueli  aliility.  He  is  cjuielv,  prompt  and  ready, 
and  courteous  to  everyone.  He  is  full  of  courage  and  resources,  and 
always  pleasant  and  genial  among  all  his  business  land  other  asso- 
ciates. His  ple.-isant  lionie  in  tlie  westcni  |iart  cf  (lie  I'ity  is  mited  for  its 
hospitality,  where  he  and  liis  wife  are  .alwaj's  ready  to  "Welcome  the 
coming  and  speeil  tlie  parting  guest." 


"\Y.  H.  DICKINSON,  M.   D. 


One 
County 
Quebec 
New  Yorlv 
land  Ohio, 


f,    if  not   llic  iiidt'sl   physician  in   Cdutinuous  practice   in   Poilc 

s  W.  II.  Diclvinson,   M.   D.     He  was  liorn  in  the  Province  of 

Can.'ida,    Seideniljer   10,    1S2S:   wn:s   mari-icd    in    P.aldwinsville. 

Dei-cmiicr  24,   is.",:;.      He   gi-ailualcil    in   mcdi'-ine    at    Clevi- 

ij)   1S.")8  and  in  New  Yorlj  Cily  in  ]S(r>.     He  came  to  I(jwa 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  997 

and  located  in  Des  Moines  in  ilarela,  IS.jS.  and  has  lived  liere  contin- 
nously,  with  the  exception  of  two  j'ears,  1.864-5,  when  he  was  in  New 
York  City,  studying  and  piaetieiug  his  pvofessiim. 

Dr.  Dickinson  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  tin.'  practice  of  lioiueopatliy 
in  Iowa  and  has  not  only  had  a  large  practice,  but  has  done  much  to 
prove  the  excellence  of  his  school  of  medicine.  Some  years  ago  he 
wrote  a  work  on  "Practice,"  which  was  published  by  Mills  &  Co.,  of 
this  city,  which  has  become  a  standard  text  book.  He  also  wrote  part 
of  ainother  work,  and  has  been  the  author  of  several  pamphlets.  In 
l.S7(J  he  was  elected  to  fill  the  chair  of  Theory  and  Practice  in  the 
Hcflneopathic  l>epartment  of  the  State  University,  which  position  he 
now  holds,  and  in  1,S92  became  Dean  of  the  Faculty.  He  has  twice 
1  een  President  of  the  Slate  Hahneman  Association  of  Iowa,  and  alsn 
President  of  tlie  Polk  County  Society.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Uear  a  member  of  the  State  P.onrd  of  Health,  re-appointed  by  Governor 
Sherman,  and  by  Governor  Boies  to  fill  a  vaca.ney,  serving  ten  years 
on  thiis  State  Board.  In  all  the  positions  'held  by  Dr.  Dickinson,  he 
showed  ra.re  ability  and  intelligent  industry.  Prompt  and  decided  in 
his  work,  he  is  yet  kind  to  all.  a.nd  ready  to  learn  as  well  as  teach. 
His  has  been  an  active,  busy  and  useful  life,  and  his  many  friends  hope 
he  may  );ie  able  to  continue  it  for  many  moi'e  years.  The  doctor  has 
foi'  years  been  nn  active,  working  memlier  of  tiie  Baptist  churcli.  an(i 
lias  done  his  full  share  in  building  up  that  church  in  this  portion  of 
Iowa. 

The  rir,  and  Mrs.  Dickinson,  the  latter  a  well-known  and  much- 
esteemed  lady,  have  three  sons,  now  all  grown  to  manhood.  The  old- 
est, D.  "W.  Dickinson,  is  a  physician,  in  practice  with  his  father:  the 
second.  Robert  Dickinson,  is  a  real  estate  agent  and  dealer  in  this  city; 
while  the  titird,  Warren  Dickinson,  is  a  civ,l  engineer,  at  present  hold- 
ing the  responsible  position  of  civil  engineer  to  the  State  Board  of 
Health,  to  which  position  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  .Tackson. 


9ft8 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


THOMAS  A.  CHESHIRE. 


Tlic  present  state  seuatdr  from  Polk  County  is  a  native  of  Iowa,  and 
was  liorn  April  2,  lSo4,  in  a.  log  caliin  on  land  entered  liy  his  father  in 
Teuton  Tinynsliip,  Poweshiek  County,  and  his  ei-adle  was  in  fact  a  sec- 
tion of  hollow  log.  His  father,  John  V^'.  Chesljire,  was  one  of  the  "pio- 
neers <i(  that  county,  opened  a  farm  at  the  place  mentioned,  and  when 
the  rebellion  broke  out  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Fortieth  Iowa 
Infantry,  sei'ving  a  year  or  more  and  until  ilischarged  for  disability. 
The  imy,  Thomas,  worked  on  the  farm,  and  while  his  father  was  in 
the  army  was  the  main  help  the  family  had.  In  ]SC4  his  father  entered 
a  store  at  Montezuma,  the  family  moved  there,  and  Thcimas  was  sent 


AND  TEE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  990 

to  the  public  iscbools  of  the  Ximn.  Afterwards  he  was  for  a  time  at 
Iowa  College  at  Grinnell  and  later  was  a  student  at  the  State  Uni- 
versitj'  .  He  then  entered  the  printing  office  of  his  father  and  served  an 
apprenticeship  of  three  years.  During  most  of  this  time  he  assisted 
liis  father  in  editorial  work  on  the  Montezuma  Repuljlican,  and  worked 
in  all  branches  of  the  business  . 

Having  determined  to  enter  the  legal  profession,  in  the  fall  of  1874 
lie  entered  the  University  of  Michigan  and  graduated  therefrom  in 
ISTO.  He  opened  a  law  office  in  Montezuma  and  remained  in  the  prac- 
tice until  the  following  year.  when,  his  father  dying,  it  became  necessary 
for  him  to  lake  charge  again  of  the  newspaper.  He  remained  as  editor, 
and  with  his  brother  as  proprietors,  until  June,  1881.  when  he  sold  out 
his  interest  and  again  entered  upon  the  practice  of  law,  making  the  firm 
of  Clark  ct  Cheshire,  which  soon  had  a  large  business.  He  was  County 
Attorney  of  Poweshiek  County  under  the  old  law,  and  was  nominated 
and  would  have  been  elected  under  the  new  law.  but  he  desired  a  larger 
field  and  determined  to  locate  in  Des  Moines,  and  came  here  November 
fi.  1886.  He  opened  up  a  law  office  on  the  Bast  Side,  and  In  four  years 
built  up  .a  large  practice.  In  October,  1890.  being  offered  an  equal 
partnership  with  .ludge  C.  C.  Cole  and  A.  H.  McVey.  he  accepted,  and 
the  strong  firm  of  Cole,  McYey  &  Cheshire  was  created.  This  firm 
existed  until  .June,  189.3,  when  Judge  Cole  retired. 

He  continued  in  the  practice  of  the  law  with  A.  H.  McVey  liDtd 
June  1st,  1896,  when  the  partnership  was  dissolved.  Since  which  time 
he  has  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  alone,  with  offices  on  the 
sixth  floor  of  the  Equitable  Building. 

In  January.  1890.  Attorney  General  Stone  selected  him  as  -special 
counsel  for  the  State,  and  for  five  years  he  argued  for  the  State  all  of 
the  criminal  appeals,  with  very  few  exceptions.  In  189.3  he  received  by 
acclamation,  the  nomination  of  the  Republican  party  of  Polk  County, 
for  State  Senator,  and  was  elected  by  3,200  plurality,  the  largest  that 
an.y  senatorial  candidate  had  ever  received. 

In  the  Twenty-fifth  General  Assembly  he  was  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  labor  and  was  second  on  the  committee  on  cities  and  towns. 
and  second  with  the  newly  elected  senators  on  the  committee  on  .1udi- 
ciary.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  committee  on  agriculture  and  of 
the  committee  on  .iudicial  and  congressional  districts. 

In  tie  Twenty-sixth  General  Assembly  he  was  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  cities  and  towns,  and  was  second  on  the  committee  on  judi- 
ciary,  and  was  also  a  member  of  the  committees  on  commerce,  public 
health,  constitutional  amendments,  printing,  mines  and  mining,  and 
building  and  loan  associations,  and  a  member  of  the  same  committees 
during  the  extra  session  in  1897,  called  to  codify  the  laws  of  the  state 
and  make  the  Code  of  1897. 

The  committee  on  cities  and  towns  had  the  law  of  cities  and  towns 
referred  to  it  for  codification,  and  it  was  admitted  to  be  the  most  diffi- 
cult portion  of  the  code  for  this  work,  because  of  the  various  special 
enactments,  -n'hich  applied  only  to  particular  cities  and  towns  or  classes 
of  cities  and  towns.  The  work  of  the  committee  received  very  general 
commendation,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  new  law  regulating  cities  and 
towns  is  'the  most  comprehensive  municipal  law  that  the  state  has  ever 
had. 

He  was  the  author  of  what  is  known  as  the  Cheshire  Amendment  to 
the  revenue  law.  This  amendment  proposed  to  tax  telegraph,  tele- 
phone, express  and  sleeping  car  companies,  according  to  what  is  known 
as  the  Unit  System,  which  has  been  adopted  in  Ohio.  Indiana,  Ken- 
tucky, and  Texas,  and  is  considered  fair  alike  to  the  corporations  and 
to  the  peoDle. 


1000 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


In  ISO"  Senator  Cheshire  was  re-nnminateil  by  llie  Repuliliean  party 
and  elected  to  the  Senate  by  over  l.Soo  majority.  In  the  session  of  1898 
he  was  made  chairman  of  the  important  judiciary  committee,  and  won 
hi.Lih  honors  in  tliis  arduous  jmsition.  As  a  nieni))er  of  the  committee  on 
cities  and  towns  he  also  guarded  the  best  interests  of  E>e's  Moines  and 
other  cities.  He  also  served  on  coniniiltees  on  charitable  in.stitutions. 
building  and  loan  as-sociations.  mines  and  minins'.  educational  institu- 
tions and  public  health.  The  Board  of  Suiiervism-s  selected  him  as 
attorney  to  look  afti^r  the  civil  affairs  of  the  county  for  the  year  LSOS 
very  responsible  position. 


a 


WII,LI-VM  A.  PARK. 


Among  the  leading  niemlieis  of  the  liar  of  I'olU  cotmty  I'lU'  years  was 
the  name  of  William  A.  I'ark.  Though  a  comparativeil.v  young  man,  he 
attained  by  ability  and  close  .application  lo  business  his  .-idniitted 
high  rank  in  the  profession  and  as  a  citizen.  Though  not  born  in  Iowa, 
he  was  brought  here  by  his  parents  when  an  infant  and  in  youth  and  in 
nianhooil.  Iowa  was  his  hcmie.  His  father,  Andrew  I'ark.  was 
born  in  Virginia,  of  good  old  revolutionar.v  stock,  and  himself  served  in 
the  Mexican  war.  His  mother,  Amanda  .ludkins,  avms  born  in  Ohio,  the 
daughter  of  a  North  Carolinian.  They  lived  for  ;\  tinn^  in  Howard 
county,  Indiana,  where  W.  \.  Park  was  born,  .Tuly  Id.  18."il.  The  fam- 
ily that  same  year  e.-imr;  to  Iowa,  setlling  near  Indianola,  Warren 
county.  After  years  of  farming  he  settled  down  in  the  town  and  there 
held  several  responsible  offlces.     He  died  in  1894  at  the  age  of  72.    Mrs. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  BEH  MOIXES.  1001 

Park   i.i;   yet  livrng  ami  lier  tliret'   children   were   all   ri'siclents   of   Des 
Moines. 

William  A.  spent  his  youth  on  his  father's  farm,  attending  the  dis- 
trict schools  as  far  as  possible.  As  lie  grew  towards  manhood,  he  deter- 
mined to  haye  a  thorough  education  and  became  a  student  of  .Simpson 
College  and  determining  upon  the  study  of  law,  entered  the  office  of 
Bryan  and  Seevers  at  Indianola.  Subsequently  he  entered  the  law 
department  of  the  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor,  and  was 
adujittod  to  the  liar  in  1.S70,  and  commenced  the  practice  in  Des  Moines 
in  l.s.Sii.  Witli  ilic  ciiur.agc  an,]  resolution  characteristic  of  liim,  lie  IihM 
more  than  his  own  among  the  lawyers  of  that  day  and  succeieded.  Two 
years  later  he  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Fred  W.  Lehman,  and  the 
new  Arm  soon  achieved  a  high  standing.  This  successful  tirm  contin- 
ued for  ten  years,  when  it  was  dissolved  by  the  removal  of  Mr,  Lehman 
to  St,  Louis  to  talve  a  high  position  as  an  attorney  of  the  Wabash  Rail 
road  Company,  In  1892  W.  E.  Odell  became  associated  with  Mr.  Park 
and  this  partnership  continued  to  the  mntna!  benetit  of  both  ii.-iiTies 
until  the  deaili  of  the  latter. 

Mr.  Park  laid  deep  the  foundation  of  bis  kiuiwlerige  of  l;i\v  by 
closi-  study,  w.is  .lioroughly  informed  in  the  line  of  his  iirofessinn,  and 
careful  and  painstaking  in  the  preparation  of  causes  entrusted  to  him, 
iiuiekly  (-.■itehing  points,  and  .always  rea{ly  and  forcible  in  argument. 

January  (5,  1S74,  Jlr.  Park  was  married  to  Miss  Sophia  Goodman, 
daughter  of  Isi-acl  and  Elizalieth  iFind'eyi  (TOfidman.  They  were 
blessed  with  seven  children,  five  sons  and  two  daughters;  Ernest  S.. 
Bessie  G,,  AVilliam  E.,  Helen  Mar.,  Andrew  and  Phillip— the  last  named 
d3-ing  at  the  age  of  three. 

'Sir.  I'.irk  «-,'is  a  .lemocrat  in  publics  .■ind  of  high  r:ink  in  :he  Masonic 
order.  Ixing  a  thii-ty-second  degree  Mason  and  Master  of  Rose  Croix 
degree,  lie  w,-,s  also  preminent  annmg  the  t)iid  I->lliiws.  and  ,a  Past 
Grand  Chancellor  of  the  Knights  of  Pytiiias  of  Iowa. 

ilr.  and  Mrs.  Park  were  members  of  (he  Jlethodist  Episcn]ial  i-linn-li 
and  had  a  very  pleasant  liome  on  Pleasant  street. 

In  the  siiring  of  LsftT  sicdiness  came  to  ilr.  Park.  In  hoiies  of  ijic 
provement  to  his  lientlli.  he.  in  company  with  Mrs.  Park,  made  a  triii 
to  the  South.  P.ut  this  «"as  without  avail.  Returning  lo  his  hoiue,  he 
lingered  bur  a  short  time,  and  Aiiril  4.  l.s'.iT.  tln^  earthly  career  of 
AVilliam  A.  P.-irk  ended..  His  \intimely  death  was  universally  regretteii. 
The  members  of  the  liar  and  his  brothers  in  ihe  lodges  of  which  he 
was  so  prominent,  uuiti'il  in  tokens  of  regret  and  sympathy  for  bis 
family  ami  ndatives. 


1002 


ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


WILLIAM  W.  PHILLIPS. 


Among  the  prorainent  lawyei-s  and  citizens  of  Des  Moines  stands 
William  W.  Phillips.  Through  his  ability,  force  of  character,  and 
straiglitforward  work  he  has  made  for  himself  a  place  and  nam©  well 
up  at  the  top.  He  was  for  many  years  the  senior  member  of  the 
well-known  law  firm  of  Phillips  &  Brennan,  the  leading  legal  firm  on 
the  East  Side. 

Mr.  Phillips  was  l)orn  March  1.3,  1840,  in  Cari'ollton,  Carroll  county, 
C)hio,  and  is  the  son  of  Alexander  and  Catherine  (Devall)  Phillips— the 
father  being  a  native  of  Cadiz,  Ohio,  while  the  mother  Avas  born  in 
Maryland.  Alexander  Phillips  was  a  slioenialvcr  by  trade,  and  for 
years  conducted  a  boot  .and  shoe  store,  finally  becoming  a  farmer.  He 
died  in  Pindlay.  Ohio,  in  ISTfi,  aged  68.  His  widow  is  yet  living  in  Find- 
lay.    Her  mother  was  born  in  County  Down,  Ireland,  and  was  brought 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXEH.  ]U03 

to  America  by  her  parents  when  three  years  of  a,a'e.  settlin.i;  in  Wasli- 
ington,  where  her  father  was  engaged  in  building  tlie  eapitol.  She  wit- 
nessed the  burning  of  that  eapitol  and  a  large  portion  of  the  them  city 
of  Washington  by  the  British.  She  was  a  remarlvalile  woman,  and 
though  reared  and  liying  for  many  years  where  slayery  was  a  legalized 
Institution,  she  had  a  hatred  of  it.  When  living  in  Maryland  her  hus- 
liand  by  heirship  became  the  owner  of  a  negro  man,  horse,  saddle  and 
briiUe.  She  would  not  own  a  slave,  and  with  the  consent  of  her  hus- 
band gave  the  negro  man  the;  horse  and  equipments,  ifnd  sent  him  on 
his  way  to  a  free  state  to  lie  a  free  man.  She  was  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Washing-ton  county,  Iowa,  and  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  100 
yeiars  and  10  months. 

William  W.  went  with  his  parents  when  eight  years  of  age  to  Find- 
lay.  Ohio,  and  there  was  reared  to  manhood,  attending  the  common 
schools.  Wliile  in  the  high  school  the  last  war  brolce  out.  and  true  to 
his  national  partiotism  and  his  inherited  ha'treid  of  slavery  he  cheer- 
fully volunteered  as  a  soldier,  elisting  in  Company  D,  Xinety-ninth 
Ohio  Volunteers,  commanded  by  Colonel  I,angworthy.  He  made  a  good 
soldier.  His  regiment  was  attached  to  the  Army  cjf  the:  Cumlierland 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Stone  River.  Loolcoiit  ^Mountain,  P.uz- 

Z'lvd's  Roost, Beach.  Ti  ee  Creek.   Franklin,   Nashville,   and 

other  engagements.  After  long  and  faithful  service,  he,  with  is  regi- 
ment, was  mustered  o\it  in  Augtist.  180-">.  some  four  mont}is  after  the 
surrender  of  Oen.  T^ee  and  his  forces  and  the  virtual  ending  of  the  war. 

The  young  man.  his  days  of  soldiering  being  over,  returned  to  his 
home  in  Findlay.  and  there  resolved  upon  one  of  the  most  wise  acts  of 
li's  life.  He  married  Miss  Mary  M.  Taylor,  of  Findlny.  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  H.  and  Nancy  Taylor,  who  has  been  a  true  and  helpful  wife  to 
him  for  now  more  than  thirty  years.  The  young  couple  thought  it  bet- 
ter to  seek  the'r  fortxine  in  the  west,  and  in  February.  1,800,  cnme  to 
Iowa,  settling  in  Oskaloosa,  Coming  to  Hes  Moines  the  following  year 
Mr.  Phillijis  entered  tlie  law  school,  and  1)y  hard  work  and  unremitting 
study  graduated  in  180,8.  and  at  once  opened  a  law  office.  He  wa"" 
earnest  and  indefatigable,  always  at  worlv  for  the  interests  of  his 
clients,  and  at  the  same  time  honest  and  straightforward.  These  ele- 
ments told  in  liis  favor  and  he  r.apidly  rose  in  his  profession.  He  was 
in  partnership  with  W.  F.  Conrad,  now  the  senior  .iudge  on  the  district 
bencli,  until  his  first  election  to  tliat  position.  For  a  time  after  this  his 
son.  Franlc  W.  Phillips,  was  in  the  office  with  liim.  and  remained  there 
imtil  his  election  as  police  judge  of  the  city,  an  office  which  he  continues 
to  hold.  Tlien  Hugh  Brennan.  a  previous  city  solicitor,  liecame  the 
.junior  memlier  of  the  firm:  which  has  been  a  very  successful  one  from 
the  start,  and  now  ranks  high  among  the  law  firms  of  the  city  and  state. 
In  1,8,87  Mr.  Phillips  was  elected  county  attorney  and  served  for  one 
term  with  much  credit  to  himself  .ind  g'-eat  benefit  to  the  county.  He 
is  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  republican  party  from  his  youth  up. 
but  at  the  same  time  is  broad  and  liberal  in  his  views  and  never  a 
narrow  partisan. 

Mr.  and  INlrs.  Phillips  have  four  children.  Harry  T.,  a  farmer:  Frank 
W.,  police  iudge  and  lawyer:  William  W.  and  Carl.  The  family  have 
always  held  a  high  rank  socially,  and  at  their  home  has  always  been 
extended  a  most  general  hospitality  to  their  many  friends. 

In  the  midst  of  an  honoral:ile  career  and  the  apparent  promise  of 
years  of  life  before  him,  in  the  spring  of  1.8f»S  the  health  of  :\Ir.  Phillips 
began  failing.  Notwithstanding  the  skill  of  physicians  and  the  loving 
care  of  his  wife,  family  and  friends,  he  continued  n  a  rapid  decline,  and 
died  .Tune  ri.  1.808.  Plundreds  of  sorrowing  friends  at/ended  the  funeral, 
and  the  Bar  of  Polk  Cnunty.  of  which  he  had  been  a  distinguishes! 
member,  also  attended,  and  adopted  appropriate  resolutions. 


1004 


AXXALS  OF  POLK  COUXTY 


WILLIAM  PHILI>irs. 


'I'lii-  spuior  niciiilici-  of  the  l);ir  of  I'olk  coimty,  ill  iioiiit  of  yiT,i-s  (jf 
pnicrico.  is  iKiw  \\'illi;iin  PliJlliiis,  his  ineniliershiii  dntiim-  fi-o'in  .T\ilr, 
isnc. 

.TndSP  Phillips  w.'is  born  Soptcuiber  •-'■_'.  Isi'T.  in  Stfnibonvil'.e,  Jefferson 
county.  <)hio.  His  imrents,  Tlionuis  and  lirhrcca  (Irwin)  Phillins.  were 
nativos  of  Ponusylvnnia.  the  father  of  Irisli  ami  the  mother  of  Welsh 
deseeni.  A^'illiani  was  reared  upon  a  farm:  liis  education  beini;  received 
in  the  c(]nimon  scho(ds  and  'sup[)lementei1  by  a  colle.^e  course. 

In  isr.l  he  came  farther  west,  and  enijased  in  mercantile  pursuits. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  1005 

for  a  time  in  I'eoria.  111.,  and  iu  (.laleslniri;  and  Heudui'son.  iu  the  same 
state. 

Having  an  early  and  natural  inclination  for  tlie  legal  profession,  he 
l-iursued  his  studies  for  several  years  with  his  usual  industry  and  thor- 
oughness, and,  in  1.S54,  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  Illinois. 
In  the  same  year  he  came  to  Iowa  and  located  with  his  parents  upon  a 
section  of  land  in  Greene  county,  near  to  what  is  now  the  flourishing 
town  of  Jefferson.  This  town  he  laid  out  and  aided  in  having  made  the 
county  seat. 

In  .Inly,  l.S.jO.  he  took  up  his  permanent  residence  in  this  city,  form- 
ing a  legal  iiartnership  with  .Judge  Curtis  Bates,  then  one  of  the  leading 
attorneys  of  the  state.  Three  years  later  this  partnership  was  dis- 
solved, and  the  firm  of  Phillips  &  Phillips  organized,  the  junior  partner 
Ijeing  a  younger  Ijrother,  .Jame.s  Harvey  Phillips.  This  tirm  was  a  very 
successful  one.  Later,  Col.  C.  H.  Gatch  became  a  meniljer  of  the  firm 
under  the  style  of  Phillips,  Gatch  &  Phillips.  In  a  few  years  Col.  Gatch 
retired,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  firm  by  Col.  E.  .7.  (ioode.  This  firm 
continued  for  several  years  and  then  was  dissnlved.  .T.  H.  Phillips  was 
elected  Mayor  of  Des  Jloines,  and  William  Phillips  jcjiued  forces  with 
Hon.  .Tames  G.  Day,  who  for  a  number  of  years  had  been  a  justice  of  the 
.Supreme  Court  of  Iowa.  This  partnership  continued  until  1S!J4,  when, 
by  mutual  agreement,  it  was  dissolved. 

In  1S9G  was  formed  the  present  firm  of  Phillips,  Ryan  &  liyan.  With 
tbe  exception  of  the  first,  .Judge  Phillips  was  the  head  of  all  these  legal 
firms,  and  the  high  rank  they  secured  and  maintained  was  largely  due 
to  his  ability  and  application. 

August  20.  IS.jT,  in  Des  iloines,  .Judge  Phillips  was  married  to  Miss 
S.  Jennie  Kutan.  a  native  of  liichland  county,  Ohio,  a  daughter  of 
William  Rutan.  a  neice  of  Gov.  Samuel  J.  Kirkwood,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Gov.  Clark,  one  of  the  territorial  governors  of  Iowa. 
Their  married  life  has  been  a  happy  one.  To  them  have  been  born 
four  children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Of  tliese  twu  have  departed 
this  life:  Nellie,  an  infant  of  one  yeair,  and  John  Frank,  who  grew  to 
the  manly  age  of  twenty-eight  and  around  whom  many  hopes  were 
Iniilt.  Thomas  William,  the  eldest  son,  is  manager  and  secretary  of  the 
Merchants'  Coinsolidated  Insurance  Company,  of  which  Judge  Phillips 
is  president,  and  Jennie  B.  is  married  to  Dr.  J.  B.  Hardy,  a  prominent 
idiysician  of  Phoenix,  Arizona. 

Judge  Phillips  has  all  his  life  been  pre-eminently  a  worker.  A  luver 
of  his  profession,  he  has  always  been  a  close  student,  and  invarialdy 
devotes  himself  persistently  to  any  cause  he  nndertalces.  IIi-  is  always 
true  to  his  clients,  and  at  the  same  time  is  conscientious  in  the  ilis- 
charge  of  everj'  duty  devolving  upon  him.  With  him  right  is  right  and 
wrong  is  wrong,  and  nothing  could  influence  him  to  smother  an  honest 
conviction,  political  or  otherwise,  for  the  sake  of  personal  ends.  True 
to  himself,  as  to  all  others,  he  has  for  many  years  gained  ami  retainel 
the  confidence  and  respect  of  men  of  all  classes  in  this  large  com- 
munity. While  .a  man  of  liberal  views,  he  has  deep  religious  convic- 
ri(ins;  his  benevolence  has  made  his  own  success  a  continuoits.  though 
i|uiet  benefit  to  many  less  successful,  and  a  strong  aid  to  all  helpfn! 
or  charitable  enterprises.  By  his  own  brain  and  heart  and  anplicatiin. 
Judge  Phillips  has  a  right  to  his  high  rank  at  the  bar  and  in  Ijusiness 
and  social  circles. 


1006 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


SAMUEL  A.  EOBERTSO'N. 


Amony  the  early  'settlc-Ts  and  loading  business  men  of  the  city  anil 
county  is  Sanuiel  Alonzn  Ttnl.oi'lsdn,  wlio  came  to  Des  Moines  in  1S50, 
a  few  niontlis  licfore  he  liad  renoheil  his  ma.iority.  He  was  Tjorn  in 
Pi'elV.e  T'lmnty,  (;)hio,  December  2?,,  Isa.T),  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Susan 
I  \'an  Winkle)  Itoberl'Son.  His  father  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey  born  in 
bSTS  and  «as  one  of  llii^  early  settler's  of  Ohio,  loeatius  there  in  bSlil, 
and  A\inning  the  title  of  Majoi-  in  the  war  of  1812-1."),  serying  with  the 
tnioiis  under  (ten.  JTarrison.  He  was  a  contr.'iriur  and  liuilder,  tlioi'- 
ongldy  cioniietent  and  energetic,  carrying  on  an  extensiye  business,  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1007 

making  a  specialty  of  the  erection  of  public  buildings.  He  built  many 
of  the  latter,  and  there  are  court  houses  and  churches  now  standing 
in  Ohio  and  Indiana  as  monuments  of  good,  substantial  work,  one 
church  now  standing  and  in  use  dating  iback  'to  1812.  He  also  did  a 
large  amount  of  work  in  the  Ohio  canals,  in  the  days  of  these  internal 
improvements.  He  was  an  enthusiastic  Democrat,  a  leader  in  his 
party  in  southern  and  western  Ohio,  held  several  responsible  official 
positions  and  stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  people.  He  died  at 
his  home  in  Ohio  in  1875.  His  estimable  wife  survived  ihim  a  few  years, 
dying  in  1882,  aged  eighty-five  years. 

Young  Samuel  attended,  when  a  boy,  the  district  schools,  and  was 
also  a  student  in  the  better  schools  of  Dayton.  At  the  early  age  of 
fourteen  he  commenced  his  apprenticeship  as  a  bricklayer  and  brick- 
maker,  served  a  full  term,  and  then,  before  he  had  reached  his  majority, 
was  in  business  for  himself  as  a  builder  and  contractor.  He  was  suc- 
cessful, but,  ambitious  for  a  new  field  and  wider  opportunities,  he  came 
to  Iowa,  settling  in  Des  Moines.  His  first  work  here  was  upon  the 
Savery,  now  Kirkwood  House.  He  was  energetic,  thoroughly  under- 
stood his  business,  and  through  his  own  unaided  efforts  in  a  short 
time  became  one  of  the  leading  builders  and  contractors  of  the  then 
young  city.  For  more  than  thirty  years  he  was  engaged  continuously 
in  building  in  Des  Moines.  Commencing  with  the  old  Saverv.  now 
Kirkwood,  in  1856-7,  thirty  years  later  he  built  the  new  Savery  Hotel, 
and  also  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  also  erected  a 
number  of  the  largest  business  blocks  in  the  city,  and  scores  of  other 
buildings  and  residences.  These  won  him  much  reputation  and  some 
wealth.  In  addition  he  erected  for  himself  several  large  and  costlv 
buildings.  He  was  for  several  years  Superinlendent  of  the  erection  of 
the  present  United  States  building  in  Des  Moines,  and  largely  through 
his  efforts  v\'as  it  made  the  large  and  complete  building  it  now  is.  The 
Washington  authorities  gave  him  the  highest  commendation  for  the 
work. 

Over  twent.v  years  ago,  Mr.  Robertson  purchased  a  quantity  of  land 
near  Earlhajn,  in  Madison  County,  on  the  Rock  Island  railroad,  twenty 
miles  west  of  Des  Moines,  and  opened  an  extensive  stone  quarry  and 
also  large  lime  kilns,  which  have  been  successfulh-  operated.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  early  brick  makers,  and  for  years  Iiad  the  largest  brick 
yards  in  operation.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  see  the  necessity  and 
importance  of  using  brick-making  machinery  and  ileveloping  the  brick- 
making  industry  in  Des  Moines.  He  organized  a  company,  iirocured  the 
latest  and  most  improved  machinery  and  developed  the  now  great  plant 
of  the  Des  Moines  Brick  and  Manufacturing  Company.  He  was  the 
pioneer  in  this,  now  one  of  the  lar,gest  and  most  important  of  Des 
Moines  industries.  For  many  years  he  has  teen  a  large  stockholder 
and  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Iowa  National  Banli  of  Des  Moines,  and 
for  the  past  number  of  years  has  )ieen  President  of  this,  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  flourishing  of  the  financial  institutions  of  the  city. 

In  polities  Mr.  Robertson  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but 
never  an  aspirant  to  or  for  office,  though  he  has  always  been  a  liberal 
helper  and  contributor.  For  three  terms  he  was  a  member  of  the  City 
Council.  He  was  in  the  council  at  a  critical  time,  when  Des  Moines 
was  emerging  from  town  to  city  ,and  to  him,  more  perhaps  than  to 
any  one  man,  is  due  the  fact  that  Des  Moines  now  has  a  comprehensive 
and  fitting  system  of  sewer  and  sewerage  and  many  miles  of  paved 
streets.  He  fought  for  these  with  persistence  and  ability  through  many 
months  of  discouragement  and  even  personal  aiiuse.  But  he  finnllv 
won.  And  when  at  last  the  good  worlv  was  commenced  his  practical 
knowledge  and  long  experience  was  of  invalual'le  service  to  the  city. 
In  the  end  all  good  citizens  gave  him  deserved  praise  for  the  great 


1008 


AXNALS  OF  POLK  COLXTY 


aljility  and  foresight  displayed  l.^v  liim  in  these  public  improvements. 
He  is  liberal  and  public  spirited,  and  during  his  more  than  forty  years' 
n  sidence  in  Des  Moines  has  done  his  full  share  in  building  it  up  and 
his  many  friends  hniie  he  yet  has  a  number  of  years  of  active  and  useful 
life  before  him. 

March  24,  18."i7,  Mr.  Robertson  "was  married  in  Des  Moines  to  Miss 
iiargaret  Porter,  a  native  of  Ripley.  Brown  Cdunty,  Ohio.  She  is 
now  one  of  the  besr  known  and  poptilar  women  of  the  city,  with  hosts 
id'  friends.  They  have  had  nine  chililren  born  to  them:  .John,  the  only 
son  living,  is  a  bricklayer  and  builder.  Susan  Bell,  the  oldest  ilaughter, 
bei-ame  the  v^•ife  "f  Lieutenant  C  -T.  T.  Clark,  now  Adjutant  of  the 
Idth  Regulars.  She  died.  Septemlior  in.  189G,  leaving  one  son  and 
two  daughters.  Edith  C.  is  tlte  wife  of  John  W.  Campbell,  of  Des 
Miiines,  and  has  two  children.  Emma  H,  married  .T.  K.  Rogers,  of 
-Mliany.  New  York,  and  has  a  daughter.  Bertha  married  .J.  "\V. 
Ruggs.  now  of  Pittsburg.  Penn.  Margaret,  the  younuest  daughter,  is 
at  Imme  with  her  parents. 


CECIRGE    SIII-:ELI<:Y   HUGHS. 


f;eorge  Shilley  Hug'h-^  was  1  oi  n  in  Gi  orgia,  Sei;tember  24,  ISJO.  His 
flrsi  schirnling  was  in  Barbour  Cininiy.  .\lal>ania.  in  bS.'S.  In  IStlU.  his 
]iarents  moved  toGiranl.  Aialiam:i.  .'in.l  here  and  in  Columbus.  (-Jeorgia. 
ho  went  to  school  Ibreo  terms,  .-ind  entered  Iho  Columbus  Enquirer 
otHco  as  appreutico,  Seplembor  2].  ISi;:!.  his  father  then  being  in  the 
Frirty-si,\th  Gooigia  \'olunteers.  In  ISIJ.")  the  famil.v  moved  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  in  ISiJT  the  young  printer,  a  jotirneyman,  started  out  to  see 
the  Avorld.  From  ISdS  to  ISTr,  he  was  in  Xew  York  d'ity.  While  there 
he  beg.iii  1o  study.  Ho  mastoTed  English  grammar  in  two  monlhs. 
taking  lessou.s  and  working  most  of  the  time  at  llhe  ease.  He  then 
ti'ok  np  Latin.  Frencli  and  Spanish,  .■issooiating  as  nnn:-li  as  ho  ooiihl 
Willi  roroigiiors  1(1  learn  their  characteristics  as  «'ell  as  their  language, 
b'roiii   boyhood   lie  has  lioori    ;i    oimstant  reader,   and   his   opporlunities 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES. 


1009 


for  observation  havi-  been  improveil.  In  1S7G  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Adalti  Huson,  of  Oneonta.  New  YorlJ,  and  in  1876  they  movetl 
to  Des  Moines.  In  1891  Mr.  an  I  Mrs.  Hughs  went  to  Victoria,  Van- 
couver Island,  British  Columbia.  On  his  return  to  Des  ^Moinps,  Mr. 
Hugtis  was  urged  by  friends  to  write  a  local  historical  work.  In  1893 
he  consented.  His  worli  soon  grew  from  his  original  inteation,  and  a 
volume,  entitled  "Ancient  Civilizations."  was  published  in  1896.  This 
woirk  is  as  pretentious  as  any  undertaken  by  any  writer  in  America, 
yet  the  notice  it  has  received  from  scholars  everywhere  is  an  earnest 
that  Iowa  may  be  proud  of  her  nrinter-autlhor. 


WILLIAM   FITCH   CONRAD. 


There  is  no  better  known  man  in  the  county  of  Polk  than  the  present 
senior  .Judge  of  the  Polk  County  District  Court,  William  Fitch  Conrad. 
Prior  to  the  commencement  of  his  long  service  upon  the  District  bench, 
he  had  been  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profession  in  Des  Moines 
since  18T(;.  and  gained  iiis  reputation  as  an  able  lawyer  and  a  straight- 
foi'ward,  honest  man. 

.Tudge  Conrad  was  born  in  Ithica.  Tompkins  county,  Xew  York, 
November  7.  1826.  His  iiarents  were  George  P.  and  Rachel  (George) 
Conrad,  the  former  of  German  and  the  latter  of  Englisli  origin.  .Judge 
Conrad's  grandfather,  on  the  paternal  side,  served  with  distinction  in 
the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  major.  When  a  lad 
of  fifteen,  his  father  removed  with  his  family  to  Brantford,  Canada, 
and  when  the  gold  diseovories  were  m.ide  in  California  lie,  with  many 

64 


1010  AiViVAL^'  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

(ithei's,  crushed  the  plains  aud  .soim  after  died  of  disease  contracted 
(iuriuf;-  the  arduous  trip.  His  Avidow  continued  to  reside  in  Canada 
until  her  dt'atli. 

.Judge  Conrad  attended  the  Genesee  Wesleyan  Seminary  at  Lima, 
New  York,  and  afterwards  graduated  froim  the  Wesleyan  Uuiversit.y 
at  Jliddletowu.  Conn.,  in  the  close  of  18.V',.  Soon  after  graduation  he 
went  south  and  took  charge  of  a  Female  Academy  at  Port  Gibson, 
Miss.,  and  at  the  same  time  pursueil  the  study  of  law.  He  was 
admiited  to  the  bar  in  IS."!,  and  the  same  year  came  to  Iowa,  .settling 
in  Burlington,  where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  until 
August,  bS(l2.  wlicn  he  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Twenty-fifth  Iowa 
Infantry,  .-is  a  privale.  He  was  soon  after  made  sergeaut-ma.ior,  and 
served  in  tliat  lauk  until  the  following  December,  when  he  was  made 
acting  tirsi  lieutenaui  of  Company  K  of  the  same  regiment.  His  regi- 
ment soon  after  joined  the  army  then  acting  against  Viclvsburg.  Be- 
fore his  (-(rmmission  as  lieutenant  had  been  received  he  Avas  elected 
captain  of  the  company,  and  at  once  took  command  of  the  same.  On 
Jlay  24.  18(>i.  when  engaged  with  the  enemy  at  Kaymond,  in  the 
rear  of  \'icksburg,  he  was  captured  liy  the  confederates.  He  was 
t.-ilceu  liy  tlicm  to  Libliy  prison.  Itichmond,  where  he  was  cimtined 
from  .Tune  ."..  lsi;.M,  until  May  (1.  18l>4.  nearly  one  year.  He  was  then 
l.aken  willi  oilier  etticers  to  Itanville,  Virginia,  then  transferri'd  to 
.M,-icon.  Georgi.-i.  and.  on  .Tuly  28  of  the  same  year,  he  Avas  one  of  the 
six  liundred  wlio  were  taken  to  Charleston,  S.  C.  anil  there  placed 
un(h'r  hre  to  iirevent  the  union  vessels  and  batteries  from  shelling  the 
city.  Here  he  was  kept  until  October  ."i.  Avlien  fie  aud  his  fellow  prison- 
ers were  removed  to  Colnmliia.  in  the  same  stale.  Here  Captaiu  Con- 
rad deterndned  to  make  his  escape  if  possilde.  In  company  with  a 
comrade.  Gi'orgc  H.  Miirrisy,  of  the  Twelfth  Iowa,  November  29,  ISG-I,. 
they  (duded  their  guards  and  started  for  the  union  lines.  After  six 
weeks  of  the  most  imminent  ])erils  and  greatest  hardshijvs  they  finally, 
on  .lanuar.v  7,  180.1,  reached  the  union  lines  near  Knoxville.  Tenn. 
Being  given  a  furlou.gh  of  thirty  days,  Captain  (,'onrad  returneil  to  his 
liome  at  Burlington,  fnit  as  his  health  hail  been  nimdi  injured  iiy  his 
sufferings  in  prison  and  by  the  liardships  incident  to  his  escape,  he 
was  placed  on  iletaidied  service  at  Fort  Snelliug,  Minn.,  where  he  was- 
stationed  tintil  the  close  of  the  Avar. 

Soon  after  his  military  service  had  ended,  .Tudge  Conrad  again  took 
up  the  pr.ictice  of  law,  going  witli  liis  family  to  Canton,  Missouri. 
Tliere  ln'  remaineil  unMl  187(i,  Avlien  he  liecame  a  citizen  of  Dcs  Moines, 
He  soon  .acquired  a.  line  legal  practice,  for  scA-eral  years  was  a  partner 
of  the  late  W.  "\A'.  riiilliiis.  and  continued  steadily  in  the  |u-actice  until 
his  election,  iri  18811,  as  one  of  the  .Tudges  of  the  District  Court.  Twice 
re-elected,  he  is  now  sei-A-ing  his  twelfth  year  on  the  bencli,  ami  has 
been  renfunina/ed  and  Avill  no  doubt  be  I'c-elected  for  another  term  nf 
four  years.  Tliis  sIioavs  the  esleeni  in  Avhich  .Tudge  Conrad  is  held  by 
the  jieople  nf  this  ceunly.  They  have  confidence  in  him  as  a  judge 
and  as  a.  man. 

■Tanuai'y  22.  18."i."..  in  Aurora.  New  Yorl;.  .Tudge  Conrad  A^as  married 
to  Jliss  Harriet  S.  Tierce,  a  native  of  Maine.  1"\a-o  children  were  born 
to  them:  "William  Fitch.  .Tr.,  and  Hattie  L.,  who,  in  August,  1880,  Avas 
married  to  .Tohn  Trepanier,  of  Des  iloines.  Jlrs.  Conrad  died  April 
27.  bS88.  Afler  remaining  a  vvidoAver  for  several  years,  the  .Tudge 
married  the  present  ^irs.  Conrad,  a  mosi  estiniaTde  lady  and  cheei-inu 
coni|iani(iii  to  him  at  liome  and  in  society. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DE8  MOINES. 


1011 


(JEN.  M.  M.  CltOC'KEi;. 


Ill  tliP  iKiges  of  thi'sc  annals  several  allusions  are  maGe  to  >IarcelUis 
JI.  Ci'orker.  ■n-lm.  as  an  attorney  and  afterwards  as  a  soldier,  occupied 
a  jirominent  position  in  this  city  and  county,  and  had  'hosts  of  friends, 
not  only  here,  but  throus'hout  Iowa.  There  is  no  uood  portrait  of  him 
in  existence,  and  we  are  forced  to  use  the  small  and  imperfect  jilate 
liere  printed,  and  make  only  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life.  He  was  born 
in  Johnson  county.  Indiana,  in  3830.  and  in  1844  came  with  his  father 
and  family  to  Iowa  territory.  His  father  was  a  man  of  marked  char- 
acter and  much  native  ability,  ^^fler  a  short  time  spent  in  Jefferson 
count.v.  he  made  a  claim  in  Keokuk  county,  and  there  opened  up  u 
la  rue  farm.  In  1840.  through  Con.^ressman  Shepherd  Leffler,  youn.n 
C'lucker  received  an  appointment  to  the  TJ  S.  Military  Academy  at 
"West  Point.  He  jiassed  the  e.vaanination.  became  a  cadet,  and  entered 
upon  his  studies  with  zeal  and  full  of  ambition  to  succeed.  But  two 
years  later  his  father  died,  leaving  a  large  family  and  much  embar- 
rassed estate,  and  young  Crocker  was  forced  to  abandon  his  military 
amliition  and  devote  his  energies  to  the  welfare  of  his  widowed  mother 
and  large  dependent  family.  This  sacrifice  he  made,  although  it  was  a 
peculiarly  hard  one  for  him. 

At  his  home  he  then  entered  upon  the  study  of  law.  and,  pushing 
lii-s  studies,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  IS.'l.  He  practiced  his  pro- 
fission  with  energy  and  success  until  18."i4-."i.  when  he  came  to  L^es 
Moines  to  make  this  his  permanent  home.  Here  he  met  with  much 
suiicss.     For  a  time  lie  was  a  law  partner  of  Dan  O.  Finch,  and  Suisse- 


1012  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

qiitutly  entered  into  partDership  with  P.  II.  Casady,  and  after  a  time 
■was  formed  the  then  noted  legal  flriu  of  Casady,  Crocker  i*c  Polk.  In 
politics  be  was  a  Iiemocrat,  and  was  nominated  by  tlaat  party  for 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention,  and  afterwards  fur  District 
Judge.  He  made  a  strong  candidate,  but  his  party  then  being  in  a 
minority  he  was  not  elected.  As  stated  in  the  annals,  he  was  one  of 
the  tirst  to  volunteer  at  the  commencement  of  the  Civil  war.  Captain 
of  the  first  company  from  Polk  county,  he  was  made  major  of  the 
Second  Iowa  upon  its  organization,  then  lieutenant  colonel,  and  soon 
thereafter  colonel  of  the  Thirteenth  Iowa  Infantry,  This  regiment  he 
soon  made  one  of  the  best  in  the  service.  He  was  with  it  at  Pittsbur,g 
Landing,  or  Shiloh,  and  there  made  a  record  for  courage  and  'Skill,  He 
was  also  in  the  desperate  second  battle  of  Corinth,  He  was  soon 
placed  in  command  of  a  brigade,  and  (he  Crocker  brigade  became  noted 
in  the  history  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  Promoted  to  brigadier- 
general,  he  commanded  a  division  during  the  ojierations  around  Yicks- 
burg  and  .Jackson,  and  in  every  position  acquitted  himself  witlt  honor, 
and  deservedly  received  the  hearty  commendation  of  (!ienerals  (Jrant, 
Sherman,  and  all  others  under  whom  he  served.  His  health  failing,  he 
was  towards  the  close  of  the  war  given  a  large  command  in  New 
Mexico,  where  he  served  for  some  time,  but,  tiring  of  this,  he  applied 
for  .1  eomiaand  which  would  again  take  him  to  the  front,  where  he 
could  aid  in  giving  the  final  blow  to  the  tottering  confederacy.  Show- 
ing the  character  of  the  man,  it  might  here  be  stated  that,  in  the 
summer  of  186M,  he  was  at  home  on  ftirlou.gh.  The  Eepulilican  State 
Convention  was  held  liere,  and  there  was  a  bitter  figlit  on  over  the 
candidates  for  Governor,  The  situation  was  such  that,  would  he  con- 
sent, there  was  no  doubt  Gen,  Crocker  could  have  been  nominated  liy 
acclamation.  Influential  friends  urged  him  to  say  the  word,  but  he 
steadily  refused.  He  virtually  declined  the  office  of  Governor,  To 
the  writer  he  said:  "If  I  was  Governor.  I  would  die  in  a  short  time  of 
the  dry  rot,  A  soldier  I  am,  and  a  soldier  I  will  remain  until  the  war 
is  over,  or  I  am  knocked  over,"     This  shows  the  character  of  the  man. 

Gen,  Crocker  lived  to  see  the  war  end,  and  re,ioiced  with  others  over 
its  victorious  ending.  But,  on  his  way  to  Washington  on  business,  in 
August,  1.865,  he  was  taken  seriously  ill.  and,  reaching  that  city,  he 
grew  rapidly  worse,  and,  on  the  26th  of  that  month,  died.  His  body 
was  brought  to  'his  old  bonne,  and  his  funeral  here  was  one  of  the 
largest  known  in  the  history  of  the  city.  Dying  a  young  man.  being 
only  in  his  .3Gth  year,  he  had  made  his  mark,  and  his  name  will  long 
lie  remembered. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  1013 


AUSTIN  PERRY  LOWERY. 


On  .Tune  2S.  1842,  four  years  and  six  months  before  Iowa  was  admit- 
ted into  the  union  of  states.  Austin  Perry  IjOwery,  now  a  citizen  of 
r>es  iloines,  was  born  at  For!  Madison,  in  Lee  county.  Iowa,  his  parents 
having  crossed  the  Mississippi  river  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  October  29, 
1830.  and  settled  near  the  old  fort  at  Madisoii. 

His  Ijoyhood  days  were  passed  on  a  farm,  and  until  his  seventeenth 
year  the  greater  portion  of  his  time  was  devoted  to  cleai'ing  land 
of  brn.sh  and  (rees  to  make  a  farm. 

During  the  winter  months  he  attended  the  district  school,  which 
was  then  held  in  a  rude  log  hut,   without  floor,   split  logs  for  seats. 


1014  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

and  slabs  piimed  to  the  side  of  the  logs  with  wooden  pins  for  writing 
deslis.  "Iteadia',  "ritin'  an'  'rithmatie,"  with  now  and  then  "spellin'," 
was  the  course  of  study. 

When  the  southern  states  rebelled  in  ISGl.  Ire  was  living  with  his  par- 
ents on  a  farm  near  Walker's  Ferrj-,  on  Sliuuk  river,  in  Des  Moines 
county.  On  .Tune  12,  1861,  he  went  to  Burlington,  and  enlisted  in  the 
■'Burlington  Blues,"  which  company  afterwards  become  Company  I  of 
tile  Sixth  Uegiment  Iuw;i  A'nluuteer  Infantry,  Faliinn  Krydolf.  captain, 
eoin-manding. 

He  was  with  his  company  and  regiment  in  many  hard  fought  battles 
during  the  three  years  of  bvs  service.  Was  with  (ieneral  Fremont  in  his 
campaign  in  Missouri  in  the  fall  of  l.SGl;  saw  Fremont  superceded  by 
General  David  B.  Huntei-,  and  well  remembers  the  dissatisfactiim  in  the 
entire  army  liecause  nf  Fremont  being  relieved  of  his  command. 

From  Jlis'souri,  under  command  of  <;ien.  W.  T.  Sherman,  he  went  to 
tlie  Shiloli  li.attle  ground  and  participated  in  the  two  days'  figlit  of 
that  great  liattle  April  (J  and  7,  1802.  This  was  followed  with  the  siege 
of  Corinth.  Miss.,  the  capture  of  Holly  Springs,  and  the  march  to 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  where  the  army,  under  command  of  General  Sherman, 
arrived  on  .July  21,  18(i2.  Iiuriug  tlie  aiitumn  of  18(i2  lie  did  provnst  duty 
and  assisted  in  building  the  fortittcations  around  Jlemphis.  He  weut 
witli  Grant's  army  to  take  Viclisburg.  by  land,  in  November  and 
December,  18G2.  Moved  back  to  (^irand  .Tuuction  and  Da  Grange, 
Tenn..  where  his  regiment  was  mounted  on  mules  for  scouling  and  forag- 
ing duty.  Was  continuously  on  scouting  duty,  in  northern  Mississiiipi 
and  southern  Tenessee.  from  December  20  to  April  23,  189.3,  when  liis 
command  was  {lismounted,  marched  to  Memphis,  went  on  boats,  and 
steamed  down  to  Viclvsburg.  Participated  in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
and  while  remberton  was  surrendering  his  army  to  (General  (Jrant, 
July  4,  lSd3,  lie  went  with  his  company  east  to  Black  river  t(j  give 
liattle  to  the  rebel  general,  .Toe  .Johnson.  On  the  evening  of  .Tuly  .■>. 
the  regiment  was  selected  V>j'  General  Sherman  to  place  the  pontoons 
across  Blncli  river,  lo  enaiile  the  army  to  cross  and  give  liattle  to 
.Tohnson's  army.  On  the  morning  of  .Tuly  6,  while  in  the  act  of  crossing 
the  river,  lie  received  a  rebel  bullet  in  the  right  side  of  his  liead, 
which  retired  him  from  active  duty  until  December  17  following,  at 
which  time  lie  I'ejoined  Ills  regiment  at  Stevenson,  Alabama.  T^i'om  tliis 
time  uniil  he  was  mustered  out  at  Rosswellville.  near  .\tlanta,  Georgi.T, 
on  .Tuly  17.  18G4,  he  was  on  active  duty,  parlicijial  ing  witli  tlie  regiment 
in  its  many  engagements  during  the  Atlanta,  campaign. 

When  mustered  out  at  the  end  (jf  his  three  years'  service,  he  reiurneil 
to  his  home  in  town,  and  in  September  entered  Ames  College  in  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.  After  a  year's  training  in  tliis  college,  he  returned  to  Fort  Mad- 
isdu  and  entered  the  law  office  of  Hon  .Tolin  ^'anValkenberg  ,nnd  read 
law  two  ye.-irs.  In  18<1T  he  moved  to  JlarshalOown.  and  soon  after 
began  the  practice  of  l.'i.w. 

On  'Se|>tember  22.  187tl.  he  was  married  to  Miss  C-ora  L.  Gilman, 
daughter  of  Mr.  Beriah  and  >Irs.  Eleida  tiilui.an. 

In  187."'i  li(»  moved  to  Staff  Center,  and  while  reslibng  there  hidd  the 
]iosition  of  Sergeant  at  Arnrs  of  the  Iowa  Senaie  in  lS8tt.  and  post  master 
cd'  the  town  from  .January.  1S82,  to  .Tune,  188.'5.  when  he  resigned  ami 
went  to  Cheyenne  county,  Tvansas,  where  he  entered  ;i  lialf  section 
of  land  and  farmed  it  for  five  years.  He  returned  to  Iowa  in  ;\Iay, 
1890.  and  settled  in  Des  Moines. 

The  ftimilj'  consists  of  himself,  wife,  and  two  sons,  Charles  Ci.  and 
Koscoe  .T..  their  two  daughtcu-s.  .Tessie  and  T^'lorence.  having  gime  to 
the  world  beyond.  F.  B.  Dowery.  his  father,  was  born  at  Winchester, 
Vii..  and  his  -motliei',  Catherine  .Tolly,  w.as  born  at  Hamilton,  Hai'rison 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  UFS  MOIXJJS. 


1015 


county,  <:»liio.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Lnwery  are  liotli  natives  nt  New 
York,  she  bein^;-  a  native  of  (_''henango  couuty.  Mr.  ]>owcry  lias  always 
been  found  on  the  side  of  iiro,L;ress,  anil  ready  and  -willing  to  aid  iu 
all  good  -work  f or  the  henetit  of  his  neighbors  and  fellnw  man. 

In  the  schools,  church,  and  the  work  to  make  government  for  the 
people  and  by  the  people  he  has  always  lieen  found  where  he  l:elieved 
the  greatesi  good  eould  be  di>ni'. 

In  polities,  for  thirty-t\^-o  years  his  influence  and  vote  was  lur  and 
with  the  reiivililican  party,  in  recent  years  he  lias  believed  that  the 
flnaueial  p(dic.-\  of  that  party  is  not  for  the  Im-si  interests  of  the  nation 
and  has  therefore  been  independent  in  political  action,  voting  for  men 
whii   were   in   harmonv   with   his   i.leas. 


HENRY  RIEGEDMAN. 

Among-  the  business  -meB  of  Des   Mrdnes   Henry   Riegelman   ranks 
high  and  the  firm   of  The  M.  Riegelman   Co.,   wholesale  millinery,   is 


1016  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

among  the  first  of  business  houses  in  Iowa  and  the  west.  Not  only  has 
Henry  Rlegelman  beein  connected  as  a  member  of  this  concern  from  the 
start,  but  he  is  also  a  large  owner  of  real  estate  in  city  and  county,  a 
bnnk  director  and  interested  in  other  large  business  entea-prises.  He  has 
won  fame  as  a  business  man  and  also  as  a  politician,  having  for  a  num- 
l)iT  iif  years  been  a  leader  aniiing  the  dcmncrars  of  ilic  slate.  I''nr  sev- 
eral years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  State  Central  Committee  of  that 
party,  is  Its  treasurer,  and  has  been  several  times  acting  chairman  of 
the  same.  While  others  may  have  faltered,  he  remained  true  to  his 
party  and  its  regular  nominees,  but  has  at  no  time  himself  been  a  candi- 
date or  applicant  for  any  state  or  federal  offlee.  He  has  also  been  and 
is  a  leading  member  of  the  Commercial  Exchange,  and  has  given  freely 
of  his  time  and  money  to  city  and  charity  associations.  He  has  accu- 
mulated wealth,  and  is  liberal  in  the  use  thereof. 

Henry  Rlegelman  was  born  in  Marion  county,  Indiana,  in  1S.54,  and 
the  youngest  member  of  his  class  graduated  from  the  Terra  HautQ 
Sieminary.  Immediately  thereafter  he  came  to  Des  Moines,  where  he 
has  ever  sincei  made  his  home.  He  first  entered  the  employ  of  Lederer 
Sz  Strauss,  then  in  the  clothing  business,  and  after  seyen  years  of  service 
with  them  became  a  member  of  the  firm  previously  mentioned,  and  with 
which  he  has  been  so  long  connected.  And  much  of  the;  great  success 
of  this  firm  has  been  due  to  his  industry  and  enterprise. 

In  1SS4  Mr.  Rlegelman  was  married  to  Miss  Id.T  Mayer,  an  accom- 
plished lady.  They  have  been  the  parents  of  three  children;  a  daughter, 
Mignon,  and  two  boys,  Ira  and  Edward,  both  now  dead. 

Mr.  Rlegelman  is  a  member  of  several  orders;  Legion  of  Honor, 
Woodmen  of  the  World,  Red  Men,  and  of  the  .Tewlsh  Lodgeis,  and  he  and 
his  wife  occupy  a  high  position  in  the  social  circles  of  the  city. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  1017 


GEORGE  C.  SIMS. 


Among  the  earlj'  settlers  of  Polk  County  the  name  of  Lorenzo  D. 
Sims  is  a  familiar  and  'liionored  one.  He  came  l?i-om  the  Pickaway 
P'laiins  in  Ohio,  where  he  was  born,  to  this  county,  in.  October,  1S48. 
This  was  shortly  after  the  Ckwe  of  the  war  with  Mexico,  during  which 
he  haid  servedf  faithfully  as  an  Ohio  volunteer.  With  him  came  his 
wife  and  three  children.    In  1849  ihe  built  a  cabin  on  a  claim  he  had  a 


1018  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

short  distance  souUi  of  Des  Jloiucs,  ami,  after  many  striis'gles  nnd 
bardsliips,  bad  a  tiootlly  improyed  farm,  and  in  1S5G  replaced  the  first 
priimiHve  cabin  wit'h  a  substantial  'Und  romfortable  hewed  log  bouse 
of  four  rooms.  Shortly  jibereafler  he  scjld  bis  farm  of  320  acres  for 
$8,50(1,  and.  after  a  visit  to  his  old  lionie  in  Ohio,  he,  Avitli  bis  family, 
went  to  Linn  County,  Missouri,  with  the  intention  of  fluaiWy  settling  in 
Kansas.  But  tlie  family,  lilce  many  others,  wished  to  return  to  I'olk 
County,  and,  yidling  to  their  desires  and  son>e  iniei'inatitons  of  his  own. 
they  returuied  here  ajid  Mr.  Sims  purebased  subsequently  a  tract  of 
land  east  of  the  city  on  Agency  prairie,  and  again  made  a  good  farm, 
wliicb,  in  the  course  of  time,  became  very  valualile.  lie  diel,  .Tuly  15, 
1895,  aged  T'J  years.  His  estimal>le  wife,  whose  niiaidim  name  was 
Olvrisline  Bowshire,  died  August  17.  1857.  leaving  eight  clrildrcu,  the 
oldest  being  George  C,  tlie  sub.iect  of  tlie  folhiwing  sketeli; 

George  was  born  .Tuly  28,  1844,  and  was  only  four  years  of  age  when 
be  became  a  resident  of  Folic  County.  He  ^^'orkell  on  liis  father's  farm 
steadily  each  season,  attending  school  in  the  winter,  and,  having  a  de- 
sire for  learning,  he  acquired  in  early  manhood  a  good  education.  Then 
came  the  Civil  War,  an.  1!.  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  Gemrge  enlisted  as  a 
]}rivate  in  Company  E,  Fotirlih  Iowa  Infantry.  He  served  as  a  soldier 
more  than  four  years.  His  first  l>attle  was  at  Pea  Itid'ge,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  war,  and  hi.s  last  was  at  BentouvWve,  Moi'th  Carolina,  shortly 
befoire  tiio  final  close  of  tlmt  .great  strife.  lie  pnrtieipaled  in  thlrty- 
tln'ee  hard-fougii't  Ijattles  and  was  twice  wounded,  aul  was  with 
Sherman  in  liis  march  to  the  sea,  and  in  tlie  great  review  jit  Wasiiing- 
ton  at  the  close  of  t'be  war.  No  soldier  had  a  better  record,  and  bis 
is  one  of  w'liicli  lie  anl,  iiis  family  may  well  feel  proud.  Mustered  o\it 
at  Davenport,  lie  returned  lioiiic  ami  took  up  tlie  work  of  civil  life, 
mostly  nil  a  farm. 

In  1871.  Mr.  Sims  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the  T'nited  States 
R.ailway  Mail  Service,  and  served  the  government  for  f(]urteeu  years 
f.-iithfi'dy.  wlieii  lie  was  remove,!  for  "iitTeiisix'e  i)artisanwiiip."  Shortly 
thereafter  lie  was  nominate'.l  o^n  the  Itepublican  ticket  and  electel 
County  Recir.ler.  and.  1  eng  re-elected,  liebl  this  important  office  four 
years.  Tinder  the  administration  of  Mayor  Hillis  lie  was  aopointed 
Captain  of  the  City  Po,liee,  liut,  after  serving  ten  months,  resignel  for 
the  purpose  of  devoting  his  attention  to  the  erection  of  a  brick  block 
on  the  corner  of  East  Sixteenth  and  Grand  Avenue.  In  December, 
1895,  be  was  appointed  a  member  of  tlie  City  Board  of  Public  Works, 
as  successor  to  the  late  General  Bd.  Wright,  and  attended  intelligently 
and  faithfully  to  the  onerous  and  resiionsilile  duties  of  this  position 
until  April  18,  1,808.  Faithful  and  true  as  a  son,  as  a  s(ddicr.  as  an 
officer,  and  as  a  citizen,  George  C.  Sims  is  entitled  to  and  commands  tlie 
highest  respect  and  confidence  of  ,t11  who  know  him. 

Mr.  Sims  was  marriedi  July  4,  1867,  to  Phoebe  D.  Hnllett.  and  the 
maiTiage  has  been  a  happy  one.  Three  chiMren  linve  been  b-o-n  to 
them:  Wilmot.  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  and  one-half  years:  Mertie 
C..  who  is  a  f.-ii  mmt:  .-.n:!  W'illi.-ini  if.,  w'tui  :s  engage, 1  in  luisiue-s  in  Des 
Moines. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES. 


lOl'.t 


MR.  AND  MRS.  ISAAC  BRANDT. 


]s.-ia(/  l-irand:  -was  Imh-u  April  Trh,  ISIJT.  ueai-  Ijancastcr.  I'^airlickl 
County,  Oliici.  His  jiareuts  were  David  Branclt  ami  Mai'tlui  Hamilton 
Brandt,  who  emisrateil  from  Cnmberlaml  Comity.  Pennsylvania,  to 
Fairfield  Connty.  Oliin,  in  the  sprinu'  of  1S14.  Isaac  Braniit  is  the 
yoniisest  i-liilJ  of  a  family  of  twelve.  He  was  born  on  a  farm  .ind 
i'cceiveil  what  was  called  in  these  days  a  first-class  common  school 
edncation.  His  first  teacher's  name  was  Ada  Howe,  a  lady  distin- 
guished as  one  of  the  best  teachers  in  Central  Ohio.  His  father  was 
also  a  scho(d  teacher,  and,  when  his  son  wa'S  workinu  on  the  farm,  he 
save  him  lessons  at  night. 


1020  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  lie  was  Ijouml  out  as  an  api)rentice  to  Hezekiah 
Brook  to  Jearn  the  boot  and  shoe  niakins  trade.  The  terms  of  his 
apprenticeship  were  that  he  was  to  work  for  two  years  for  his  boai'd, 
find  his  own  clothing,  and  hare  one  week  in  harvest  time  and  one  day 
in  December  for  butchering  as  his  own  time,  in  which  he  was  exijeeted 
to  earn  enough  money  to  buy  his  elotliing  and  for  spending  money  for 
night  singing  schools.  An  incident  happened  during  his  apprenticeshiii 
thta  tested  ■his>  abolition  principles  to  the  fullest  extent.  A  neighbor's 
big  dog  had  been  found  killing  sheep.  lie  was  shot  and  his  carca.ss 
thrown  in  a  spite  lane  between  two  farms.  At  night,  after  quitting 
work,  he  lighted  up  an  old  tin  lantern,  took  his  shoe  knife,  went  to  the 
spite  lane,  took  off  tlie  dog's  hide  and  afterwards  sold  it  for  twenty-flve 
cents.  A  few  days  afterward  a  poor  colored  man  escaping  from  slavery 
came  along  tliat  liad  not  had  anything  to  eat  for  a  day  and  niglit,  and 
young  Brandt  hid  him  in  a  safe  place,  went  and  brought  him  abundance 
of  plain  food,  riaying  out  all  liis  dog  skin  money,  leaving  him  without  a 
cent.  Afler  cnmpleling  liis  trade,  he  taugdit  scliool  in  the  winter  and 
worked  at  his  rrnile  or  on  the  farm  during  the  summer.  On  arriving 
at  the  age  of  21  he  gave  his  father  all  of  his  earnings  up  to  that  d.ite. 
On  the  nuirning  of  hi.s  21st  birthday,  he  rented  his  old  boss'  shoeshop. 
and  at  dayliglit  was  ready  to  commence  business  for  himself  as  a 
shoemaker.  The  first  day.  Friday,  he  earned  seventy-five  cents;  Satur- 
day .fl.Ott  The  next  week  he  cleared  ten  dollars.  By  autumn  of  the 
following  year  he  had  accumulated  enough  wealth  to  .instify  him  in 
setting  up  a  home  for  himself.  On  the  first  of  November,  1849.  he  vs'as' 
united  in  marriage  with  Jliss  Harriet  Wiseley,  a  daughter  of  Edward, 
and  Leah  Wiseley.  She  was  of  English  descent  and  was  born  and 
raised  in  tlie  same  neigiiboriiood  of  her  husband.  In  tlie  month  of 
May,  18.50.  Mr.  Brandt  and  his  young  wife  placed  all  their  earthly  pos- 
sessions in  a  two-horse  wagon  and  moved  to  Auburn.  DeKalb  Count.v,' 
Indiana.  It  was  a  long,  tedious  journey  of  ten  days  through  mud  and' 
mire,  but  with  patience  and  the  strengtli  of  two  good  liorses  they 
reached  the  end  of  their  .ionrne.y  in  safety,  and  landed  among  strangers' 
250  miles  from  any  person  that  he  or  his  wife  had  ever  seen.  He 
rented  a  sma^d  house  of  three  I'ooms,  two  on  first  floor  and  one  on  the 
second  floor.  In  tlie  front  room  he  placed  his  shoemaker's  bench,  and 
hung  out  a  sign.  "Boot  and  Shoe  Maker.  Isaac  Brandt."  He  soon  had 
all  the  work  he  could  do,  and  did  a  thi-iving  business.  In  the  fall  of 
1854  he  was  elected  Sheriff  of  De  Kalb  County,  Indiana,  which  office 
he  'Served  for  two  years  witli  satisfaction  lo  his  constituents  and  with 
credit  to  himself. 

In  .Tanuarv.  185(;.  he  came  to  Iowa  in  company  with  .Judge  .John 
Morris,  of  Fort  Wayne,  and  Timothy  R.  Dickerson,  of  Waterloo.  Ind. 
He  arrived  in  Des  jNIoines,  Feliruary  1,  185»i:  remained  a  few  days,  then 
went  to  Council  Bluffs.  In  tlie  spring  of  1857  he  came  to  Des  Moines 
again,  and  made  arrangements  to  make  it  his  futvire  home.  Visited 
Port  Dodge.  Sioux  City  and  Council  Bluffs.  On  the  21st  of  April.  1858. 
he  arrived  in  Des  iloines  with  his  wife  and  three  small  children,  re- 
solved to  make  Des  Moines  his  permanent  home. 

In  May.  18.58.  he  had  business  out  at  Council  Bluffs.  The  seasoi. 
being  very  wet.  the  stages  made  ver.y  slow  time.  Mr.  Brandt  concluded 
to  make  Ihe  trij)  on  foot,  which  he  did,  arriving  in  Council  Bluffs  on 
the  evening  of  the  fourth  day.  He  returned  to  Des  Moines  on  foot  in 
five  days.  In  October,  1858,  he  bought  a  one-half  interest  in  the  dry 
goods  liouse  of  A.  B.  Garrison.  In  the  fall  of  1860  he  purchased  M<r. 
Garrison's  interest  in  the  store  and  continued  in  that  line  until  the 
fall  of  1806,  when  lie  sold  out  and  embarked  in  the  real  estate  business. 
On  the  1st  of  .January.  1867  he  was  appointed  Assistant  Treasurer  of 
State,  wliicli  ortice  lie  held  for  six  years.     In  the  fall  of  187.3  he  was 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  1021 

elected  as  i-eprcsenlative  from  Polk  County  to  the  Fifteeuth  General 
Assembly.  He  was  made  Cliairman  of  the  Committee  on  Ways  and 
Means  and  of  the  Cities  and  Towns.  He  did  good  service  in  each  and 
was  instrumental  in  .'.eeuring  the  passage  of  some  important  measures 
that  were  of  great  value  to  the  general  public.  In  the  spring  of  1S77  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  City  Council  of  Des  Moines  and  was 
chosen  Mayor  pro  (em.  In  April,  1883,  he  v\-as  appointed  bj'  the  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States  a  member  of  a  committee  to  inspect  and 
accept  fifty  miles  of  the  Nortli  Pacific  railroad  in  Idaho  and  Montana. 
He  Avas  made  Chairman  of  the  Commission.  In  .lune,  1890,  he  was 
appointed  Postmaster  of  the  city  of  Des  Moines  by  President  Benjamin 
Harrison,  which  position  he  held  for  four  yeai'S  and  forty-five  days. 

Mr.  Brandt  has  always  been  an  active,  earnest  worker  in  the  tem- 
perance cause,  and  is  proud  of  hts  record  as  a  boy,  as  a  man.  and  as  an 
elderly  gentleman.  At  the  age  of  70  years,  he  has  never  tasted  liquor 
of  any  kind  or  form.  He  attributes  his  excellent  health  to  his  temperate 
life. 

Jlr.  Brandt  is  one  of  the  original  abolitionists,  and  from  early  child- 
liood  until  slavery  was  abolished  took  an  active  part  in  carrying  out  his 
principles  by  assisting  runaway  slaves,  by  the  light  of  the  North  star, 
to  places  of  safety  in  Canada. 

Mr.  Brandt  was  a  personal  friend  of  .lohn  Brown,  and  the  last  time 
that  this  noted  martyr  i>assed  through  Des  Moines,  in  April,  18.50,  he 
stopped  v\'ith  Mr.  Brandt.  He  had  at  the  time  four  colored  men  in 
his  wagon  on  their  road  to  freedom.  The  old  wood  paling  gate  that 
they  bid  good-bye  over  is  still  preseiwed  as  a  sacred  souvenir  in  mem- 
ory of  the  man  that  willingly  gave  up  his  life  in  an  attempt  to  liberate 
the  colored  bondmen.  Mr.  Brandt  has  preserved  many  of  the  published 
statements  of  the  newspapers  at  that  time  in  regard  to  the  attack 
upon  Harper's  FeiTy  and  the  trial  an^i  execution  of  John  Brown,  and 
put  them  in  pamphlet  foi-m. 

Mr.  Brandt's  parents  were  both  chiMren  of  .soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. He  inherited  a.  love  of  country  to  its  full  extent,  and,  while  he 
was  not  a  soldier  in  the  late  war,  he  was  one  of  the  most  earnest 
assistants  of  the  boys  in  blue  at  home  in  raising  supplies  and  taking 
care  of  those  that  were  in  need  of  assistance. 

In  politics  Mr.  Brandt  has  always  been  a  Republican  since  the  organ- 
ization of  the  party.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  State  Convention  at 
Indianapolis,  Indiana,  on  the  22d  of  February,  18.56,  and  helped  to  form 
the  party  in  that  state.  He  and  George  W.  .Tulien  were  known  at  the 
opening  of  that  convention  as  anti-slavery  men,  or  as  abolitionists. 

When  Mr.  Brandt  came  to  Des  Moines  it  was  a  mere  village  of  about 
2,000  inhabitants,  no  bridges  spanning  the  Des  Moines  or  'Coon  Rivers; 
Grand  avenue  was  then  known  as  Sycamore  street  on  the  West  Side  and 
Keokuk  on  the  East  Side,  with  Uncle  Charles  Good's  big  apple  orchard 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  river  as  a  blockade.  Sixth  street  on  the  East 
Side  was  (hen  Hickory  street,  Capitol  Hill  and  its  entire  surroundings 
was  one  dense  forest,  and  what  is  known  as  Franklin  Square  was  then 
known  a,s  Walker's  Lake,  and  a  beautiful  lake  it  was,  full  of  nice 
spring  water.  Mr.  Brandt  has  always  been  active  in  building  up  Des 
Moines  and  laboring  for  its  best  nterests.  In  1885  he  was  one  of  the 
leading  men  in  securing  the  location  of  the  State  Fair  Grounds  perma- 
nently at  Des  Moines.  He  has  never  connected  himself  with  any 
i-lmrch  org.inizations,  is  liberal  in  his  notions  of  religion,  very  firm 
and  determined  in  regard  to  good  order  and  morality:  cannot  coun- 
tenance immorality  in  any  form.  Has  been  more  than  liberal  of  his 
time  and  money  in  the  building  up  of  churches,  colleges  and  school 
houses.  Is  of  a  very  cheerful  disposition,  and  says  he  cannot  look  on  the 
dark  side  of  any  question,  for  he  always  prefers  sunshine  to  darkness. 


1022  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 


HARKIKT  WISELY  BRANDT. 

HaiTiet  Wisely  Brandt  was  born  with  a  twin  sister,  January  d,  1829, 
near  Carroll.  Fairfield  Count.y,  Ohio.  Her  parents,  Edward  and  Leah 
*\A'ise]y.  were  early  settlers  in  central  Ohio  and  were  of  English  anees- 
ri-y.  Harriet  Wisely  was  the  youngest  child  of  .a  targe  family  of 
fifteen  children.  She  was  born  and  raised  on  a  farm  and  learned  to 
spin,  weave,  and  sew  and  make  all  the  family  garments  as  was  the 
custom  in  those  days  in  central  Ohio.  There  was  no  part  of  familj' 
industry  or  frugality  that  she  did  not  fully  understand.  She  was 
educated  in  the  ]inblic  and  private  schools  of  the  neighborhood  in 
whicli  slie  was  raised,  and  was  classed  among  the  best  of  scholai's;  as  a 
clear  .-ind.  distinct  reader  she  was  unite  noted. 

On  Xiivcudier  1,  lS-11).  she  was  united  in  marriage  with  Isaac  Brandt, 
a  yfiung  sli(peniai<er  wlio  was  born  and  raised  in  the  same  neighborhood. 
She  immriii.-iiely  went  to  houselceeping  in  the  vicinity  of  her  liusband's 
shoeshoii.  liii'Mi-i!iug  the  hands  that  worlvcd  for  her  husliand.  In  ilay, 
lS."iO.  she  moved  with  her  husliand  to  Atiliurn,  De  KaDi  Count.y.  Indiana, 
where  they  again  cninmenced  Imusekeeping,  and  liveil  in  Au)>uru  until 
April.  IS.'iS.  wlien,  with  her  husband  and  family  of  three  small  children, 
she  remiived  to  Des  !Moines,  Iowa,  and  settled  on  the  East  Side  of  the 
ri\('r,  (in  I  lie  iiirner  of  Twelfth  and  Keokuk  streets,  now  known  as 
(Ti-aml  avrniic.  Her  house  at  that  time  was  the  only  house  east  of 
T^-i-cdfth  strei't.  Tile  lionie  of  Harrison  Lyon  and  wife  was  immediately 
west  111!  the  same  street.  The  Capitol  grounds  were  then  a  heavy 
forest  of  timiii'v;  Iveiilcuk  street  was  simply  a  ro<adway  cut  through  the 
tiudicr  leading  (lut  tiiwarcta  the  city  of  Keokuk  on  the  ^lississipiii 
River.  It  w.'is  a  lonely  jd'ace  for  ,a  few  years,  but  she  was  eonlented 
and  ]i:ipjiy  and  iiusied  lierself  in  taking  care  of  and  educating  her 
childri'ii.  Slie  lived  to  see  her  isolated  hoane  become  one  of  the  great 
centers  of  travid  and  commerce.  She  witnessed  the  clearing  off  of  the 
heavy  timlier  and  under! irush  on  Capitol  s(iu'are;  she  witnes.sed  the  lay- 
ing of  the  corner  stone  nl'  Iowa's  great  Capitol  building:  she  witnessed 
the  completion  of  this  magnificent  structure  and  its  <ledication. 

She  Avas  active  in  securing  good  teachers  for  the  education  of  iter 
children:  she  witnesseil  the  change  of  the  school  house  from  the  eummon 
one-roomed  frame  building  to  that  of  the  many  large  1>rick  stnn-tures 
that  stand  upon  Capitid  Hitl.  There  was  nothing  that  she  took  more 
real  pleasure  in  than  the  education  of  In^r  own  and  neighbors'  children. 
She  lived  to  see  her  children  all  educated  and  pass  into  man  and  woman- 
hoiid.  She  was  the  mother  of  six  children:  Amos  W.,  .Tosiah.  Alice, 
Olive  C.  Ceorge  W..  and  William  1!.  .Tosiah  died  October  2,  18ri4,  and 
Alice.  November  3,  1880.  Tliis  pioneer  lady  lived  on  (he  same  lot  on 
which  she  first  settled  thirty-eight  years.  Shedieil  March  20,  IS'.iC,  aged 
fiT  years.  A  tribute  to  her  nu'uiory  was  delivered  at  her  funeral  by  one 
of  her  lady  friends.  Mrs.  A.  B.  Billington.  wldeh  was  listened  to  by 
hundreds  of  her  loving  friemls: 

There  .-ire  natures  'So  gentle  and  loving  that  the.v  seem  to  attract 
US  by  :in  invisible  ch.i.rm  of  sweetness  and  tenderness  that  can  only  be 
likened  u>  the  snldle  fragrance  floating  in  the  air,  which  reveals  the 
presence  el'  bcanliful  blossoms  nesMing  'neath  some  leafy  screen.  This 
was  es]ie(ially  true  of  this  dear  woman  who  has  been  called  to  the 
better  hiiiil.  We  follow  her  spirit's  fiight  in  wondering  thought,  but 
faith  wdiispers:  "Trust  the  hea'^'enly  F.-itlier's  care,"  and  memory, 
faithful  handmaid,  comes  to  soothe  us  willi  a  recall  of  fond  associa- 
tions that  will  linger  while  life  endures. 

By  tills  refiected  liglil  we  trace  I  lie  impressions  yeiii-s  have  wrought 
and  read  tlie  record  ot  character  wliere  evei-y  deed  grew  out  of  loving 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  10'23 

impulse  and  whose  highest  inilivi.lual  happiness  lay  in  the  brightness 
ciift'usfHl  upon  the  pathway  of  others.  A-s  a  majestic  river  g-athers 
strength  from  hidden  sources  along  its  course,  while  giving  out  in 
turn  from  its  cool  refreshfng  depths,  until  it  glides  at  last  with  broad- 
ened stream  into  the  wide  ocean  beyond,  so  this  symmetrical  growtli 
of  being  has  drawn  from  infinite  source  the  strength  that  sustained  her 
own  soul  and.  Tineonselonsl.v  at  times,  g'ave  new  breath  of  courage  and 
hopefulness  to  those  around  her. 

There  is  no  pjossible  estimate  of  the  value  of  true  womanly  influem-c 
nor,  save  in  the  summing  of  the  great  Book  of  Life,  can  it  be  known 
how  the  little  acts  of  kindness,  the  words  of  comfort  and  cheer,  tin- 
smiles  of  encouragement,  the  hopeful,  helpful  ministry,  almost  angelir 
in  its  dispensation,  have  gone  from  the  mother-heart  into  the  hearts 
and  lives  of  her  family  and  her  friends. 

"We  bring-  no  fulsome  words  of  praise,  'Simply  .iust  tribute  to  her  rec- 
ognized worth  and  the  remembrance  of  her  good  deeds;  we  desire  to  tin  1 
new  incentive  to  a  course  of  conduct  that  can  yield  such  blessedness 
along  the  line  of  daily  toiling,  and  leave  such  glorious  radiance  Ui 
mark  the  path  she  trod. 

A  womanly  woman,  her  citadel  was  her  home.  Here  she  v^'as  a 
tower  of  streng-th,  a  constant  inspiration  to  her  companion  and  her 
children,  presiding  over  all  the  affairs  of  home  with  grace  and  eh - 
gance.  She  tilled  the  hours  with  constant  cheer.  It  was  particularly 
true  of  this  modest  woman,  that  she  was  rich  in  the  possession  of  that 
indefinable  (Quality  which  draws  women,  with  nnerring  instinct,  to  the 
side  of  a  woman  of  superior  virtue.  Her  hapijy  spirit  caught  bright 
glimijses  of  the  outer  world,  and  she  held  loving  attinity  with  tin' 
beautiful  in  nature. 

The  closin.g  day  of  the  earth-life  was  filled  with  rejoicing  over  the 
return  of  spring,  the  fresh  grass,  the  glad  song  of  birds.  The  western 
sun  slipped  from  her  sight  with  a  movement  as  noiseless  and  mysterious 
as  the  laying  aside  of  her  worn  robe  of  clay  was  to  the  mental  vision. 
In  the  fullness  of  a  well-rounded  earthly  career,  her  sun  of  being 
merged 'its  rays  into  the  bright  effulgem-e  of  an  eternal  day. 


1024 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


.TEFFKRSON   .S.    TOLK. 


Ill  18.").",  a  yciung-  man  from  Keii'tucky  caraeto  what  was  then  Fort  Des 
Moines,  looked  over  the  town,  tlio  connty  and  country,  pronounced  it 
uood,  am'd  deteroiined  tri  make  tX's  ^loiiies  his  future  liome.  The  follow- 
in.e'  year,  IS.'iii,  he  enine  with  his  younj;-  wife,  and  lie  nnd  she  for  more 
lliiin  fortyJtwo  ye;irs  have  lieen  well-lvnowu  citizens.  Jefferson  f^eotf 
Folk  was  born  in  FSMl,  near  (Georgetown.  Scott  county,  Kentucky,  where 
several  .sener.itions  of  the  Folk  family  liad  heen  horn  ami  i-eared. 
Attending  the  schools  of  that  day  he  subsequently  became  a  student  in 
the    (ieorgelown    f'ollege,    and.    gi'ndiiating    from    that    iiislitiiti'oin,    ho 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1025 

■ilecided  to  study  law.  Foi-  this  purpose  he  studied  witfli  I'.  Ij.  (^'aljle,  of 
Georgetown  then,  hnt  afterwards  of  llliuoiis,  aii'd  at  the  head  of  fli-e 
iJreat  Rock  Ishind  railroad  system,  and  also  with  young-  Jetf'S  Ijrother, 
ilarce)liis  Pollv.  In  1855  lie  passed  his  exaniinatioai  for  the  bar  in  Ken- 
tucky. He  -then  determined  to  go  lo  a  new  held  of  hiljor.  He  went 
AVesi.,  ■■to  grow  up  with  tlie  country,"  and  shared  hinisnif  iu  tliat 
growth.  Arriving  here,  he  at  unce  staited  out  traveling  the  district, 
as  -^^•as  then  the  eiwltom'  of  all  the  leading  attorneys,  land  was  admitted 
ti)  practice  in  the  Iowa  courls  bv  that  noted  otd  timer,  -Judge  C.  .1, 
M(;Farland. 

As  a  young  attorney,  ;Mr.  Polk  soon  inade  Ids  marl^.  He  was  quiet, 
gentiemanly  and  studious,  and,  at  the  same  time,  fl-au'liful  nf  tlie  inter- 
cuts of  his  clients,  and  really  for  s'ha;riJ  legal  flglits  at  any  time.  He 
liad  a  slrong  ivtll.  tenacity  of  purpose,  and  was  not  afr.ahi  tn  Take  any 
ci.nise  liis  own  reason  and  liest  judguiciir  jioiutcd  nui.  During  Uih  ttrst 
yi.ir  (,r  two  he  practiced  liis  proft'^sion  ahmc,  witii  fair  stn-cess.  and 
then  ))ecalne  the  junior-  iijember  of  the  taw  hnii  of  (.'asady,  I'rocl^er  i^c 
I'nlk.  This  firm  was  a  n(jted  one  at  ttiat  time.  In  lsi;,l  (h-nrkci-  lefi  the 
tirm  ;o  engage  in  the  war  tlien  •raging,  ami  ntade  for  liimseif  a  leadiiig 
nan-i'  among  the 'Sotdiers  of  the  Union  army.  The  law  tirm  cdminiied 
.-IS  ('asady  &  Polk  for  a.  numiier  of  years,  and.  upon  llic  na  iri-mciir  of 
.Tulge  Casad.y  from  tlie  practice  the  firm  of  Polk  &  HtilOiell  siicc"c:ied. 
P.  il.  Hubbell  laeing  the  junior  partnei-.  'This  firm  coutiuued  fur  sniite 
twenty-five  years  aird  outside  of  legal  prai-tii-e  engaged  in  many  l;irge 
tii!ai!i:-ial  and  tiusiness  transactions.  A  few  yc.-a-s  ago  this  partnership 
w.is  (Ussolvcd.  ,-uid  siime  tliat  time  Mr.  I'o.Ik  has  devnted  Ids  time  nmstly 
to  Ijis  duties  ais  president  of  the  Pes  Jloines  Sti-ei't  P.-iihvay  t.'nnijiany. 
.-nil  lo  ills  persiuial  affairs. 

Per  a  number  of  years  Jlr.  Polk  has  i-aidie-d  among  the  must  al'le 
lau'vers  of  the  state.  He  is  emphatically  a  law.yer.  a  wiu-ker.  and  "ime 
tlii.r-i, uglily  groumied  in  the  law."  Outside  of  or  in  i-ounertioii  witli 
tliis  lie  ha,s  lieeu  a  man  of  affairs,  and  lia-s  dime  his  full  share  in  imjirov- 
ing  and  linilding  up  Pies  Moines.  He  wa.s  .he  main  man  in  building 
,-iuil  cxtemltng  the  water  wurks  of  I)cs  Moines.  ITe.  through  many  dis- 
i-iiura.gements,  pushed  to  cnmiiletioii  ilie  railro-ad  from  Des  iNIoiiies  to 
Ames,  making  a  mucli  ilesiri'd  connei'tion  -willi  the  Xortiliwe.steru  rail- 
roa-d,  which  now  nwus  and  nperates  tliis  important  connection.  Pie 
jo'ineii  with  oiliers  and  liniught  to  Pes  Moines  the  Waijash  railroa'd. 
He  laliored  witli  others  and  built  the  railroad  to  Boone  ,-md  v> 
Adel  and  Fonda,  more  than  one  hundred  miles  iu  a  iiortli- 
wi  stem  direction.  Other  large  nmlei-i  akiiigs  carrieil  to  a  siicress. 
ful  completion  can  also  be  placed  to  his  eredit.  Only  a  few  years  ago 
he  took  hold  of  street  railways,  organized  a  couipany.  iiought  out  the 
then  existin.g  co'inpanies,  Ju'ought  order  out  of  confusion,  and  started  in 
to  give  Des  Jloines  one  of  the  liest  system  of  street  railways  kno-\vn  in 
tlie  "West  or  East.  How  lie  has  succeeded  in  this  great  work  is  kiinwu 
to  every  citizen.  From  the  fit-st  he  h;is  been  presi'dent.  the  liead  and 
1-rains.  of  the  com]iaiiy.  and  had  -Teff.  S.  Polk  done  nothing  else  for  Pes 
Moines,  this  present,  complete  street  raiih-\''a,v  system  would  tie  an  endur- 
ing monument  to  his  aliility.  courage  and  public  -spirit.  A  lirief  sketcli 
of  the  system  is  given  in  another  chapter  of  the  Annals. 

;\Ir.  Polk  politically  was  always  a  P)emoerat,  but  tlwroughly  inde- 
]ii  ndeiit  in  his  political  actions  and  votes.  He  never  sought  any  political 
ottice,  but,  on  the  contrai-y.  always  refused  to  lie  a  candidate,  though 
frequently  urged  by  political  aud  personal  friends  to  allow  his  name  to 
be  so  u\~e'd.  Political  otHi-cs  liad  no  attractions  fur  him.  He  preferred 
lirivate  life,  always  rontent  with  law.  his  Imsiiiiess.  his  family  and  his 
home. 

6^ 


1026 


AXXAL^S  OF  POLK  COUM'Y 


In  l.S."4,  .Ti'ffiTsoii  S.  I'olk  -was  mnrried,  at  Georgetown,  Kentucky,  to 
Jlis.s  .Tulia  Ilcrniion.  Tliey  Avcre  bolli  lioi'u  and  reai-ed  in  tliat  iiei,i:lili'n'- 
hood,  wliere  alsn  their  fathers  and  nuntlhers  had  been  born  and  reared. 
They  'have  four  children  living:  Two  «ons,  .Jolin  and  Harry,  and  two 
daughters,  Mildred,  who  married  (Jeorge  B.  Hiiipee,  and  Sarah  ,T.,  wife 
of  Ailbert  :Mai.sli. 


IIAKHY   (J.    HATtKI.s;, 


'{"Ids  gonllenian.  lliongli 
>lilest   di\v   goiids   nii'i'ehant^ 


iMTiiaratively   a   yuuug  man.   is  one   of   tlie 
of   (he   city,   Imviiig   bi'en   nearly   one-third 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  1027 

of  a  century  in  that  trade  in  Des  Jloines,  and  is  now  tlie  senior  of  the 
large  departmeni  house  of  tiie  Harris-Emery  Company. 

He  is  the  son  of  Oharles  and  Harriet  (Butterfieldj  HaiTis,  and,  was 
born  in  1844,  in  Brattleboro,  Vermont,  whic'h  iias.  Ijeen  the  family  home 
for  near  sixtj'  years  now.  His  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  a 
native  of  Vermont,  but  resided  a  few  yeaa's  of  has  life  in  territory  con- 
tiguous to  his  na.tive  State,  in  the  Dominion  of  Oamada.  Mr.  Haiiis 
passed  his  earty  school  days  in  Brattleboro.  At  an  early  age  he  en- 
tered a  grocery  store  in  Vermont  anid  commenced  his  successful  com- 
mercial car'eer.  At  the  end  of  two  years  'he  decided  to  "go  west,"  and, 
in  1805.  came  to  Des  iloines  He  here  first  engaged  with  Ankeuy 
Brothere,  and,  after  remaining  one  year  with  them,  engaged  with 
OsgooicP  ifc  Wyman.  In  the  course  of  time  he  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Osgood,  Harris  &  Co.,  one  of  the  largest  dry  goods  stores  tljen 
in  tiie  oily.  After  a  successful  business  for  several  years,  he  sold  out 
his  interest  to  Osgood,  Kisser  &  Co.,  and  formed  the  new  firm  of  H.  C. 
Harris  &  Co..  and  opened  a  large  dry  goods  store.  This  firm  continued 
until  1S92.  when  the  present  Harris-Emery  Company  was  formed.  For 
their  Ijusiness  was  erected  the  large  store  rooms  on  the  comer  of  Wal- 
nut and  Seventh  streets.  This  celebrated  department  store  has,  besides 
dry  goods  and  notions,  large  stocks  of  millinery,  carpets,  drapeiies, 
boots  and  shoes,  gents'  furnishing  g^ods,  etc.,  and  employs  continuously 
about  one  hundred  salesmen.  An  immense  business  is  traoisacled, 
customers  coming  from  all  over  Iowa,  and  tlie  head  of  the  house.  Sir. 
Harris,  devotes  his  personal  attention  to  it  and  knows  every  detail. 
Prouiiit  and  energetic,  and  yet  kind  and  considerate  to  all,  he  is  pop- 
ular with  employes  and  with  customers  of  the  house.  For  more  than 
Thirty  years  has  Mr.  Harris  been  continaiously  in  business  in  Des 
Moines.  He  has  made  a  record  of  which  he  and  his  friends  may  (eel 
proud,  and  lie  has  done  much  for  the  advancement,  moraUy  as  well  as 
fiuancially.  of  Des  Moines  and  Folic  County.  He  has  always  been  on 
the  side  of  business  honesty  and  clean  living. 

November  21,  1874.  Hardy  C.  Harris  married  Miss  Mary  L.,  daugh- 
ter of  A.  Y.  Kawson,  for  years  a  prominent  business  man  of  this  city. 
This  marriage  was  a  very  'happj^  one,  but  was  cut  short  by  the  un- 
timely death  of  Mrs.  Harris. 

In  September,  1888,  Mr.  Harris  married  Miss  Letta  Crandall,  of 
Nortliwood.  Iowa,  the  daughter  of  Captain  T.  A.  Crandiall,  a  retired 
l)anker  of  that  place.  They  have  two  children;  Hardy  C.  Jr.,  and 
Marian  C.  They  have  a  handsome  and  happy  home  at  717  Fourth 
street:  also  a  cottage  at  the  corner  of  Ingersoll  and  Park  Avenues, 
where  (he  summer  months  are  spent.  Jlr.  amfli  Mrs.  Harris  are  mem- 
bers of  Plymouth  Congregational  Church,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the 
deacons.  For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Harris  has  been  Treasurer  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  and  lias  for  years  given  freely  of  his  money  and  time  to 
help  this  Association. 

Mr.  Harris  is  a  Director  In  the  Iowa  Pipe  and  Tile  Company,  is  a 
Mason,  n.  Knight  Templ.ar.  and  prominent  in  the  order.  He  is  also 
connected  witli  other  fraternal  and  benevolent  societies,  and  is  always 
ready,  in  his  quiet,  unassitiming  way.  to  give  a  helping  hand  to  a 
neighbor,  a  fellow  man  or  good  cause. 


1028 


AXNALS  OF  POLE  GOVNTY 


I)A\'II»   R.    KA\'IN(; 


Amciiis'  the  Ic.'idinu'  anivi 
]>avid  Itittenliiinsc  Ewiim'.  s 
sui'ccssfnl  ]uiiil)cr  lirm  of  ]<;wjii 
ill  I  Kir  V,\m.  <'l 
from  t 


■  noi'lh  II 
anil  tliri 


luisiiit'ss   men   of   tliis  rily 
niin-  nienilicr  nT  the  liin^' 
&  .Tewelt.     lie  \v:is  ) 
His  .uran 
f  Trekinil  in  1 1'-.  anil 


IlliU      V'i.      J  J   Mill  i^      W      -IIMVIl 

'iMlounty,  Tennsylvania 

'     '       "  '      "'-'    -     '    >eMieil  in  Wes 


liis  father. 


„,  . , E-win.u',  was  horn 

latter   lieeame  a    seliool   teaelier,    and   stil 
served  as  a  soldier  in  tlie  war  of  IslU. 
Willi  was  a  nalive  of  Havri'  lie  ( 
a;,'e.      She   had    iwo   brolhers 


l)aviil  E-win.u',  was  horn  and 

isei]nently    a    h 

1.    ,  .,_.      He  married   A 

i-ae-e.  Jlaryland.  and  of 

Saninel    and    .Tames    MiC 


inil  eoni 
laldislie, 
May  lis 
ler  emij 
esler.  (' 
1-eared 
ikkeepe 
lie  Mn: 
leotell  )); 
ven,    wh 


ifv    !S 

1   and 

l.s:;4, 

:ra  ted 

lester 

The 

,   and 

)\ven, 

irent- 

for 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1029 

years  saileil  their  own  clippei-  shiijs  from  Baltimore,  when  these  vessels 
were  famous  the  world  over. 

Young-  Daviil  atteudfd  the  publie  schools  at  Village  C4reeu,  Delaware 
County,  for  three  years,  under  one  of  the  old-time  masters,  who  were 
masters  of  their  iiupils  in  practice  as  well  as  theory,  and  never  spoiled 
the  ehikl  b.v  sparing  the  rod.  When  .vet  a  youug  lad  David  decided  to 
be  a  carpenter,  and  for  three  years  was  an  apprentice  under  one  of  the 
best  builders.  "William  Grnbb,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  where  he 
was  given  opportunity  to  learn  all  branches  of  the  trade.  Then  he 
l3ecame  a  .iourneyman  and.  when  nineteen  years  of  age.  18.>3.  he.  with 
three  otlier  young  carpenters,  went  to  Augusta.  Georgia,  wliere  they 
secureil  work  at  .$l.j  per  week.  Suljseciuently  the.v  worked  in  Jlont- 
gomery  and  Moliile.  Alabama,  ami  in  Xew  i;)rleans.  Prom  the  latter 
city  they  started  north  again  on  a  steamboat — there  were  few  railroads 
in  the  i^onth  at  that  ibiy— witli  tlie  liope  of  .ioiuing  Kit  Carson's  famous 
expedition  for  tlie  exploration  of  tlie  plains  and  Rocky  Jlouutains. 
Their  boat  was  slow  and  the  expediton  had  started  before  they  arrived 
in  St.  LfOuis.  This  was  a  great  ilisappointment,  but  they  secured  work 
at  once  on  the  lirst  large  freight  depot  ever  erected  in  that  city.  They 
afterwards  again  went  down  the  river  and  worked  some  time  in  Helena. 
Arkansas. 

In  May.  bs.'.'i.  ^Ir.  Ewing  returned  to  St.  Louis,  and  on  .June  lOth  of 
that  year  married  Miss  Lucinda  Bunting,  of  that  city.  The  young- 
couple  that  same  year  came  to  Iowa,  and  settled  in  EddyviUe,  on  the 
Des  Moines  river.  There  they  remained  nine  years.  In  March,  1804, 
Mr.  and  Jlrs.  Ewing  came  to  Des  Moines  and  made  tliis  city  and  county 
their  permanent  home.  Jlr.  Ewing  at  once  went  to  work  at  his  trade, 
and  soon  became  a  boss  carpenter  and  contractor.  In  1876  he  was 
Superintendent  of  the  Centennial  Exposition  in  Des  Moines,  and  in 
1878  was  elected  a,  member  of  the  Cit,v  Council,  In  1879  lie  formed  a 
co-paitnership  witli  tJeorge  A.  .Tewett  and  Ed  S.  Chandler  and.  umb>r 
the  firm  name  of  Ewing.  .Tewett  &  Chandler,  opened  a  large  lumber 
yard.  Subsequently  Mr.  Chandler  retired,  and  the  firm  Ijecame  Ewing 
&  .Tewett.  Enterprise,  square-dealing  and  shrewd  busines'S  capacity 
brotight  success,  and  the  firm  is  now  (jne  of  the  largest  and  most  "favoi-- 
ably  known  in  tlic  i-ity  nr  state.  Mr.  Ewing-  "was  also  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Itet.-iil  Lumbermen's  Insurance  AssociatioD,  and  its 
President  continuously  since  its  organization.  Several  years  ago  he 
liought  a  farm  of  o-'id  acres  four  miles  south  of  the  Court  House,  and 
announced  his  intenlion  to  make  it  pay  10  per  cent  upon  an  investment 
of  about  .t;.")().(iii(i.  He  soon  found  if  necessary  to  give  his  personal  atten- 
tion to  the  farm  if  he  was  to  realize  expectations,  and  accordingly  toolv 
up)  his  residence  on  the  farm,  and  in  the  homestead  he  and  Mrs,  Ewing 
have  a  happy  home,  and  are  always  ready  to  dispense  a  generous  hos- 
pitalit.v  to  their  many  friends. 

Xot  only  as  a  pronr.nent  liusiness  man  and  farmer  is  Mr.  Ewing 
known.  As  a  churchman  he  stanils  high,  and  has  lieen  for  years  one 
of  the  staunchest  and  most  lil)eral  supporters  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  the  official  board  of  that  church  for  thirty-four 
years  continuously.  In  18!)1  he  was  elected  to  the  Presidency  of  the 
National  Convention  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  for  more  than 
twelve  years  he  has  been  Vice-I'resident  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Drake  University, 

In  connection  with  the  church  a  hi.storical  fact  may  here  be  stated 
by  the  writer.  In  the  spring  of  1889  the  Central  Church  of  Christ 
determined  to  erect  a  new  church  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Pleasant  and 
Ninth  streets,  mentioned  in  another  chapter  of  the  Annals.  In  order 
to  carry   out   his   decision   of   the   congregation   a   building-   committee 


1080  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

of  seven  was  appoiutcd.  with  full  power  to  erect  such  a  buihliug  as 
regarded  by  Mr.  Ewiiig  as  siittirient  reward  fur  his  thought  and  lalior 
tion.  D.  E.  Ewing  was  unanimously  placed  at  the  head  of  this  com- 
mittee, and  upon  him  devolved  the  greatest  labor  and  responsibility. 
He  was  made  Superintendent  of  Construction.  Tihe  foundation  of  the 
building  was  put  in.  During  the  summer  and  fall  of  1889  ninety  car 
loads  of  brown  stone  rock  were  brought  from  the  Prentiss  Brown  Stone 
Company  on  Lalve  Superior  and  shipped  In  the  rough  over  the  Cireat 
Western  Railroad  to  be  here  cut  and  dressed  by  Des  Moines  men.  Thus 
was  made  the  superstructure  of  one  of  the  most  complete.  uni(jue  and 
largest  Chri'Stian  worlvshop  in  the  entire  northwest.  Tlie  chtu-ch  at 
Des  Moines  liad  invited  the  General  Convention  of  tlie  Cliristian  Broth- 
erhood In  the  United  'States  to  hold  tlieir  annual  meeting  in  the  new 
building.  The  question  of  its  completion  in  time  was  of  great  interest 
to  the  congregations,  as  this  convention  wa'S  to  meet  on  October  20. 
1890.  and  the  superstructure  was  not  commenced  until  April  2(1.  of  that 
year,  allowing  only  six  months  for  work  which  generally  consumes 
years.  Mr.  Ewing  was  at  the  head  of  the  construction  department,  and 
this  great  building  was  finished,  complete  in  all  its  departments,  prior 
to  the  short  date  tixed,  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  many  tliou- 
sands  of  Christians  then  aud  since  assembled  within  its  walls.  This  i'S 
would  meet  tlie  iircsi'ut  and  prospective  needs  of  so  large  a  cimgri'.ga- 
in  its  erectiim.  AA'liile  giving  his  best  thought  and  almost  undivided 
time  for  nearly  a  year  to  the  buildnig.  wliolly  witliout  cliarge.  he  anil 
his  iiartner.  i-ieo.  A  ..lewett,  contributed  to  the  same  work  mure  tlian 
eight  thousand  dollars  of  their  own  means. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ewing  have  had  three  children  born  to  them:  Eugene, 
who  ilied  at  the  age  of  five;  Minnie,  who  died  when  tliroe  years  ni'  .age; 
and  Winnie,  who  is  tiie  wife  of  Hon.  Nat.  E.  CotHn. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES. 


]031 


JOIIX  MACVICAl;. 


Boru  ill  GaJt,  Caiu-ada,  July  4,  ISr.'.i.  His  paii'ents  were  natives  of 
the  Scottish  Highteiids  and  removed  to  Canada  in  1854.  At  the  age  of 
eight  years,  together  witii  his  niotlier  and  elder  brothers  (his  father 
having  died  in  the  meamtinie),  he  came  lo  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  re<-eiV(Ml  a  eoninion  school  edncatjou.  Wlien  he  arrived  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  years,  his  mother  died  and  he  was  given  a  home  by  a  kind 
family  with  whom  he  lived  during  the  ten  years  f(]llowing.  He  secured 
a  position  as  errand  boy  in  a  boiol^:  and  wall  paper  store,  where,  avail- 
ing himself  of  the  advantages  alfoi-ded  by  contact  with  the  better  class 
of  men  and  books,  he  succeeded  in  acquiring  a  practical  education, 
whicli  has  served,  him  in  lieu  of  greater  school  advantages. 

In  1872  he  came  to  Des  Jloines  to  take  a  responsible  position  in  a 
large  wholesale  and  retail  wall  paper'  house.  He  lieM  this  position  for 
ten  years  and  was  tlien  enabled  to  open  in  a  modest  way  a  business 
of  his  own,  which  he  has  since  operated  in  a  successful  manner. 

In  1884  he  married  the  daughter  of  the  well-known  pioneer  preacher. 
Or.  .1.  A.  Nash,  and  has  an  interesting  family  of  four  children.  In 
1888  he  was  elected  town  recorder  of  the  suburban  town  of  North  Des 


1U32  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Moines.  In  attempting  to  eoiTeet  some  of  the  evils  existing  in  Ihe 
conduct  of  the  affairs  of  tlio  town  he  attracted  some  attention,  anil,  the 
following  year,   was  file<.-ted   ilayor. 

In  IStiO.  Xortli  Des  Moines  was  annexed  to  the  city  of  Des  Moines. 
Two  j'ears  later  began  the  camipaign  of  the  citizens  of  Des  Mojnes 
against  tlu-  exorbitant  rates  charged  by  the  Des  Moines  Water  '\\'orks 
Company.  Mr.  Ma'CVica.r  taking  a  prominent  part.  He  was  made 
chairman  of  the  mass  meetings  and  a  member  of  the  committee  ap- 
po'inled  to  condivet  the  campaign.  During  the  five  years  this  agitation 
.-ontinued,  Mr.  MacA'lear  was  one  of  the  most  persislent  and  active 
memliers  of  this  committee,  and  to  his  untiring  euerg.v  is  credited  a 
large  share  of  the  success  attained  in  reducing  the  water  rates,  public 
and  private,  abcHit  $00,000  per  annum.  He  was  elected  on  the  repub- 
lican ticket  to  the  office  of  Mayor  in  1896,  upon  f'he  direct  issues  of 
municiiiail  ownership  of  water  works,  control  of  public  franchises  and 
reduction  of  taxation.  The  campaign  for  his  nomination  and  election 
is  credited  as  being  the  most  warmily  contested  of  any  political  figh* 
ever  Ivitown  in  Des  Jlo'ines.  He  was  elected  by  a  majorit.y  of  1,500, 
which  is  greater  than  any  previous  majority  evei-  recorded  in  Des 
Moines  for  this  office. 

As  Mayor,  from  tlie  start,  he  adliered  steadily  to  the  principles 
upon  which  'he  was  elected.  He  met  with  opposition  in  tlie  City  Courn- 
cil  and  out  of  it,  but  continued  his  stea,Jy  and  persistent  flglit  foi- 
what  he  consiidered  riglit  and  for  the  best  interests  of  the  city  and  the 
people  generally.  It  is  now  well  understood  he  cajinot  be  driven  or 
bought  from  any  position  ihe  has  taken.  He  has  made  enemies,  some 
of  tiieui  ricli  and  powerful,  but  at  the  same  time  he  lias  the  consola- 
tioii  (if  knowing  he  has  made  tho'usands  of  friends  who  respect  him  as 
a  man  and  as  a  jjulilic  official.  He.  in  September,  1897,  attended  a  con- 
vention of  Mayors  and  Councilmen  of  the  cities  of  the  United  States, 
held  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  was  Oirg'a:nized  the  League  of  American 
Municipalities,  which  has  for  its  ob.ieet  the  pi'actical  study  of  all  ques- 
tions ijertaining  to  municipal  governmcut. 

Mayor  MacViear  delivered  before  this  convention  an  address  which 
atlracted  attention  throughout  the  country,  and  'he,  young  man  though 
he  was  and  Mayor  of  a  Westcn'U  city,  was  elected  liy  acclamation 
president  of  the  organization. 

Upon  his  return  home,  he  was  given  an  enthusiastic  public  recep- 
tion, participated  in  by  many  of  the  prominent  citizens,  many  of  wlioin 
had  opposed  his  election  as  Mayor.  He  liad  brouglit  high  houor,  not 
only  Co  Iiiiuself.  but  also  to  the  city  of  which  he  is  Jlayor. 

John  MacVJcar  is  yet  a  young  mwn,  and,  .iudging  from  the  past,  has 
a  bright  and  liouiorable  future  before  him. 

In  1808,  after  a  warm  contest  in  the  Reputdican  party.  Mayor  Mac- 
Vicar  was  renominated  for  the  (dHce  in  which  he  had  so  distinguished 
himself,  carrying  every  precinct  in  tlie  city  a  I  the  party  primaries. 
April  28  he  was  eleited  by  tlie  peuide,  receiving  a  majority  of  1,2.':19  over 
a  very  popular  and  woitli.v  o|i])onent. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DJJS  MOIXES. 


1033 


GEORGE  I'.  HAXAAVALT.  H.  1). 


As  stated  ill  a  i)i-pvious  ebaiitt'i-  of  this  work,  tliei'e  liave  been, 
(lui'lng  tlic  past  fifty  years,  as  residents  of  Des  Jloiues,  a  number  of 
>;entlemen  holding  high  I'aulv  in  the  nicilii-al  profession.  They  have 
tieen  an  hoimr  to  tlie  profession  and  to  the  city.  Among  tliese,  and 
u(i\v  holding  this  rank.  i,s  (ieoi-ge  P.  Hanawalt,  M.  D.  For  years 
he  has  held  a  high  iiosltiou  in  his  profession  and  as  a  citizen,  and  is 
at  thi'S  time,  at  the  pnme  of  life,  devotedly  engaged  in  flic  practice 
of  his   exacting  and   arduous   work,    and   prompt   and   untiring   in    his 


1034  ANNALt^  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

response  to  the  many  calls  made  upon  liim  from  sick  and  suffering 
humaniity. 

His  father,  John  Hauawalt,  was  bora  in  Mifflin  County.  Pennsyl- 
vania, .January  18,  1798,  was  of  German  extraction,  and  his  father 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  Doctor's  mother,  Mary 
Jefferson  Hill,  was  born  near  Frederick,  Marj'land,  August  20,  1812, 
and  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  family  of  Thomas  .Jefferson,  third 
President  of  the  United  States.  His  parents,  some  years  after  their 
marriage,  removed  to  Koss  County,  Ohio,  "vvhere  the  Doctor  ^ras  boru, 
September  11,  183G.  There  he  was  reared  to  manhood,  and  attended 
the  public  schools,  and  pursued  his.  li'terary  education  in  the  Salem 
Academy.  He  begpn  the  study  of  medicine  in  'the  office  of  Drs.  Salter 
it  Holton,  in  Madison  County,  Ohio,  in  18.59,  but  liefoi-e  completing  his 
studies  the  war  broke  out  and  he  entered  as  a  volunteer  in  the  Seventh 
(")hio  Infantry,  in  February.  18G2,  and  In  the  following  August  was 
transferred  to  the  regular  army  as  Hospital  Steward.  During  his  ser- 
vice he  attended  medical  lectures,  and  in  March,  1804,  graduated  from 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  Georgetown  University  of  Wasliing- 
ton.  D.  C.  He  was  promoted  to  Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the 
army,  in  which  capacity  he  served  with  much  credit  until  October, 
18(58,  when  he  resigned  and  returned  to  civil  life.  May  22,  IStiO,  he 
came  to  Des  -Moines  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
which  he  has  since  continuously  pursued  with  so  much  success. 

Studiotis  and  attentive,  and  always  prompt  and  reliable,  Dr.  Han- 
awalt  soou  made  his  mark,  not  only  as  a  pliysician,  but  also  as  an 
accomplished  and  expert  surgeon.  His  private  practice  soon  liecame 
large  and  his  reputation  extended  far  beyond  the  limits  of  the  city 
and  county.  Years  ago  he  was  appointed  Surgeon  of  the  Rock  Island 
and  Pacific  Railroad  Company,  and  subsequently  in  addition  wa'.« 
a])pointed  Surgeon  of  the  Great  Western.  Des  Moines,  Northern  and 
Western,  Des  Moines  and  Kansas  City  Railroad  Companies,  and  of 
the  Des  Moines  Street  Railway  Company.  These  appointments  entailed 
much  labor  and  respoinsil)lity  upon  him,  in  addition  to  his  large  pri- 
vate practice,  but  Dr.  Hanawalt  is  emphaticall.v  a  worker,  and  never 
neglects  a  patienl.  In  1877  he  was  appointed  Surgeon  General  of 
the  Iowa  National  Guard  and  held  this  high  position  for  sixteen  .vears, 
anil  is  now  on  retired  list  wilh  ranl<  of  Brigadier  General  Iowa  National 
Guards. 

In  polities  the  Doctor  afRliates  with  the  Republican  party,  but  has 
had  neither  the  time  uor  the  inclination  to  take  any  active  part  in 
political  matters,  and  has  never  held  or  desired  anj-  office  outside  of 
his  profe.ssioTi.  He  is  a  member  of  Crocker  Post.  No.  12.  G.  A.  il.. 
and  also  holds  membership  in  the  American  Medical  Association, 
National  Association  of  Railway  Surgeons,  the  Iowa  State  Medical 
Society,  of  which  he  has  been  President,  and  the  Polk  County  Medical 
Society. 

October  31,  1871,  Dr.  Hanawalt  mariied  Miss  Emily  Agnes  Jordan, 
the  wedding  being  at  the  home  of  the  bride  in  Walnut  Township, 
Polk  County.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Hon,  James  C.  and  Melimla  (Pitt- 
man)  Jordan,  was  born  in  Platte  County,  Missouri,  and  brought  here 
wlien  two  years  oid,  by  her  parents,  who  were  among  the  early  and 
jirominent  settler-s  of  the  county.  Here  Mrs.  Hanawalt  was  reared, 
completing  her  education  at  the  Northwestern  University,  Evanston, 
Illinois.  Received  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  she  has  been 
for  years  a  consistent  member  of  the  same,  and  is  a  most  admirable 
wife  and  lady,  and  makes  her  home  an  almost  ideal  one. 

As  stated  before.  Dr.  Hanawalt  is  an  indefatigable  worker,  thor- 
oughly read  and  skilled  in  the  practice,  both  as  a  physician  and  .as  a 
.surgeon,   is   up   with   all   new  theories  or  discoveries,  and    his   army 


Al^D  TEE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES. 


1035 


experience  has  been  n  great  help  to  liim  in  stii'ger3-,  and  these  have 
made  his  professional  reputation  more  than  co-exteusive  witli  the 
boundaries  of  the  state.  His  hearty,  cheery  disposition,  always  .genial 
and  kindly,  make  him  a  weleome  visitor,  and  make  him  a  popular  as 
well  as  able  sentleman  wUh  the  thousands  of  people  who  are  i)roud 
of  beina-  liis  frier ds. 


MR,  AND  JWRS.   PAUL  MATTES. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  v.-as  born  at  Neiidiuyen,  kin,i;dom  of 
Wuerttemlier.^',  (ienmany.  on  the  l.'Uh  day  of  h'eliruary,  1,S41,  and  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1864  with  his  brothers,  Alois.  ,Iohn  and  Alexander 


1036  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Mattes.  After  remaining  two  years  at  Burling'ton.  Iowa,  lie  joined  his 
brother  Alois  at  Des  Jloiues,  but  left  in  a  short  time  for  Brookfield. 
Missouri,  where  he  operated  a  brewery  until  1875,  when  he  returned  to 
Des  Mdincs,  and,  soon  after,  started  the  East  Side  brewery  in  company 
with  his  brother  .John,  and  operated  the  same  until  the  prohibitory 
law  put  out  the  fires  in  his  then  prosperous  establishment  and  closed 
its  doors.  From  l.SSO  until  1.S84  he  had  operated  the  brewer.y  alone 
and  was  in  a  fair  waj'  to  build  up  one  of  the  most  extensive  brewing 
establishment  in  the  state.  And  this,  excellent  brewer  that  he  was, 
was  Ills  sole  amldtion.  Like  thousands  of  others  who  had  come  from 
the  fatherland  ujion  the  invitation  of  the  state  of  Iowa  to  come  hither, 
and  told  tliat  here  they  could  plant  their  vineyards  and  their  barley 
and  their  liops  and  make  their  own  wine  and  their  beer  from  abundant 
crops  of  tlie  fruitful  soil  of  this  state,  and  he  could  not  realize  that, 
after  spending  the  best  years  of  his  life  in  building  up  a  large  business — 
nne  that  liad  always  been  deemed  lawful  and  houoi-able — it  should  or 
eould  b(j  wrested  from  him  and  his  brewery  establisliment  outlawed 
and  c<indi'!nned  to  destruction. 

The  tlioughts  of  this — tile  constanl  realization  of  this  terrible  wrong, 
this  ei|tial  to  tiighway  robbery  on  the  part  of  the  state — wore  upon  liim, 
.and  hastened  him  to  the  grave.  He  could  see  a  million  of  dollars  worth 
of  lieer  coming  into  his  own  city  every  year,  while  he  was  not  allowed 
10  nianuf.-iclure  a.  single  gallon.  IFi'  saw  tlie  brewers  of  ad.iacent 
states  lirewing  millionaires,  while  Ins  iirewery  was  rotting  down,  his 
liroperty  i-on,stautly  depreciating  in  vaiue  while  his  taxes  were  increas- 
ing.. 

I'aiil  Mattes'  lieart  was  not  made  of  stone.  He  felt  the  cruel  fate 
that  befell  him— innocently  on  his  jiart— and  there  were  few  courageous 
enougli  to  speak  out  for  him.  and  even  then  those  tliat  could  and  ought 
to  have  helped  to  save  his  busiuess  and  to  save  the  stale  millions  of 
dollars  annually,  were  too  timid  to  aid  in  overthrowing  the  law  lliat 
had  so  unjustly  conliscaled  hi's  an<l  so  much  other  of  lawfully  acquired 
pro|)erty  witliout  compensation.  Paul  ilattes  passed  from  earth  into 
eternity  tlie  victim  of  intolerance,  proscription  and  confiscation. 

Mr.  M.'ittes  was  married  in  1808  to  Jliss  Ursula  Allemann,  of  Des 
Moines,  who  survives  him,  and,  with  lier  seven  grown  children,  namely, 
Krank  P.  Mattes,  Mrs.  Mary  Witte,  Mrs.  Pauline  Boelter,  Mrs.  Itose 
Kraemer,  Mrs.  Hoyt  Tresler  and  Jliss  Frances  and  Mis'S  Olofilde  Mattes, 
mourn  a  good  Inisband  and  fatlier. 

There  iiave  l>een  few  citizens  that  were  followed  to  their  last  resting 
place  l>y  more  mourners  than  followed  the  remains  of  Paul  ^lattes.  He 
was  not  a  courtier,  but  rather  blunt  of  speech,  but  he  was  "as  honest 
as  tlie  day  is  long,"  and  discarded  all  cant  and  hypocrisy.  At  the 
same  time  he  had  a  warm  heart  for  every  need.v  one,  and  his  charities, 
silently  and  unostentatiously  as  they  were  given,  were  untold,  and 
many  yet  living  deplore  in  his  death  thc^  less  of  their  best  friend  and 
benefactor.  At  tlie  same  time  he  contritmted  to  every  good  cause  that 
was  calculated  to  lielp  mankind  and  to  build  up  his  chosen  city. 

Des  Moines  has  liad  more  accomplished  and  more  talented  men,  but 
none  with  a  kinder  heart  or  more  mjble  purposes  than  Paul  Mattes. 
His  death  occurred  December  lOtli,  1897. 


AXD  THE  CITY  OF  DES  JilOIXES.  lOH: 


T'i;OF.    FLdYH 


])A\'is,  rii.  ]>..  ri!Esir>EXT 

HEALTH  ASS(  )CIATIOX. 


OV   lOAVA    ruBLir 


Dr.  Floyd  Davis  was  tioni  near  Ithaca,  X.  Y.,  ilay  2!ith.  isr,!l.  Tiiii:l 
sixteen  years  of  :\in-  lie  attended  a  country  scliool,  wallcin.u'  one  and 
Ihree-fourtlis  miles  from  his  fatlier's  home  on  tin'  farm.  Tlien.  for  two 
years  he  attended  the  CanistcMj  Academy  and  the  Ithaca  Ili.:;li  Sdinol. 
jireparatory  to  enterin.i;-  eolleK'e.  In  these  schools  'lie  slmwed  mncli  inter- 
est in  scientific  study,  especially  in  pure  and  a.pplieil  mathematics.  He 
then '.studied  one  year  at  Cornell  I'niversily,  four  years  at  tlie  ()liio  Siati^ 
T'uiversity.   one  year   at  the   .^clinul   of   Mines   and   Metallnr.n'y   of   tin- 


1038  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

Missouri  Uuiversity,  and  after  teacliiiig  three  j'ears,  lie  studied  one  year 
at  the  Johns  Honlvins  University. 

At  Corni'Il  and  the  Ohio  State  University  Mr.  Davis  devoted  himself 
mainly  to  the  study  of  mathematics,  engineering,  physics,  chemistry, 
geiilogy,  agriculture  and  allied  sciences.  Having  a  desire  to  study  ad- 
vanced technical  chemistry,  assaying  and  mining  and  metallurgy  under 
tlie  direction  of  experienced  specialists,  he  then  spent  one  year  in  this 
work  at  the  School  of  Mines  and  Metallurgy  of  the  Missouri  Univer- 
sity. At  the  Johns  Hoplvins  University  he  devoted  his  entire  time  to 
the  study  of  organic  chemistry  and  geology,  under  the  direction  of  the 
ennnent  specialists.  Professor  Ira  Remsen.  and  the  late  Dr.  George  H. 
Willianis. 

In  ISS-J,  Mr.  Davis  received  tlie  degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Phiiosopliy. 
Civil  Engineer  and  Mining  Engineer,  from  the  Missouri  University:  in 
1884  he  received  the  degree  of  Master  of  Science  from  Adrian  Col- 
lege; and  in  1888  he  T\-as  awarded  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosopliy 
from  Miami  Univi.'d-siiy  for  his  attainments  in  chemistrj-  and  metal- 
lurgy. 

In  iss:',  Mr.  Davis  was  called  to  the  Chair  of  Chemistry-  and  Metal- 
lurg.v  in  ilii'  Virginia  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  Col.ege,  wlriclr  posi- 
tinn  lie  Hlled  uulil  Issd.  In  18SG-87  he  studied  at  tlie  Johns  Hoiikius 
Univeisiry.  and  during  tlie  summer  and  fall  of  1887  "was  enga,ged  at 
enginci-riiig  in  I  lie  Black  Hills  of  Dakota.  From  Decetiiber,  1887.  until 
.Tump.  ISii:;.  lir  w.-is  Professor  iif  Cliemistry  in  Drake  Universil.v,  and 
during  tin'  iast  two  j'ears  of  this  time  was  also  Dean  of  the  Io«'a 
College  of  Pharmac.v  and  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Toxicology  in  the 
Iowa  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons— professional  depariinents  of 
Drake  University.  From  1880  until  1893  he  was  State  Chemist  of 
Iowa,  .-uiil  Iroiii  1891  to  ISO.",  he  was  also  a  memlier  of  tlie  Board  of 
E.xninincrs  fur  State  Mine  Inispectors  of  Iowa,  to  whicli  onsiticni  lie 
li.is  lici'n  roi-ently  appointed  for  another  two  years.  In  1880.  i'rof.  Davis 
sri'ved  .'IS  non-resident  Professor  of  Metallurgy  in  the  "Wisciuisin  State 
T'niversity.  and  was  appointed  Connmissioner  of  Iowa  for  tlie  "World's 
E.\)iosiiion  at  tile  City  of  Paris.  In  ISOS  <he  resigneil  his  several  posi- 
tion to  iako  The  iiresiilency  of  the  New  Jlexieo  School  of  iNlines.  which 
iii-;iirnlion  lie  organized  at  that  time  upon  a  liroad  and  liiieral  basis. 
lull  (III  account  of  tlie  financial  panic  and  the  general  laclv  of  interest  in 
iiiiiiiiig  odiication  in  the  territory,  the  scliooil  was  closed  at  the  end  of 
onr  year,  liy  mulual  agreement  between  Professor  Davis  and  its  board 
of    trnstees. 

Sinoc  Si'iiionilicr.  1804,  lie  has  devoted  bis  entire  time  to  technical 
clii-mislry,  nnd  lias  a  large  in'actice  as  an  analyst  and  consultin.g  chemist 
to  ciiios.  water  -worlss  companies  and  matiufacturing  estabiishment» 
ill  tliis  and  otlier  states.  He  is  recognized  as  an  able  nnd  expev.' 
enced  togicniogist.  and  is  frequently  called  upon  to  investigati^  cases 
of  suspected  eriininal  iioisoning,  ,as  well  as  to  aet  as  a  chemi- 
cal expert  in  many  important  legal  investigations.  Owing  In  liis 
exiensive  ex|ierieiice  in  medical,  pharmaceutical  and  sanitary  chemistry. 
he  is  freiiueiitly  called  upon  for  a.dvice  liy  physicians  and  druggists, 
and  lie  is  recognized  as  an  autliortly  in  tlie  clieniieal  ami  microscopical 
exaniin.ii  inn  of  urine.  Foi-  more  than  a  score  of  years  Professor  Davis 
lias  liei'ii  greatly  interested  in  the  inve.sti.gation  of  water  supplies,  their 
contamination  and  methods  of  purification  for  public  use,  nnd  he  lias 
analyzed  more  than  two  thousand  western  waters.  He  has  a  national 
reputation  as  a  water  expert,  and  is  frequently  called  to  other  states 
to  invesligate  public  water  supiplies  and  to  advise  on  methods  of  puri- 
fiealiim.  M.'iiiy  of  the  inqiortant  water  contamination  investigations  of 
tlie  WesI  lin\'e  iieen  'made  by  Professor  Davis,  including  the  cases  at  Hot 
Sjirings.  .Vrlc.  Burlington  and  Independence,  Kans.,  Creston  and  Water- 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOIXES.  1039 

lou,  Iowa,  Duhitb,  Minn.,  and  Inclinniiulis  and  Logansijort.  Ind.  It  is 
said  that  there  is  no  otlier  man  of  bis  age  in  tlie  West  who  has  made 
a  move  careful  study  of  water  or  who  has  liad  as  much  exrierienee  in 
tliis  tield  as  he.  Professor  Davis  has  written  a  standard  treati-se  on 
"I'otal.de  Water,"  published  by  Silver,  Burdett  &  Company,  ami  is  a 
frequent  contributor  to  the  leading  scientific  .iouruals  and  magazines  on 
matters  pertaining  to  education,  water,  industrial  ehemrstry,  and  min- 
ing engineering. 

Professor  Davis  is  a  thorough  student  and  tireless  worker,  and  is  a 
strong  advocate  of  technical  education,  founded  upon  a  broad  and  lib- 
eral basis,  and  is  frecjuently  called  upon  to  give  public  addresses  on  tliis 
sub.ieci.  He  has  a  wide  reputation  among  American  educators  and 
an  extensive  acctuaintance  with  the  scientific  men  of  tlie  countr.v. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Association  for  Advancement  of 
Science,  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers,  American  Public 
Health  Association,  Wisconsin  Academy  of  Science,  Arts  and  Jjetters. 
Iowa  Academy  of  Sciences,  and  is  president  of  the  Des  Moines  Acadeni.\ 
of  Sciences,  and  the  Iowa  State  Public  Health  Association. 

Professor  Davis  was  married  December  21,  1882,  at  Ithaca,  X.  Y... 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Edwards.  They  have  lieen  blessed  with  three  liriglit 
boys — Ralph  Emerson,  age  14,  Sidney  Hugh,  age  12,  still  living,  and 
Theodore  Edwards,  who  died  .Tan.  t;.  1S!)T.  agcii  :',  j'ears. 


1040 


AXNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


CllAKi.KH    11.    .\S11\V(>1!TH. 


(']i;ii-)('s  II.  AslnviJi'lli  is  llic  smi  iiI  Iticiiard  Asll^Y()rtll,  who  bocniiic 
,■1  I'l-sidciil  (if  I'nlli  ('(iimly,  .-I  few  mill's  wesi  of  Dcs  iloincs,  in  rhc  f:'-ll 
of  l.s.'il.  Mild  tlioroafter  n^siilni  on  (lie  siimo  farm  in  "Walmit  to\viislii|i.  lie 
111  si  opeiiinK  the  same  in  tlia:t  year.  Charles  H.  yvas  liorn  in  Sajeiii, 
\i'\v  Hampshire.  .lannary  .".I,  1.S4.S.  and  was  only  in  his  fourth  year 
■\\'lieii.  lirouRlit  with  his  father  and  mnther  'to  this  eouutry.  He  yvent  to 
till-  dislrii't  sehools,  aeniiiring  a  fair  eilneation,  and  "worked  on  his 
faHier's  larm,  and  there  he  has  always  madi-  his  lionie.  reniainin.t;  nis- 
niarried.     He  and  his  brother  .lames,  in  ('ai'l.\-  manhood,  eommcnee-d  .ts 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOIXES.  1041 

partner!?,  not  only  in  extensive  farming.  Imt  also  in  feeding,  buying  and 
selling  stock,  and  have  always  maintained  a  liigli  character  as  Ijusiness 
men.  They  are  clever  gentlemen,  courteous  to  and  iiojiuhir  with  their 
neighbors  and  all  with  whom  they  come  in  contact.  They  liave  lieen 
more  than  ordinarily  successful  in  their  operations,  and  the  two  Ijrothers 
are  now  tlie  owner.s  of  more  than  one  tliousaud  acres  of  valuable  land 
near  the  western  limits  of  the  city  of  Des  Moines,  and  in  addition  have 
.■I  large  tract  of  cultivated  land  in  I'ocaliontas  count.v. 

Always  a  firm  and  consistent  Democrai.  Charles  H.  Ashworth  never 
wa'S  in  any  sense  an  office  seeivtr.  In  18!.)1  he  was  nominated  for  sheritf 
of  the  county  by  his  party,  which  was  then  considered  to  lie  in  a  hopeless 
minority,  and,  tiiou.gli  defeated,  ran  far  ahead  nf  his  jiarty  Vdlo.  slmwing 
the  liigh  appreciation  in  which  lie  was  lield  l^y  men  of  all  iiolitieal 
l)arlies.  A  ciuiet,  unassvimiug  man,  he  attends  to  his  business,  hut  ;U  the 
same  time  always  has  a  kind  word  and  is  always  ready  for  tlie  perfnr-m- 
auce  of  a  kind  act,  helpftil  to  his  neighliors  and  friends. 

Kichard  Asliwortli,  the  father,  was  one  of  the  wed  l^nown  jiinueors  of 
the  county.  He  was  born  in  Lancastersliire,  England,  .M.-ircli  2.",  1S12. 
and  died  in  liis  eighty-sixth  year.  He  i-ame  to  this  countrx-  in  1S42. 
and  nine  years  later  to  tliis  county.  He  was  first  mai'ried  in  P^uglaud, 
to  iXar,garet  Sutclitt'e.  Slic  lioi-c  him  fivi'  cduldrcn.  of  whom  onl.v  one  is 
living,  Abram.  a  well  known  citizen  of  ilie  county.  In  lS4."i  Mr.  Ash- 
worth married  Mary  Xuttall,  and  to  ihem  were  liorn  two  sons.  .Tames  T. 
and  Charles  H.  Mrs.  Ashworth  dicl  in  IS.SS.  .Mr.  .\shwoirli  resided  on 
the  same  farm  'he  first  settled  upon  in  lS."il,  Inn  added  largel.v  to  it,  and 
liad  (Uie  of  the  liest  and  largest  farms  in  tlie  county  at  ilie  time  of  his 
death,  in  1897. 


66 


lOi'2 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


CI  ).\I;AI  >    YdUNGEKMAX. 


Tlii-re  is  no  lui'tter  known  citizen  of  Des  Moines  than  Conrad  Youul;- 
i-rm.in.  wlio.  coining  to  the  town  over  forty  years  ns'o.  a  youn.s'  man. 
Ijas  m'own  with  its  .i;rowth.  anrl  lias  (lone  so  niiieli  to  aid  in  i>iiildiiiL: 
it  ii]!.  His  entoryirise.  sa^actiy  and  straiulitforward  worl^  has  not  only 
improved  liis  o^-\-n  fortunes,  but  also  heliied  the  city  and  its  citizims 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1043 

He  was  born  in  Wicbdorf,  Germanj-,  near  tbe  citj-  of  Cassel,  Pro- 
vince of  Hessen,  December  lo,  1833,  and  is  tbe  son  of  Henry  and 
Elizabetb  (Sonnenscheini  Youngerinan,  vbo  were  also  natives  of  Ger- 
many. Their  family  consisted  of  two  sons  and  two  daugbters,  of 
wbom  Conrad  is  now  alone  living.  His  fatber  was  a  contractor  and 
builder,  and  died  wben  Conrad  was  but  eigbt  years  of  age.  His 
mother  lived  to  tbe  age  of  eighty-seven,  dying  in  Des  iloines,  having 
accompanied  her  son  on  bis  return  from  a  visit  to  Germany,  made  In 
1872.  The  father  and  mother  were  both  members  of  tbe  Lutheran 
Church,  and  the  father  was  for  some  years  a  soldier  in  the  regular 
army.  The  paternal  grandfather,  Heinrich  Youngerman,  was  also  a 
builder  and  conti-actor,  and  died  at  an  advanced  age.  His  maternal 
grandfather,  who  bore  the  same  name,  was  also  a  builder  and  con- 
tractor, served  in  tbe  army  under  Napoleon,  and  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty-five.  So  it  will  be  seen  that  Conrad  was  what  might  be  termed 
a  hereditary  builder  and  contractor. 

Attending  school  untd  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  tbe  boy  Con- 
rad commenced  his  three  years'  apprenticeship  as  a  stone-cutter.  For 
two  and  a  half  years  ho  traveled  as  a  journeyman,  and  then,  being 
drafted  into  the  mrlitary  service,  v^-as  forced  to  return  home.  Soldiers' 
life  was  distasteful  to  him.  and  this  led  bim  to  think  of  tbe  United 
States  as  his  futuie  home,  and  in  18-54  be  came  to  this  'Country.  Land- 
ing in  New  York  aid  having  neither  money  nor  tools,  be  worked  for 
a  time  in  a  brick  ya'-d  at  Haverstraw,  on  the  Hudson.  He  then  made 
his  wa.v  to  Elyria,  Lorain  County,  Ohio,  where  be  worked  at  his  trade 
and  married   his  w  fe. 

He  then  beard  of  Des  Moines,  and  the  young  couple  determined  to 
make  that  place  their  fature  home.  He  arrived  here  September  28. 
18.56,  Soon  after  t's  an-ival  here  be  commenced  contract  worlc  in 
s*"one  and  brick  ard  building  generally,  and  for  years  pursued  the 
t^'ork  with  much  success.  During  these  years  he  has  been  connected 
with  the  erection  of  many  of  the  buildings  of  the  citj'-,  including  among 
these  a  large  number  of  the  best  business  blocks,  school  buildings, 
churches,  etc.,  and  specimens  of  his  work  may  be  found  on  all  of  the 
principal  treets,  an?,  in  fact,  all  over  the  city.  He  was  energetic, 
pushing,  clear-headed,  and  could  always  be  relied  upon  to  live  up  to 
any  contract  be  made,  and  hence,  in  a  few  years,  became  a  successful 
man  and  one  of  the  leading  citizens.  Not  content  with  building  for 
others,  he  erected  a  number  of  stone  and  brick  buildings  on  his  own 
account,  principally  business  blocks.  A  few  years  since — in  1893 — lie 
tore  down  the  brick  building  previously  built  by  him,  on  the  corner  of 
Fifth  and  Mulberry,  and  at  once  commenced  tlie  erection  of  the  new 
and  magniflcents  Y'oungerman  block.  The  ground  covered  is  132x66, 
and  the  building  is  eight  stories  in  height  and  'Contains  about  110  busi- 
ness offices  and  suites.  It  is  a  handsome  building,  the  pride  of  the  city, 
and  an  .honor  to  'the  enterprise  and  skill  of  its  builder  and  owner. 

While  never  an  aspirant  for  political  honor's.  Mr.  I'oungerman 
served  in  tbe  City  Council  for  'Some  four  yeans  anjd  made  a  proud 
I'ecord  for  strict  'honesty  and  liberal,  far-seeing  work.  Full  of  pride 
in  the  city  he  aided  in  everything  he  thought  for  the  good  of  the  city. 
An  advocate  of  sewering,  paving  and  lighting,  his  practical  skill  aided 
greatly  in  pushing  forward  these  and  other  improvements. 

September  11,  18.56,  Conrad  Y'oungerman  was  married  to  Miss  Mienr 
Stark,  daughter  of  Louis  and  Miene  Stark.  They  have  six  sons  and 
one  daughter:  William  A.,  who  married  Alice  Longshore,  and  after 
her  death  married  Miss  Mollie  Lafferty,  and  has  two  children; 
George  H.  married  Miss  Sophia  Feltton  and  the.v  have  four  children; 
William  and  George  Youngerman  are  contractors,  Louis  'carries  on  a 
brickyard.  Carl  is  an  electrician.  August  is  a  jeweler,  and  Frank  is  in 


1044 


AXNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 


his  father's  ottice.  Minnie,  the  onlj-  daughter,  is  the  ^Yife  of  Fr.iJik 
r.  Mattes,  a  brewer. 

Mrs.  Youngerman  has  for  many  years  been  a  memlier  of  the 
Lmlierau  eliureh  and  ilr.  Youngerman  is  a  o-d  degree  Jlasun.  an  0<ld 
r'ellow  and  memlier  of  the  Knights  of  Tytliias.  He  is  liesidi's  his 
other  large  jiroperty  interests  also  interested  in  the  r>es  Muiues  and 
I^lk  County  banks  and  other  financial  institutions,  and  with  a  large 
influence  in  tinanei.al  and  liusiness  affairs. 

.\morig  the  liundreds  of  buildings  erected  in  Des  ^Ntoines  liy  Conrad 
Yonngei-man  luiglit  be  named:  The  Expusition  Building.  Tliird  and 
I>'ourth  AVard  and  East  Side  School  Houses,  Aboru  House,  Masonic 
Tenude.  Perry  I'dork,  and  three  bank  buildings.  In  fact  monuments 
of  liis  skill  and  I'uterprise  are  scattered  all  over  the  city. 


9^m^ 


MR.    K-   MRS.   .J.   D.    McGARRAUGH. 


This  well  known  eili/.on  of  folk  (tounty  was  binii  in  Higliland 
I'ounty,  Ohio,  November  :JS,  184.">,  and  was  l)rouglit  by  his  }),'irents  1o  tliis 
eounty  in  1S41I.  His  faUier  was  Ah'xandi'i-  Mc(  Jarraugli.  :ind  his  mother 
was  Hannali  C,  a  sister  ol'  Dr.  A.  Y.  Hull.  Tliey  all  came  to  Polk  Countv 
logeilu'r.  seltling  in  Caniii  t(jwnslii|i.  and  tliey  witli  Free!  .-mil  olliers  laid 
uut  I^afayelle.  wliieli  lieeamc  a  thriving  town  of  several  hundred  inliali- 
itants,  but  is  now  a  thing  of  the  past.  Young  .Joseph  went  first  to  a 
subscription  school,  taught  by  his  mother  in  their  own  log  cabin,  and 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1045 

subsequently  during  the  winter  months  to  district  school,  working  dur- 
ing most  of  the  year  at  farm  W(jrk. 

When  the  war  broke  out,  though  under  sixteen  year,s  of  age.  in  ISiil 
he  enlisted  in  Co,  E,  Fourteenth  Iowa.  Captain  Horlne.  He  was  with  his 
regiment  at  Fort  Donelson.  and  also  at  Sliiloh,  where  the  young  soldier 
was  captured  with  more  than  two  thousand  of  his  comrades.  They 
were,  however,  paroled  in  about  si.xty  days  and  some  nine  months  after 
capture  tliey  were  exchanged  and  McGarraugh  returned  to  his  reg- 
iment and  active  service.  Having  served  several  months  over  his  three 
years  young  McGarraugh  returned  to  his  home  In  Camp  Township  and 
again  took  up  his  labors  as  a  farmer.  In  1808  he  married  Clara  E.  Young, 
ilaughter  of  Valerius  W.  Y(jung.  an  early  pioneer,  who  at  an  earl.y  day 
ran  the  ferry  at  Fort  I>es  iloiues.  He  farmed  on  his  own  account  until 
18.81  wlien  he  came  to  Des  Moines  and  took  the  piosition  as  watchman  in 
the  old  State  House.  Subsequently  he  held  the  same  position  at  the 
new  capltol.  until  made  mail  carrier  for  the  State  officers  in  188.j. 

An  ardent  Republican,  he  had  taken  an  active  part  In  i)olitlcal  con- 
tests, and  in  1889  was  made  the  nominee  of  his  party  for  sheriff  (jf  the 
county,  (iwing  to  complications  and  divisions  growing  out  of  attempts 
to  enforce  the  prohibitory  law  he  was  defeated  by  seventy-three  votes. 
In  1891  he  was  again  a  candidate  and  was  elected  by  a  handsome  major- 
ity and  two  years  later  was  re-elected  by  a  largely  Increased  vote.  As 
sheriff  he  ^\-as  ])rom])t  in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties  and  won 
commendation  from  men  of  all  parties. 

In  .lanuary.  1890,  Mr.  JIciTarr.-iugh  retired  from  office  and  has  since 
devoted  his  time  to  settling  up  accounts  growing  out  of  his  official  sev- 
vices.  He  has  proven  himself  a  .good  soldier,  honest  and  efficient  public 
officer,  and  one  of  the  best  of  citizens.  And  his  good  wife  has  been  a 
blessing  and  helpmeet  to  him.  They  are  the  parents  of  five  children- 
two  boys  and  three  girls— Aleck.  Minnie.  Hannah  E.,  Herbert  B..  and 
Helen — Minnie  and  Hannali  being  married. 

Having  Iseen  appointed  Custodian  of  Puldic  Buildings  and  Property 
by  (roveruor  Shaw.  April  1.  189S.  he  enterei"!  upon  the  discliarge  of  tlie 
duties  of  this  resixinsilde  ottice  and  is  discharging  them  with  tin' 
promptness  and  ability  which  has  characterized  all  his  official  work. 


MRS.  CHLOE  BLACK  EASTRIDGE. 

Mrs.  Chloe  Black  Eastrid.ge  was  born  in  the  town  of  Salisbury.  North 
Carolina,  August  21,  1810.  She  had  one  sister  and  one  brother,  the  latter 
subse(iuently  serving  several  terms  in  the  Indiana  Legislature.  Her 
parents  and  family  started  for  Indiana  in  181-t.  but  stopped  in  Pulaski 
County,  Kentucky,  for  three  years.  There  Miss  Chloe  first  went  to 
school.  The  school  house  was  a  log  cabin  and  the  first  reader  a  testa- 
ment. The  family  removed  to  (_)hlo.  where  they  remamed  one  .year, 
and  then  in  1818  settled  In  CentrevUle.  Wayne  County.  Indiana.  There 
the  young  girl  finished  her  education.  In  18l'4  Miss  Chloe  Black  was 
married  to  William  Eastridge,  and  en.ioyed  man.y  years  of  nmrried  life. 
They  had  eight  children,  six  of  whom  reached  maturity. 

The  family  came  to  Polk  County  In  1850,  settling  in  the  village  of 
Dudley  on  the  west  .side  of  the  Des  Moines  River.  The  next  year  came 
the  great  Hood  of  18.")1.  In  telling  of  that  time  Mrs.  Eastridge  gives 
interesting  reminiscences.  The  town  was  entirely  overflowed  and  as 
the  hotel  was  the  only  two-story  building,  to  that  flocked  most  of  the 
people.  But  she  was  afraid  it  might  go,  or  that  her  children  might  b(; 
drowned  in  It,  and  they  decide<I  to  take  refuge  on  one  of  the  few  knolls 
which  were  out  of  water  and  from  there  thej'  were  taken  In  a  skifC  to  an 
Island  where  thej-  were  forced  to  remain  five  days.  Then  they  were 
taken  out  in  a  ferry-boat  manned  by  fifteen  men  and  placed  on  the  high 


1046 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


ground  on  the  east  siilc  of  the  river.  Among  the  other  families  rescued 
in  this  \v:\y  were  tliosc  of  Uuhert  Wallace,  Frederick  Strunilio  anil  Val- 
erius Young,  Mrs,  Eastridge"s  son-in-law,  and  father  of  Mrs,  Jos.  D, 
McGarraugh,  The  ferry-lioat  was  owned  by  Edward  Martin.  Among 
those  then  in  Dudley  was  Dr,  "\V,  H,  Ward,  so  long  a  noted  physician  of 
Des  Moines, 

The  Eastrid.ge  family  then  remained  in  Camp  Township,  settling  in 
the  town  of  Adelphi,  In  ISCS  ilr.  Eastridge  became  ]mis1  master  at 
Adelphi,  and  helil  the  ])ost  until  his  death  in  1881,  the  office  being  kept 
in  his  house.  After  lier  liusl)and's  death  Mrs,  Eastriilge  continued  to 
reside  in  Adelphi  for  four  years,  when  she  went  to  the  home  of  her 
son,  "Willi.am,  near  liy,  where  she  has  since  resided,  and  is  now  well  and 
hearty  as  could  lie  expected  of  one  in  lier  sOdi  year,  more  than  half  of 
which  lias  been  lived  in  Pf)lk  County. 


iii;xi;y  c.  hai!(!1S. 


One  of  llie  early  si 
<\  Hargis,  wild  seltlc 
I>es  Moines,  in  is.iri, 
timber  near  by.     'This 


tilers  and  lirsi  fanners  of  I'olk  Ciinnly  is  Ilenr.y 
I,  in  Klenmlield  To wiisliiii,  williin  a  few  miles  of 
upon  a  farm  of  ;j20  aei-es,  wiPh  fortj'  acres  of 
he  soon  made  one  of  the  most  valuable  farms  of 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1047 

Uie  county,  aii'd  there  he  has  resided  for  more  than  forty-two  years. 

Mr.  Hargis  was  born  in  Pulaski  County,  KeutuelYy,  February  21, 
182(1.  His  father,  Thomas  Hargis,  was  a  native  of  the  same  State, 
but  Ids  parents  were  \'irgini.-uis.  of  ^A'elsll  ancestry.  He  married 
Naomi  Barnes,  an  estimable  lady  of  Englisli  stock.  They  had  fourteen 
clrildren.  oi'  wbiHu  but  five  are  now  living.  Tlie  father  served  in  the 
AVar  of  1S12.  ant  was  at  tlie  battle  of  New  Orleans,  .January  8,  181.">. 
He  farmed  in  Kentucky  until  1829,  w"hen  lie  removed  with  his  family  to 
Kilgar  County,  Illinois,  where  they  resiiled  aljout  one  year.  Owiug  to 
I'lie  ivrevalenee  of  malarial  fevers  in  their  new  home,  the  family  again 
moved  to  Cay  ('ounty.  Indiana,  and  sulisccjueutly  removed  to  Macon 
Cnunty,  Missouri,  in  18.'58.  There  the  father  died,  in  184G,  the  mother 
dying  in  18.".4. 

Henr.y  remained  with  I  lie  family,  gathering  a  g'ood  education  in  the 
common  schools,  until  his  fifteenth  year,  when  he  became  an  appren- 
tice to  the  'tanning  business,  and,  after  his  term  of  service,  remained 
witli  ills  employer  for  five  years.  In  1.840  he  opened  a  tannery  for 
liimself.  He  was  to  furnish  the  liark  and  ma.teriwl.  while  his  paremts 
furnished  fhe  capital,  and  was  to  have  one-half  the  upper  leather  and 
one^third  the  sole  leather  tixv  his  work.  Tliese  aiTangements  were  car- 
ried out  for  three  years,  wlien  Henry  liuilt  a  new  tanuei-y  nf  his  own 
in  Shelby  Connty.  Indiana.  This  he  conducted  for  nine  years  with 
success.  Bark  becoming  scai'ce,  he  sold  out,  and  for  two  years  turned 
his  attention  to  farming.  He  then  determined  to  come  west,  and,  after 
looking  around,  made  his  permanent  home  in  this  county. 

XTpon  the  tract  lie  pjurchaised  v\'as  a  small  frame  house,  into  which 
(lie  Hairgis  family  went,  and  at  once  commenced  (he  laboring  task 
of  making  the  siplendiit  f,i;rm  wbicli  in  a  few  years  was  the  result  of 
their  laboi-s.  At  one  time  Mr.  Hargis  had  over  five  hundred  aic-res  of 
laml,  but  subsequently  gave  two  hundred  acres  of  it  to  his  son.  Here 
he  has  built  up  a  comfortable  and  alwaj's  hospitable  homie.  He  lias 
alwa.vs  been  a  good  neig'hlior.  fast  fi-ienj;l.  and  leading  citizen.  A  good 
and  pirogTes.sive  farmer  himself,  he  'has  always  been  the  special  friend 
of  farmers  and  a  cliamjiion  of  tlieir  rigiits  and  interests. 

An  original  Wlii.'j.  he  was  (Uie  of  the  founders  nf  the  Kc]iuldican 
party,  and  acted  with  this  party  for  many  years.  But  when  he  thought 
that  pai-ty  was  too  much  undei-  the  control  of  monoiiolies  ami  corjiora- 
tions.  he  was  manly  and  independent  enough  to  condemn  its  managers 
and  policy.  He  then  .•icted  with  the  Peri])les  and  Democratic  parties. 
He  was  (he  nominee  of  the  C-reonback  p.irty  fur  Stale  Treasurer  in 
1872.  for  Elector  in  1870.  for  State  Scnatiir  in  188,',.  nnd  was  ailso  the 
opposition  can  iiidate  for  Congress  in  Mie  dis:rict.  polling  a  very  large 
vote,  running  aliead  of  liis  ticket.  .\iid  yi't  he  never  person.nlly  souglit 
n   nominntion  for  ofHcc. 

December  22.  1842,  Mr.  Hni-gis  wiis  innn'iel  to  Miss  Eliziibctli  Ken- 
nedy, a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Margnrci  il'lcming)  Kennedy.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  of  Si'utrh-lrisli  (irigin,  wliilc  lier 
mother  wns  lioni  in  Wr.sli'iigton  Cruniy,  r  ■nnsylv.-ini.-i.  nf  Scotch  par- 
entage. Her  fnthcr  died  in  18:!:t.  wliili'  her  nioHier  livnl  until  1880, 
lacking,  nt  the  tinie  of  her  death,  niily  four  nmnllis  of  lieing  one  hun- 
dred yais  (dd.  Mr.  ;iiid  Mrs.  Hari'is  li;i\-e  tliree  chihlmi.  ill  S)iis: 
Thomas  T.  and  Zac^lnary  T.  are  fanners  in  Bloomfiel  1  I'nwiisliiii.  and 
.Tohn  11.  is  farming  in  the  .ad.ioining''  county  of  "Warnm.  Mi-s.  H.argis 
is  one  of  the  noljle  pioneer  women,  who,  as  wives,  inotliers  and  neigli- 
brirs,  are  "the  salt  of  the  earMi."  This  Worthy  couvde.  in  their  more 
tlwm  forty  years  of  cnntinuous  resid->nce  in  Polk  Cnunty.  have  seen 
nieiny  changes  and  liave  done  tlieir  share  in  imiirnvnnicid  and  ad- 
vancement. May  tiiey  lotig  live  to  enjov  tlie  comfnits  iliey  have  earned 
is  the  wish   of   their   ni.any   hunlrcds   nf   fiienls. 


1048 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


ANTHONY   .M.   MII.l.EU. 


This  well-kiKiw  Mtrnnii'v  of  Itfs  Miiini's  was  biiru  in  Kansas,  January 
7,  Is.'iS.  in  Bnilinj;ron,  CuttVy  Cimnty.  His  t'atlu'r.  Ailani  JI.  Milk'i', 
"svent  to  Kansas  a  yonnji  man.  sliortly  after  the  TeiTilciry  was  apened 
to  sottlcniFiit,  anil  took  an  active  part  in  tlie  stin-in,^'  event's  of  that 
lieriod.  He  rhen  nian-ieil  Miss  .Mary  Ann  Henry,  a  native  of  Peuiisy!- 
vania.  and  sliortly  after  tliey  removed  from  I'olk  Cinmty.  Iowa,  and 
settled  in  Coffey  County,  where  their  son  was  born.  The  border  war 
was  then  at  ils  lieiulii  in  that  Territory,  and  collisions  lietween  rhe 
free  and  the  sl.ave  stalesmen  were  of  freijuent  occurrence.  The  \insetlled 
sf.-ite  of  affairs  in  tlie  Teri'ifory  caused  Mr.  Jliller  later  on  to  remove 
with  Ids  f.imily  lo  Missouri,  liut  not  lieini;-  satisfied  there  he  soon 
hrcJUfiht  his  faniih'  liack  to  I'olk  County.  Iowa,  and  settleil  in  Sayhu-- 
ville  .where  he  went  to  woi-k  :is  a  blacksmith.  He  afterwards  went  to 
Polk  City  .ind  established  a  plow  ami  Ava.n'ou  shop,  where  he  died  in 
March  .ISii.'i.  The  widow  su)isei|\U'ntly  married  Philip  Pianous  wIki  dieil 
In  .May.  ISSP,  Slie  was  the  mother  of  three  children  by  her  first  hus- 
liand:  Anthony  'SI.,  of  wliom  this  sketcli  is  made;  Helen,  wife  of  Albert 
Ilarvey.  a  farmer  in  Calhoun  ('o\inty.  and  Maniace.  who  is  on  the  police 
force  in  Des  Moines,  (►ni-  son  w.as  liorn  of  the  second  marriage,  Jewse, 
who  lives  on  the  honu'slead  with  his  mother. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DA^S'  MOINES.  1049 

Antiioijy  M.  Miller,  coining  here  as  a  child,  h,-is  passed  his  life  in  this 
eount.v.  At  an  ear],v  age  he  deferniineil  to  scrnre  u  thorough  eiiucation, 
and  did  this  imistl.v  through  his  own  exertion,  his  industry  and  persc- 
verence.  Starting  in  at  the  common  schools  he  maua.ged  to  attend  the 
high  schO(d  in  Des  Jloines  for  two  .years.  By  iiaying  his  own  way  by 
teaching  he  passed  four  years  in  the  State  Agricultural  College  at 
Ames,  graduating  with  honors  in  l.SS.",,  For  three  years  he  taught  in  the 
public  schools  of  Des  iloine.s  .  Having  a  fondness  for  the  study  of  law 
in  1880  he  entered  the  ofllce  of  Hon.  C.  C  .Cole,  under  whose  in,sfructiu!i 
he  studied  law  for  some  time.  He  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law 
at  the  January,  1889,  term  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  at  once  entered 
upon  his  legal  work.  In  188C  he  had  Iseen  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  was  re-elected  in  1888.  He  has  applied  himself  studiously  to  his 
profession  ami  has  won  deserved  succes.s. 

In  June,  188.1,  Mr.  Miller  was  marrieil  to  Miss  ilaniie  Chandler,  third 
daughter  of  (Jeorge  "\V,  and  Elizal;eTli  .1  .Chandler,  who  are  both 
natives  of  New  York;  and  former  residents  of  Boone  Cotint.v,  Iowa,  liut 
now  residents  of  lies  Moines.  They  removed  at  once  to  their  own 
home.  Xo.  1314  East  Thirteenth  streei,  Des  Moines,  bein.g  then  called 
Capita  IPark,  where  they  have  resideil  ever  since.  The}'  have  two  chil- 
dren, a  son,  Herbert,  born  September  Tth,  18!HI,  and  a  daughter,  Eloise, 
liorn  June  4tli  .bS!)4  Having  been  an  old  teacher  he  takes  a  deep  inler- 
est  in  srhdids.  and  is  liow  secretary  of  tin'  Capital  Park  School  District, 


A-^'IELIAM   MATTHEWS. 

For  more  than  thirty-five  years  has  William  Mattltews  and  family 
been  r(  sideuts  of  Des  Moines,  well  known  ami  po]iular.  He  was  Itoni 
in  Jefferson  county,  Ohio,  April  1,  1824,  on  "All  Fools'  da.v,"  His  iiar- 
ents  were  originally  from  Penns.vlvanai,  and  were  among  the  earl.v  set- 
tlers of  (Jhio,  Educated  in  the  schools  of  that  day,  he  finished  his  edu- 
cation in  the  mercantile  establishments  of  the  time,  finishing  up  with 
a  three  years'  course  in  the  city  of  Pittsburg.  Upon  reaching  his  ma,ior- 
it.v  he;  entered  into  business  for  himself  in  his  native  town  of  Smithtield, 
Active,  energetic,  pleasant  and  accommodating  to  all,  he  became  a  most 
successful  salesman  and  business  mana.ger. 

But  the  west  had  attractions  for  him.  and  in  1801  he  removeil  with 
his  famil.v  to  Iowa,  reachin.g  Des  Moines  July  2Uth  of  that  year,  and 
here  he  has  since  continuousl.v  resided.  He  at  once  entered  the  ottice  of 
his  brother-in-law,  Lewis  Kiusey,  the  clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  and 
remained  with  him  as  chief  clerk  for  four  years,  or  until  Jlr.  Kinsey 
retired  from  this  office.  He  then  again  entered  into  mercantile  busi- 
ness, .anil  was  clerk  or  book-keeper  for  Laird  Bros,,  the  ICulms  and  other 
lu-ominent  firms.  In  1880  he  went  into  the.  coal  business  and  has  con- 
tinued in  this  line  ever  since,  with  tlie  exception  of  four  years  when  he 
acted  as  deputy  city  clerk.  He  was  first  with  tliei  Eureka  Coal  Coni- 
pan.v,  and  afterwards  with  the  Black  Diamond,  and  for  several  years 
past  and  is  now  with  the  Dunreath  Coal  Cfjmpany,  in  char.ge  of  the  city 
office.  He  thorotighlj'  understands  this  now  important  trade,  and  is 
noted  for  his  prompt  manner  of  doing  business,  his  strict  integritv  and 
happ.v  and  courteous  treatment  of  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 
Politically  he  is  a  liberal-minded  republican,  anil  was  one  of  the  original 
organizers  of  that  now  great  political  party. 

In  June.  ],841l.  William  ilattliews  was  marrieil  in  <  >hio  to  Rebecca 
Kinse.v,  and  their  married  life  of  now  ne.arl.v  fifty  years  has  been  a 
very  happ.v  one.  They  have  been  blessed  with  six  children,  five  of 
whom  are  now  living.    The  onl.v  son  is  in  the  plumbin,g  btisiness  in  Seat- 


1050  ANNALS  OF  POLE  COUNTY 

tie,  Washington,  while  the  daughters  all  reside  in  Des  Moines.  They 
are  Mrs.  Dr.  Hatton.  Mrs.  J.  C.  Maey,  Miss  Elizabeth  Matthews,  a 
noted  teacher,  now  the  head  of  a  training  school  for  teachers  in  kinder- 
garten worlv.  and  Jliss  Nellie,  now  society  reporter  for  the  Leader. 
They  are  a  briglit.  interesting  and  hapyiy  family,  and  like  Mr.  Matthews 
liiniself,  universally  popular  anioug  their  many  friends. 

Attn-  ilie  nlxive  sketch  was  written  and  in  type  Mr.  ilatthews  be- 
came a  Tictim  to  cancer,  and,  after  weary  weeks  of  'suffering,  borne 
will)  patience  and  courage,  he  died,  Jlay  22,  1898,  thus  ending  a  useful 
life.  His  memory  will  live  in  the  thoughts  of  many  friends  who  knew 
liis  nnolitrusive  manliui-ss  and  worth. 


G.  VAN  GINKEL. 


Some  men  will  succeed  where  others  fail.  They  push  forward 
steadily  and  iiersistently,  and  through  many  difficulties  win  deserved 
success.  One  of  these  men  is  G.  Van  Ginkel.  now  .a  well-known  business 
}nau  of  Des  Moines.  Born  in  Holland  in  1849,  he  came  with  his  parents 
to  this  country  in  185.5,  lauding  at'Now  Orleans  and  traveling  up  the 
Mississiiipi  valley  to  Pella,  the  Holland  colony  in  Marion  Couuty,  Iowa. 
Here  he  went  to  school  and  labored  for  several  years,  and  then  into  the 
l)rinting  office  of  the  Pella  Week  Blad,  with  Henry  Hospers,  now  a 
lianker  and  state  senator  from  Sioux  County.  A  few  years  later, 
considering  Des  Moines  the  great  cit3'  of  the  future,  he  came  here,  and 
for  a  time  worked  as  a  printer  in  the  offices  of  this  city,  as  he  had  for  a 
short  time  worked  in  (^liicago,  Michigan  and  other  ])laces.  When  he 
could  not  find  work  as  a  ])rinter  he  Avas  ready  for  any  other  kind  of 
honest  toil  aud  liusked  corn  for  $1.()0  per  day. 

In  18(i9  Mr.  Van  Ginkel  secured  land  south  of  the  Raccoon  River  and 
commenced  market  gardening  on  a  small  scale.  He  attended  strictly  to 
I lusiness— worked  early  and  late — extended  his  operations  and  devoted 
tlurfeen  years  to  a  work  wliich  he,  by  industry  and  skill,  made  a  success. 
Becoming  interested  in  coal  lands  near  his  gardens,  he  gradually  drifted 
into  mining  aud  in  a  few  years  became  one  of  the  leading  coal  operators 
(^f  tliis  city  and  state.  He  opened  during  this  time  three  coal  mines  aud 
always  managed  to  keep  on  good  terms  with  his  miners.  He  met  with 
or  rather  made  success  wliere  others  failed.  The  A'an  (linkel  mines 
were  noted  among  the  coal  mines  of  Iowa. 

Living  at  the  then  suburban  town  of  Sevastopol,  Mr.  Van  Ginkel  orig- 
inated the  idea  of  a  street  rajiwaj'  connecting  with  the  city.  Action  fol- 
lowed planning,  and  in  (-(Uijunction  with  a  few  others  Van  Ginkel  soon 
liuilt  tliis  road  and  liad  it  in  successful  operation.  Then  Mr.  Van  Ginkel 
.■lud  a  few  others  applicil  to  the  council  for  a  charter  for  a  broad  guage 
railway  wifliin  the  city  limits.  This  grant  was  bitterly  opposed  l)y  the 
comjiany  then  in  possession.  At  first  only  one  alderman,  Michael  Drady, 
fa\(jred  it.  But  Mr.  A'an  Ginlvcl  and  his  associates  were  determinec? 
and  persistent.  A  year  later  tlic  clinrter  was  gr.anted.  The  uew  company 
at  once  commenced  laying  miles  of  track  and  although  persistenly  pur- 
sued by  le.gal  suits  and  injunctions  procured  by  the  old  company,  finally 
liad  cars  running  over  several  miles  of  track,  giving  to  the  people  a 
greatly  improveil  service.  Finally  the  supreme  court  decided  against 
Mr.  Van  Ginkel  and  his  associates,  holding  the  old  company  had  exclu- 
sive right  to  so  use  the  streets  of  the  city.  This  was  discijuraging.  but 
Mr.  Van  Ginkel  refused  to  give  up.  After  a  year's  struggle  n  rehearing 
was  had  and  the  courts  mollified  its  ojiinion  by  gi\ing  the  olil  company 
the  exclusive  i-ight  only  of  cars  drawn  liy  liorses,  or  power  l<uowu  at  the 
time  of  granting  charter, 

Elecliic  <-ars  were  1lieu  only   in  the  experimental  stage.    But   Van 


.„,,., 


-■TSTHrTEcTS'-'  ^ 


105^  ANNALS  OF  FOLK  COUNTY 

Giiik(jl  iV  I  '(I.  saw  their  way  out  of  their  troubles.  They  had  sagacity  aud 
nerve.  Tliey  uiaile  the  first  contract  ever  made  with  the  now  great 
Thonijison-Hduston  Company,  of  Philadelphia,  for  electric  motive  power 
for  a  street  railway.  They  rebuilt  their  line,  purchased  six  passenger 
cars,  and  overcoming  many  ditticulties,  in  a  few  months  had  in  operation 
the  se(/ond  line  of  electric  cars  in  operation  in  the  west.  Tliis  was  in  18S8. 
This  success  was  certain  deatli  to  the  horse  cars.  After  (jperatin.g  and 
extending  tlieir  lines  with  great  success  and  proving  to  the  satisfaction 
of  all  that  electricity  was  the  coming  motive  power  for  street  railways, 
A'an  (iinlvel  and  his  associates  sold  out  to  a  new  company,  headeil  b.v 
.Teff.  S.  Polk,  which  had  bought  out  the  old  company,  and  desired  to  com- 
bine all  the  interests  into  one  lar.ge  company.  Van  (^Jiuiiel  and  his 
associates  had  won  victory  out  of  ajiparent  defeat  and  were  well  repaid 
for  their  euteriirise  and  courage.  Su))se(iuentl.v  Mr.  Van.  (linkel  became 
interested  in  the  building  of  street  I'ailways  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  and 
other  places,  liut  lias  since  disposed  of  his  interests  in  the  same. 

In  ISO."  ilr.  ^'an  Ginl%;el  commenced  tlie  erection  of  the  Oliservatory 
P.uilding  cju  tlie  corner  of  Locust  and  Fourth  streets.  This  building,  the 
tallest  in  tlie  city,  was  completed  earl.v  in  1806.  It  is  GTx.SO 
feet,  nine  stories  liigl),  with  an  oljservatory  building  on  to]i 
sixty-nine  feet  in  hei.ght.  The  main  roof  has  beeU'  admirably 
,'irraiiged  for  a  garden,  witli  stage  and  other  appurtenances  of  a  theatre, 
and  has  soon  become  a  very  popular  place  of  resort.  In  tne  main  build- 
ing itself  .'ire  1-10  rooms  well  liglitcd  and  elegantly  finished.  The  arrange- 
ments .■Hid  .'ippointnients  are  complete,  and  the  building  will  stand  for 
years  a  noble  monument  to  the  enterprise  and  liberalitv  of  Mr.  Van 
(Jinkel. 


Pamef,  f).  Net.sox 
William  Peiere. 


liOiiExz  111. 

I  'il\i:les  a.  KoEiiLEr.. 


lU5i  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


DANIEL  O.  NELSON 

Was  buru  iu  1S47,  ai  ileer  Koldiug,  Deumark,  Avliere  he  remained 
imtil  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age.  Then  he,  like  many  others,  sought 
tor  lietter  advantages  in  a  new  eouulry.  He  came  to  the  United  States 
iu  ISOCi,  and,  stopping  fur  a  time  in  Uavenport  aud  Iowa  City,  came  to 
l>es  Moines  in  December,  1866.  Since  that  time  he  has  beeu  iu  business 
iu  Des  Moines  contiuuously,  with  the  exception  of  four  years,  and  has 
beeu  successful.  His  geuial  good  nature  and  readiness  to  oblige  have 
made  him  hosts  of  friends,  while  his  business  tact  and  energy  have 
made  bim  successful  tiuancially.  For  a  number  of  years  he  lias  beeu 
proprietor  and  landlord  of  the  well-known  Nelson  House,  on  the  East 
Side,  near  the  Northwestern  Railroad  depot,  aud  L»an  Nelson  himself  is 
must  favorably  known  to  thousand's  of  people  inside  and  outside  of  L>es 
Muines. 

In  Decemlier,  ISTli,  r>au,  O.  Nelson  married  Mis's  Emma  Coouey,  and 
the.v  have  four  children,  oue  Ijoj-  anil  three  girls. 

AA'ILLIAM  PKIEBE 

Was  liorn  iu  li.-mtsig,  AVest  Prussia,  Germany,  March  4,  1863.  In 
1S8U  his  father  and  mother,  with  their  eigiu  children,  emigrated 
to  Iowa  and  came  direct  to  Des  Moines,  where  they  liave 
since  resided.  "William  was  then  but  seventeen  years  of  age.  After 
attending  scliool  for  a  few  years  he  engaged  in  business  for  himself, 
becoming  ijitcicsled  in  a  drug  store.  He  was  pushing  and  energetic  and 
made  friends.  He  also  became  somewhat  interested  in  other  lines  of 
trade,  ^^'he^  what  is  termed  the  "mulct  law"  went  into  effect,  aud  the 
sale  of  siiirituous  and  m-alt  licjuoi'S  was  legalized,  young  Priebe  estab- 
lished ou  Court  Avenue,  in  the  Aborn  House  building,  oue  of  the  best 
kuowji  saloons  in  the  city,  "'The  Quiet  Place",  which  he  has  conducted, 
as  the  name  indicates,  in  a  quiet,  legal  and  gentlemanly  manner  and 
made  successful  in  every  way. 

loi:enz  ill 

Was  born  iu  Frieseuiem,  Baden.  Germany.  August  2,  185-t.  He 
.ittended  the  schools  of  his  native  town  tor  a  few  years,  when,  in  1867, 
liis  father  and  mother,  v\'ith  their  eight  children,  emigrated  to  the 
T'uileil  States,  and  in  the  same  year  settled  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  when 
L(jrcnz  was  thirleen  years  of  age.  The  latter  attended  school  for  one 
.\'ear  and  then  euteretl  the  bindery  of  Akers,  Blaekmar  &  Co.,  with 
wliom  ho  remained  six  years.  He  came  to  Des  Moines  in  April,  1876, 
;ind  w(rrkcd  as  a  book  binder  for  Mills  &  Co.,  and  also  for  Carter  A; 
Iliissey. 

May  23.  1S78.  he  was  married  to  Miss  Euphemia  iSluelhaupt,  and  sub.- 
sequently  became  a  partner  v\ith  his  wife's  father  in  a  liook  store.  He 
afterwards  was  in  business  with  Ricliard  Wolgeiuuth  for  some  time. 
In  ilarch.  187'.l.  he  rented  the  Des  Moines  IIousc',  i-orner  of  Bast  First 
.ind  Walnut  streets,  aud  rapidly  touilt  up  a  profitable  business.  In  188.3 
lie  purchased  t))e  property  and  erected  the  present  'buildings.  He  was 
energetic  and  enterprising  and  successftil  in  this  and  other  lines  of 
business.  He.  however,  was  not  fortunate  in  the  TJnlou  Scale  Works, 
stiffering  through  that  company  a  loss  of  some  .$16,000.  This  loss  was 
.■I  heavy  one,  but  Lorenz  111  met  it  with  courage  aud  by  his  resolute 
iTiergy  soon  made  victory  follow  defeat.  The  Des  Moines  House  is  well 
and  f.ivoralily  known  .nnd  its  owner  stands  high  among  the  straiglit- 
foi'w.-ird.  liiiiiiii'niilr  and  energetic  business  men  of  Des  Moines. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1055 

Mr.s.  111.  a  noble  wife  and  ninther.  died  Aiiril  14,  1800,  leaving  foiu' 
sons,  Cliarie.s,  cashier  in  .Stigliiz  grocery  store;  Edward  L.  and  .losejili, 
in  the  High  School,  and  Harry  K.,  a  xjupil  in  the  German  Citholie 
school,  (m  April  liJ,  189S,  ilr.  Ill  was  married  to  Miss  Mathilda  Kod- 
dewig,  of  Davenport,  a  most  e'stimable  lady,  who  at  once  took  her  proper 
l^lace  as  mistress  of  his  home  and  house. 

CIIAKLES  ALEXANDER  BOEHLER. 

This  well  known  citizen  of  Des  Moiues  was  born  at  Waldshtit,  on  the 
beautiful  Rhine,  in  the  (irand  Duchy  of  Baden,  August  31,  ISoti.  He 
was  educated  in  the  scliools  of  his  native  town.  At  the  age  of  thirteen 
he  was  engaged  in  carrying  the  mails,  and  afterwards  called  upon  ti- 
make  himself  useful  in  a  hotel  and  saloon,  the  postotiice  and  hotel  being 
connected.  After  four  years  of  this  service  he  left  his  home  for  the 
United  States,  landing  in  New  York,  August  19,  18.54,  with  his  sister, 
Mrs.  JIary  Forster.  He  worked  in  different  places  while  in  that  city, 
and.  in  August,  185S,  went  to  New  Orleans,  and  there  found  yellow 
fe-\er  raging.  At  that  time  fifty  to  one  hundred  deaths  and  many 
scores  of  new  cases  were  reported  eacli  day.  The  young  traveler's  feel- 
ings can  lie  imagined  in  finding  such  a  state  of  affairs  existing.  First 
stopping  in  a  large  hotel,  fnll  of  guests,  in  a  short  time  there  were  no 
men  left  in  tiie  iiouse  Imt  *he  Ijoolclceeper  and  himself,  even  the  landlord 
dying  of  tlie  fever.  During  that  epiilemic  he  was  himself  well  and 
hearty.  During  the  following  winter  he  worked  in  Wieliel's  coffee  rooms, 
but  in  the  spring,  when  the  warm  weather  began,  fearing  another  dose 
of  "Yellow  .Tack",  he  returned  to  New  York,  landing  there  Jlay  28.  1859. 
He  then  took  liis  oLl  place  in  a  restaurant  and  confectioner.v  on  Broad- 
way, opposite  Trinity  church. 

On  June  12,  1859,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Brutsciie,  at  the  St. 
Nicholas  church,  in  New  Yorlv  City.  They  remained  in  that  city  until 
the  following  October,  when  they  returned  to  New  Orleans.  They 
lived  in  the  latter  city  until  August,  1804.  during  war  times,  when  they 
saw  many  strange  sights.  Many  of  the  ofHeers  of  the  army  came  to  the 
restaurant  in  which  he  was  v\-orking,  and  one  of  the  sutlers  persuaded 
him  to  go  with  iiini  with  the  12Sth  New  Yorlc  regiment,  under  command 
of  Col.  .lames  P.  Foster.  He  went  with  the  reg'ment  to  Donaldsonville. 
Louisiana,  in  August,  1863,  where  the  whole  Nineteenth  Army  Corps 
was  then  stationed.  Many  thousand  tents  were  stretched  about,  and  it 
looked  like  a  large  city.  In  a  few  weeks  they  were  ordered  up  the 
Mississippi  to  Plarpiemine.  where  they  remained  some  two  mon'this,  and 
were  then  sent  to  Baton  Rotige,  the  capital  of  the  state.  There  they 
found  the  fine  capitol  building  only  a  mass  of  ruins.  They  remained 
there  all  winter  and.  in  March,  1864,  a  move  was  made  up  Red  river, 
and  •subsequentl.v  was  engaged  in  that  famous  'battle.  After  this  the 
whole  Nineteenth  Army  Corps  was  moved  down  to  Algiers,  across  the 
i-iver  from  New  Orleans.  There  the  old  sutler  left  for  home,  and  Col. 
Foster  gave  Mr.  Boeliler  the  appointment,  upon  the  recommendations 
of  all  the  officers  of  the  regiment.  Here  he  marie  some  money  for  him- 
self. While  sutler,  at  one  time  he  cleared  .$1,300  in  eleven  days,  an  1 
had  $300  worth  of  goods  left. 

In  August.  1804.  Mr.  Boeiiler  moved  to  Iowa,  settling  in  Des  :\[oine-^. 
At  first  he  was  engaged  in  the  hotel  business,  being  for  some  lime  the 
landlord  of  the  formerly  noted  Grout  House,  on  East  Court  avenue. 
April  12.  1805,  he  removed  to  the  corner  of  East  First  ,ind  Court  ave 
nue.  He  purchased  the  lots,  opened  a  saloon  and  bill'ard  hall,  and 
subsequently  erected  the  present  large  hrick  Imihling.  For  now  more 
than  one-third  of  a  century  Mr.  anil  Mrs.  Boehlei-  have  lived  on  the 
same  lot  in  this  city,  and  no  ninn  in  the  city  stands  higher  as  an  lionest. 


1056 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 


straislitfdi'wai'd  uinii  nml  kind,  yeiifi'ons  Ufinlilior  than  does  Charles  A. 
Bfiehler,  while  Jlrs.  Boeliler  is  esteemed  auil  loyed  by  all  Avhn  know  her. 

To  them  have  lieen  lioru  seven  children,  two  of  whom  are  dead.  The 
living-  are:  Marie  Louis.i.  now  ilrs.  Kuhlman;  Albert  Otto,  Anna  Kath- 
eriiie.  now  Mrs.  ]ir.  Andci-son  (these  were  all  born  in  New  (Orleans); 
Marie  Antoinette,  nmv  Mrs.  .1.  V.  (»'Xeil.  and  Andrew  Frank,  liorii  in  Des 
Moines. 


AiYZ)  THE  CITY  OF  DES  MOINES.  1057 


GEORGE  A.  MILLER. 


The  head  of  the  George  A.  Miller  Printing  Company  was  born  in 
Rochester,  New  York,  August  IS,  1841'.,  the  son  of  Mark  and  Abby  A. 
Miller.  When  a  child  his  parents  removed  West,  first  settling  in  Racine, 
Wisconsin,  and  subsequently  in  Dubuque,  Iowa.  In  18(12  his  fatlier  came 
to  Des  Moines  and  established  the  Iowa  Homestead.  Young  George 
made  two  trips  between  the  capital  and  Dubuque  with  team  and  wagon, 
the  first  time  hauling  printing  material  and  the  second  trip  with  house- 
hold goods.  Here  young  George  served  an  apprenticeship  at  printing 
in  the  Register  office  with  Frank  W.  Palmer.  Becoming  a  journeyman, 
he  subsequently  was  foreman   of  the   Omaha   Republican   and   Herald, 


1058  ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY 

in  1867-8,  and  did  tlie  first  press  worlc  by  steam  in  tlie  state  of  Nebraslca, 
and  printed  tlie  first  daily  morning  newspaper  in  tliat  state. 

Returning  to  Des  Moines,  lie  lieeame  toi  eman  in  tlie  press  room  of 
the  printing  and  binding  establishment  of  Carter  &  Hussey,  with  whom 
he  remained  ten  years.  In  1880  he  bought  the  job  office  of  the  State 
Leader  and  became  associated  with  J.  F.  Giilon,  and  afterwards  with  the 
firm  of  Miller,  Girton  &  Walters.  In  1886,  Mr.  Girton  retired  from  the 
firm,  and  in  1888  Mr.  Miller  purchased  the  Walters  interest  and  con- 
tinued the  business  in  his  own  name,  and  largely  extended  the  same. 
In  1894,  desiring  to  give  some  of  the  young  men  who  had  grown  up  in 
the  business  an  opportunity  for  advancement,  he  organized  the  present 
George  A.  Miller  Printing  Company,  and  removed  to  much  larger  and 
more  convenient  quarters. 

Mr.  Miller  has  always  devoted  himself  closely  to  the  financial  and 
business  management  of  the  company,  and  at  the  same  time  has  made 
it  progressive  and  up  to  date.  His  was  the  first  job  prijiting  house  in 
the  state  to  introduce  the  new  type  setting  machine  and  other  of  the  later 
improvements.  He  has  been  and  is  a  large  employer  of  labor,  and  during 
the  late  years  of  depression,  1893-7,  paid  out  for  labor  each  year  an 
average  of  more  than  $17,000.  A  workman  himself,  he  is  and  always  has 
been  the  workman's  friend.  Quiet  and  unassuming,  he  is  yet  rapid  in 
his  work  and  qiiick  in  his  decisions.  By  his  own  foresight,  untii'ing  in- 
dustry, and  fair,  honest  dealing,  he  built  up  the  present  large  establish- 
ment, which  is  not  only  an  honor  to  himself,  but  also  to  the  city  and 
state.  With  the  exception  of  two  years  in  Nebraska  and  one  year  in 
Florida,  Mr.  Miller  has  been  a  resident  of  Des  Moines  since  .January, 
1862.  and  can  be  classed  among  the  early  settlers. 

In  Omaha,  in  1868,  Mr.  Miller  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  N.  William- 
son, a  lady  who  in  their  thirty  years  of  married  life  has  sliown  herself 
to  be  a  most  devoted  wife  and  mother. 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  1059 


JAMES  C.  JORDAN. 

A    PROMINENT   EARLY    SETTLER,    FARMER,    STATE    SENATOR,    REPRESENTATIVE, 

ETC. 


[See  pages  646-7-i 


1060 


ANNALS  OP  POLE  COUNTY 


Wir^LIAM  KKAUS. 


THE    I<IKST    ISKAELITE    MEKCHANT    IX     DES     RIOIMiS. 
[See  pages  Sv9-goo-^)ui.  I 


AXD   THE  CITY  OF  DfJS  MOIXES. 


1061 


iSataiax^x-fK.^s^-    , 

K 

m 

t 

""hi 

m 

""4 

.  IS 

M 

1 

'  ■-.:  '^^m  ^.7'' 

1 

TACITUS  HUtiSEY. 


TaritUs  Hussey  was  boiu  in  Tei've  Haute,  Indiana,  Octolifr  10,  ISMl!. 
He  learned  tlie  printing  l)usiness  in  that  city,  in  tlie  ofRce  of  the  Terre 
Haute  Journal.  Came  to  De.s  Moines  in  IS.lf),  and  worked  as  a  journey- 
man printer  in  various  offices.  He  became  foreman  or  Mills  Brothers' 
printing  establishment  in  isi;i,  and  engaged  in  business  for  himself  in 
1864,  uniler  the  firm  name  of  Carter,  Hussey  *i  Curl.  ilr.  Curl  retired 
in  1S71).  since  \vliich  time  the  firm  name  has  been  Carter  &  Hussey.  Mr. 
Hussey  is  the  oldest  printer  in  this  city  now  engaged  in  the  business. 

He  is  a  writer  on  general  or  special  subjects,  and  has  been  for  sev- 
eral years  the  associate  editor  of  the  Mail  and  Times,  a  position  which 


1062 


ANNALS  OF  POLK  COUNTY. 


he  still  retains.  He  is  a  poet  and  a  writer  of  songs,  many  of  whicli 
liave  a  state  wide  reputation.  He  is  a  very  quiet,  studious  man,  and 
much  prefeis  the  solitude  of  the  woods,  fields  and  river  to  the  busy 
tauris  of  men.  He  is  popular  as  a  reciter  of  his  own  poems,  and  a 
g.3ne]al  favorite  with  the  people  among  whom  he  has  lived  so  many 
ycais. 


W.  S.  McUONNliLL. 

rRl!;SIDE;NT    DE.S    MOINt;.S    M.VNUF.^CTUKINC    .\ND    SUITLY    COMPANY. 
iSce  pages  898-9I 


AND  THE  CITY  OF  DBS  MOINES.  1063 


WILL  PORTER. 


The  writer  of  the  Annals  ot  Polk  County  and  City  of  Des  Moines  is 
the  son  of  Charles  and  Isabel  (Courtney)  Porter,  and  was  born  at  Hang- 
ing Rock,  Lawrence  county,  Ohio,  January  22,  1833.  Charles  Porter,  his 
father,  was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  his  mother  in 
Kentucky.  The  writer  was  reared  in  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Pennsylvania  and 
Indiana,  attending  different  schools.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  decided  to 
become  a  printer.  For  a  short  time  lie  worked  in  the  offlce  of  the  Bee, 
at  Ripley,  Ohio,  and  then  entered  the  offlce  of  the  Cincinnati  Daily  Times, 
and  from  it  graduated  as  a  journeyman  printer.     He  then  read  law  in 


1004  ANNALi^  OF  I'OLK  COUNTY 

Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  was  admittPd  to  the  Ijar  in  the  latter  state  when 
twenty  years  of  age.  He  at  once  became  a  partner  with  Iris  former  pre- 
ceptor, and  for  a  year  or  two  met  witli  fair  success.  Becoming  dissatis- 
fied with  the  outlook  in  the  small  Indiana  town,  he  returned  to  Cincin- 
nati, and  shortly  thereafter  was  offered  the  position  of  foreman  in  the 
office  of  the  Daily  Whig,  at  Vicksbnrg,  Mississippi,  This  he  accepted, 
and  was  subsequently  made  manager  and  assisted  in  editorial  work. 
Previous  to  this  he  had  heard  much  of  Fort  Des  Moines  and  Iowa,  and 
in  1853  his  uncle,  Di',  Henry  Courtney,  had  become  a  citizen  thereof.  In 
May  1,  185.5,  he  resigned  his  position  at  Vicksburg,  though  flattering 
inducements  were  held  out  for  him  to  remain  there,  and  reached  Port 
Des  Moines  May  14.  He  Immediately  entered  the  office  of  the  Iowa  States- 
man, then  controlled  l)y  Will  Tomlinson.  He  remained  in  that  office 
something  less  than  a  year.  In  April,  1856,  he  was  elected  .Justice  of  the 
Peace  of  Des  Moines  township,  which  then  included  territory  now  divided 
into  a  hall  dozelr  townships  or  more.  In  .lanuary,  1857,  he  purchased 
the  Iowa  Statesman,  changed  its  name  to  Stats  .lournal,  and  in  a  short 
time  it  became  one  of  the  leading  Democratic  newspapers  of  the  state. 
In  1SG0  he  sold  out  to  Stilson  Hutchins,  and  had  thou.ghts  of  removing 
to  Texas.  The  troubles  between  the  North  and  South,  followed  so  soon 
by  the  civil  war,  changed  the  situation  materially,  and  he  entered  into 
a  law  partnership  with  the  late  .Judge  Curtis  Bates,  and  also  engaged  in 
looking  up  the  swamp  land  interests  of  a  number  of  Iowa  counties. 
Trouble  with  his  eyes  pi-evented  his  entry  into  military  service,  but  he 
enlisted  many  volunteers  prior  to  the  draft,  and  afterwards  furnished 
many  substitutes.  After  the  war  he  became  the  chief  Iowa  special  cor- 
respondent for  the  Chicago  Times,  and  represented  that  newspaper  for 
some  twenty  years.  He  also  furnished  euitorial  matter  and  correspond- 
ence for  a  number  of  Iowa  daily  and  weekly  newspapers,  and  also  cor- 
respondence and  special  articles  for  New  York  and  other  eastern  news- 
papers. For  a  time  he  was  editor  of  the  Council  Bluff's  Daily  Globe,  and 
for  a  year  or  more  published  a  newspaper  in  Pocahontas  county.  He 
was  also  for  a  short  time  Register  of  the  U.  S.  Land  OflBce  in  this  city. 

During  the  past  three  years  his  time  has  lieen  mostly  devoted  to  the 
preparation  of  the  Annals  of  Polk  county,  and  looking  after  the  printing 
of  the  same. 

.lune  IS,  1857,  in  Des  Moines,  Will  Porter  was  married  to  Harriet  M. 
Haskell,  Their  son,  Harry  C.  Porter,  married  Miss  Anna  Wheaton,  has 
two  children,  and  is  living  in  Chicago.  The  oldest  daughter.  May  D., 
married  Albeit  Vasey,  of  Grundy  county,  and  died  in  1892.  leaving  one 
child,  a  son  Horace.  The  youngest  daughter,  Edna  H.,  now  fourteen 
years  of  age,  is  living  at  home  with  her  parents. 


oc<<>oc>oc>oc>c>oooc<<>ooc<*ooocM>;>oc<>oocH>oc*ooocM;"t>.ooooc*o 


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6 


Directory  of  Attorneys  at  Law. 

DES  MOINES,  IOWA. 


Ayres.  Woodin  &  Ayres. 
Baily  &  Ballreich, 
Berrytiill  &  Henry, 
Bowen  &  Brockett, 
Brennan  &  Brennan, 
Callender,  D.  F., 
Carr  &  Parker, 
Chamberlain.  L.  C. 
Cheshire,  Thos.  A.. 
Cole,  Spencer  S., 


\  Attorneys. 

'1  Over  \'al]ey  National  Bank. 

1  Lawyers, 

'I  Rooms  402,  403,  404.  YoLingerman  Building. 

\  Attorneys  at  Law, 

'/  506  508  Equitable  Building. 


\  Attorney 
1  603  Yoiin 


erinan  Huildiii"; 


3  Attorneys  at  Law, 
I  309  East  b'ifth  Street. 


)  Attorney  at  Law. 

")  Rooms  16-18  Ciapp  Block,  214  West  Filth  St- 

1  Law\crs, 

I  410  412  Manhattan  Building. 

1  Attorney  at  Law. 

J  Suite  60S,  Youngennan  Block. 

\  Attorney  and  Counselor. 

'j  t)i4  and  OiS  E{]uitable  Building. 


J  Attorney  at  Law, 

1  608  610  Obser\atory  Building. 


Connor  &  Weaver, 
Conrad,  J.  F., 
Crosby.  W.  B., 


J  Attorneys  and  Counselo 
j  Rooms  2,  4  and  6  Clapp  J 

)  Attorney  at  Law, 

')  329  East  I'ifth  Street. 


rs  at  Law 
Block. 


\  Attorney  and  Counselor, 

I  Rooms  207,  208  and  210  Observatory  Building. 


Cuinmins,  Hewitt  &  Wright  )^"-->- 


oonis  303,  304  and  30s  Youngerman  Block. 


Dale  &  BIssell, 
Davis.  Edward  A., 
Dowell  &  Parrish, 


J  Attorneys  at  Law, 
1  Observatory  Building 


J  Att 
1303 


ttorney  at  Law. 
Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Building. 


)  Lawyers, 

I  402  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Building. 


Dudley,  Coffin  &  Byers, 
Earl  &  Prouty, 
Evans,  E.  B., 
Gilmore,  M.  T.. 


\  Attorneys  at  Law. 

"/  512-520  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Building. 

)  Attorneys  at  Law, 
"1  2ti  West  Fourth  Street. 


J  Attorney  at  Law, 

')  Rooms  504  and  506  Good  Block. 

1  Attorney  at  Law. 

'i  Room  52  Clapp  Block. 


<*»O'*»C'OO0C^*0C*^CK*0''^^*'t^OOO0vC"C^C^^0C^0OC^C^C>OC^0O0OO0OvOC^0 


o 
o 
o 
o 

o 
o. 
o 


Directory  of  Attorneys  at  Law. 


o 
o 


6 
o 


DES  MOINES,  IOWA. 


Howe  &  Miller, 
Jones.  Joseph  H.. 
Kingsbury.  A.  6.. 
Kinkead.  L.. 

Kinne,Hume  &Bradshaw, 

Lowery,  Austin  P.. 

MACKENZIE. 

DEWEY  &  JACKSON. 

IVlacy.  J.  C. 
McCalL  John  A.. 
McHenry  &  Hatch. 
McLennan,  John. 
McNutt  &  Newburn. 
McVey  &  McVey. 
Merritt.  J.  A.. 
Miller.  A.  M.. 
Miller.  W.  C. 
Morris.  E.  T.. 
Mount.  R.  M.. 
Myerly.  J.  I.. 
Nourse.  C.  C.  &  C.  L. 
Nugent,  James, 


J  Attorneys  and  Counselors. 
i  610.  611,  bi2  Voungernian  Building. 

Attorney'  at  Law, 

207-208  iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Building. 

'  Attorney  at  Law. 

'1  Over  Frankel's  Clothing  Store.  413  Walnut  St. 

Attorney  and  Counselor  at  Law. 
Clapp  Block. 

\  Lawyers. 

1  Offices:  20b,  208,  210,  212  (iood  Block. 

)  Attorney  at  Law. 
i  513  Mulberry  Street. 

}  Lawyers. 

1  Suite  40N,  Voungerinan  Block. 

)i  Attorne\'  at  Law. 

I  Koiiin  614  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Buildinj?. 

1  Attorney  at  Law, 

i  Rooms  71-73  Clap])  Block. 

1  Altorne\s. 

/  Rooms  211.  212.  213  Iowa  Loan  and  'JVust  Bld^j. 

1  .\ttorney. 

J  Kooni  507  Voungernian  Block. 

Lawyers, 

(HIices  o\er  517  Mulherrv  Street, 

Attorne\s  at  Law, 

404,  40b,  40S,  4io.  412  (iood  Block, 

\  Attorney. 

I  Voungerman  Building. 

Attorney  at  Law, 

OHice  5['^'  iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Building. 

}  Atto-riiey  at  Law. 

I  20^  Observatory  Building. 

)  Attorney, 

I  4i]  Walnut  Street. 

J  .\ttorne>'  and  Abstracter, 
J  Room  11  Clapp  Block. 

_'  Attorney  at  Law. 
i  ;,2-34  Clapp  lllock. 

3  Attorneys  at  Law. 

J  800  Obser\  atory  Building. 


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o 
o 

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8 

a 


O 

z 


\  Attorney  at  Law, 

)  70,;  Voungerman  Building. 


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Directory  of  Attorneys  at  Law. 


DES  MOINES,  IOWA. 


V 

o 

FlPminn     A     P  J  Attorney  at  Law,  V 

riciMllll),  H.    r.,  no2  Younc-ernian  Block.  I 


J  Attorney  at  Law, 


Henry.  J.  Howard. 


1  ,^02  Youngernian  Block. 

)  Law  and  .Al)stract  Office, 
)  200  Fiftli  Street. 


Porter,  A.  N.. 
Read  &  Read, 
Sellers.  Thomas  L. 
Spurrier  &  IVlaxwel 


.\ttorney  at  Law, 

Ko(.ini  6lo  Iowa  Loan  and  I'ruyt  Biiildinl?. 

'  Lawyers. 

I  ^01)  Younger  man  Block. 


Stuokey.  J.  J., 


3  Pension  Claim  Attorney, 
i  6ll  Iowa  Loan  and  Trust  Building. 


Willipmi;nn     I     F  J  Attorney  at  Law. 

VVIMIdlllbUn.   I.   C.  (211  Fourth  Street. 


8       Directory  of  Real  Estate  Dealers, 

>;  DES  MOINES,  IOWA. 


Carpenter.  Wm.  L..  If.ToooTL^i 


ealcr, 
'/  215  Good  Block.  Fifth  Streut  Entrance. 


Mathis.  A.  J.  &  Son. 
Montgomery.  William. 


Rozelle.  N.  W. 


-t 


i      Phillips,  Ryan  &  Ryan.     ]  ^^l^P^'v^^d's  Phiiiips  Bioek,  8 


Attorneys  at  La'v,  *^ 

,  ;og  East  I'ifth  Street.  V 

'?        % 

)  .Attorneys,  A 

')  ;og-;[i  Observatory  Building.  X 

St     John    ftl   StpUPnSnn  \  Atlnrne\s  at  Law, 

Ol.   JUrill    a   OieVKIIbUri.  ^  ;,;  Manhattan  Building. 

'?  -  --  O 

I*        Stewart   A   Cnhpn  j  Attorneys  at  Law,  O 

OlKWdl  I   (X  l^Ulieil,  '  Oyer  500  East  Locust  street.  O 


Pnnlich     \A/     U  '  Kea]  Estate.  Fire  Insurance.  Notary  Public 

^"9"°"'    •'■   '^•'  ■; -i';^  East  Fifth  Street.  O 


'1  Real  Estate  Agents.  O 

'I  _v,i  East  Fifth  Street.  V 

"Real  Estate  i 
Office  W.  Fj'fth  Street,  Room  ii  Clapp  Block.        V 

I  -^                     O 

Rparl     ftpnrfip  A   H     H          '  '^<^^'  Estate  Agents.  r, 

,1^      neaa,  ueorge  a  n.  n..     .  ,,0  East  Fifth  street.  ,n 

1%           —  * 


j  Real  Estate  Broker.  O 

i  Rooms  3  and  4.  over  3^1  East  Fifth  Street.  y 


v,-h*m*m;m^h^m*h>*h*h>^00000CK^C^0C^0C>0>000C'0CK^vChC<^0C^00C^C^C^C'0C 


I   DIRECTORY  OF  DENTISTS,   " 

<J  DES  MOINES,  IOWA. 


O        II    II    ±±    o    R-    II  ^  uentists. 

X        Hallett  &   Fuller,  Jn.  E.  Cor.  sixth  and  Walnut. 

i5        _  '  (  In  contintious_pract[ce_since_i863^ 

O        111  111     >■  TDentist, 

<*►        HeatOn.   W.   N.,  -U23  East  Locust;  Residence 

(In  continuous  practice.  1K75-1S98. 


^     Hughes,  E.  E„ 
Perkins,  Dr.  E.  R. 


*?        PorLinc     Hi-     P     R  J  Dentist 


I  IJentist, 

-  Nortlieast  Corner  Fifth  and  \Valnut. 

I  Fifteen  years  in  Des  IVIoines:  painless  method. 


610  Walnut  Street. 


O 


I   Directory  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 

DES  MOINES,  IOWA. 


Dickinson.  D.  W..  (VI.  D.,      ■>  9'^'?'?  -°^  Marquardt  Block. 


Residence  iSis  Cente"", 


>.i   .  ••  n     ni    A         i  Diseases  of  Eye  and  Ear, 

Weber,  A.  H   ,  M,  D.,PlliG.,     -  Glasses  Perfectly  Fitted. 

'  '  '      (  S20  VValnut  Street. 


I-        f-     n  \  fhvsician  and  Surgreon. 

Wylie,    E.   D.,  -^office  302  Walnut  street. 

f  Residence  2100  Woodland  Avenue. 

DIVERSIFIED  DIRECTORY. 

DES  MOINES,  IOWA. 

i-         Eastman   Co.,  The  C.  E.,     j  j^J^om  6o/\an  Clnkel  Building. 

5  ' 


g     Lichty,  Norman,  ^IJJn'^e? of  wS'a 


J  Corner  of  VValnut  and  Sixth  Avenue, 


LOOmiS,    C.   C.   &   Co.,  j  i^-r'J^^.^^^ger.nan  Block. 


Schreiner,  B.. 
Sherman.  George  G., 


}  Civil  Fn^jXineer  and  .Architect, 
)  348-350  Good  Block, 

J  Fine  Shoes, 

"I  301  Walnut  Street. 


_.  n    „  I  Buggies  Carriages,  Phaetons,  F'arni  Wagons, 

Sims  &  liray,  <  Farm  implements.  Harness,  Etc. 

I  313-315  East  Walnut  Street 

Summit  Restaurant,        -j  ^Vs' waintft  street.""''  ^°'^^''"^- 


WESTERN  GRANITE   &  j  Monuments,  Vaults,  Statuary. 

MARBLE   CO.,      )  Office  and  Works,  101-103  Locust  Street. 


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C.  C    COLE,  I 

Consulting  Counsel   and  Dean  of  Iowa  College  of  Law;   S'5-5i7  Mulberry        O 
street.  O 


DR.  WM.  BAKER  &  CO., 

Established  as  the  City  Drug  Store  in  1854,  in  Des  Moines.  This  house  has 
(or  forty-four  years  maintained  its  reputation  for  selling  pure  drugs,  medicines 
and  chemicals.  The  Dr.  Wm.  Baker  Family  Medicines  have  a-i  established 
reputation.  Fure  liquors  of  all  kinds  for  medicinal  and  other  legal  purposes 
have  always  been  kept  in  stock,  and  their  quality  and  excellence  can  be  relied 
upon.  Fred  Schroeder.  the  present  proprietor,  who  has  been  in  the  house  for 
years,  will  not  only  keep  up  but  add  to  the  reputation  of  this  old  established 
house.    Southeast  corner  of  Court  avenue  and  Third  street. 


LORENZ  ILL, 


Des  Moines  House,  corner  of  East  First  and  Walnut  street,  is  agent  for  the 
sale  of  fine  beer  made  by  the  Leisy  Brewing  Company,  Peoria,  111.  This  is  pure 
beer,  manufactured  from  best  of  material.  It  can  be  had  m  bottles,  case,  or 
kegs,  large  and  smalt,  on  liberal  terms.  Lorenz  111  is  a  pleasant  man  to  deal 
with. 


F.  W.  YOUNGERHAN, 

Manufacturer  and  jobber  of  cigars  and  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  tobaccos 
and  smokers'  articles,  210  Fourth  street,  commenced  business  in  Des  Moines  in 
1867.  His  is  the  oldest  house  in  this  line  in  the  city.  He  has  grown  up  with  Ues 
Moines  and  helped  its  growth  His  Gen.  Crocker  cigar,  of  his  own  manufact'jre, 
is  pronounced  the  best  lo-cent  cigar  to  be  had.  Other  popular  brands  are  manu- 
factured by  him.  All  goods  purchased  of  him  can  be  relied  upon  as  being 
exactly  as  represented.  He  has  behind  him  over  ihirt\'  years  of  square  dealing 
in  Des  Moines. 


PERCIVAL    <&    PORTER. 

Established  iSbj. 

LOANS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 
210  FIFTH  STREET. 

HARVEY  Wl.   PORTER, 
LAWYER, 

210     FrFTH     STREET. 


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